July Updates: In a recent test run, the "Bright Green 2" train achieved a record-breaking speed of 130 mph (209 km/h), making it the fastest train in the southeastern United States.
Over the past four years, Brightline has built 170 miles of new tracks and 56 bridges to extend its passenger rail service between Florida's two major cities. It has been a journey of four years, with the expansion to Orlando beginning in 2019 after operations started in South Florida between the Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach stations. According to Brightline, construction teams worked over seven million hours, overcoming challenges posed by the pandemic and supply chain shortages to complete the 170 miles of new track.
The non-stop journey between the two cities will take approximately three hours (two hours and 59 minutes), while the regular service with stops at four other South Florida stations – Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach – will take about four hours. The new service will include 16 daily round trips, departing every hour northbound and southbound. Ticket sales for travel starting from September 1 have already begun on the company's website.
A recent celebratory event marked a significant milestone with a summer deadline:
Passenger transportation service is set to commence in late summer.
"Completing this project is the culmination of over a decade of dedication, determination, and hard work," said Mike Reininger, CEO of Brightline. "Our team has demonstrated tireless resilience in navigating and overcoming challenges to bring us to where we are today. We have built something remarkable, and I am excited to see millions of people travel brighter."
The Orlando expansion project is divided into four zones, including a state-of-the-art vehicle maintenance facility, the construction of the station at Orlando International Airport, 56 bridges, three underpasses, and improvements to 156 railroad crossings.
With service from Miami to Orlando scheduled to begin this summer, trains will travel at speeds of up to 125 mph, covering more than two miles per minute. You can find more information about the daily and weekend train schedule and take a glimpse inside the Orlando station here.
To celebrate this milestone, the mayors of the cities hosting Brightline stations, along with the Orlando construction team, gathered for a roundtable discussion on transportation and its economic impact in Florida at the Orange County station.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who recently announced his presidential candidacy, was present along with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, Palm Beach County Mayor Gregg Weiss, and Aventura Mayor Howard Weinberg.
Brightline continues its critical high-speed train testing throughout the corridor between West Palm Beach and Orlando, reaching speeds of up to 110 mph in Brevard County in July. In addition to the testing, Brightline recently completed its final rail and track cut in the 170-mile project, integrating a new second track into the existing corridor. Once testing is complete, Brightline will proceed with crew certification and revenue service demonstration.
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