Brightline unveiled its Orlando Station at Orlando International Airport (MCO). The new station will connect two of the fastest growing regions in the state: Central and south Florida.
More than 300 invited guests took part in the Brightline Orlando Station reveal. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Kevin Thibault joined Brightline CEO Mike Reininger, President Patrick Goddard and Brightline teammates to celebrate the historic occasion. Brightline Orlando Station was met with glowing reviews as elected officials, dignitaries and community leaders, including the tourism and hospitality sectors, stepped inside the first intercity passenger rail station of its kind.
“Today's milestone is the last piece of transformative infrastructure that is now complete as we ready ourselves for the start of the service we have been building for a decade. This station will be a gateway for visitors and travelers throughout Florida, but beyond that, it is indicative of how we set out to transform travel in a way that hasn’t been done in more than a century. We’re proud to start this journey in Florida and rejuvenated in our belief the time is now to accomplish this in other parts of the country,” said Mike Reininger, CEO of Brightline.
Brightline Orlando Station experience
The 37,350 square foot station is located in MCO’s new 80,000 sq. ft. Train Station facility adjacent to Terminal C. The station connects directly to the airport’s Parking Garage C, which will have more than 350 parking spaces branded for Brightline guests. The station provides direct access to the other airport terminals A and B via the airport Terminal Link (automated people mover) in under five minutes. Transportation and mobility options at the Orlando Station include Brightline’s first and last-mile service, Brightline+.
Passengers will access trains by escalator or elevator to first level platforms. These platforms are 1,000 feet long and can accommodate a train with up to 10 coaches and two locomotives.
The main entrance is located off the airport’s expansive two-story glass atrium. Once inside the station, passengers can purchase tickets from guest services or one of several self-service kiosks and check luggage before proceeding through touchless turnstiles into the security screening tunnel. Once through the security tunnel, guests are greeted by an expansive two-story station space, featuring several amenities, including Mary Mary Bar serving hand-crafted cocktails and light food. The signature sit-down bar is positioned at the far end of the station with a stunning panoramic view overlooking the train platforms where guests can leisurely watch as trains arrive and depart.
Above the Mary Mary Bar is a split-flap message board that can rotate alphanumeric text and/or graphics to form a message. The split-flap will provide updated train schedules, boarding times, news of the day and other announcements complete with sounds reminiscent of the first passenger train stations in America.
MRKT PLACE is a retail experience with convenient in-station shopping for last-minute gifts, sundries and refreshments.
Brightline also announced Orlando ticket sales will launch in May for future dates. Brightline offers two classes of service, SMART and PREMIUM. Brightline’s PREMIUM service includes complimentary meals, snacks and beverages, a dedicated first class lounge, free checked luggage, priority boarding and a dedicated coach. One-way fares start at $79 for SMART and $149 for PREMIUM. SMART fare bundles for families of four will be available for less than $199 one way.
Throughout the station, all guests will have access to free high-speed Wi-Fi, charging stations at every seat, 87 big screen televisions and a BrightKids children’s play area located in the SMART lounge.
“Brightline’s Orlando Station sets a new benchmark for travel that establishes a seamless, convenient and comfortable experience built for today’s modern traveler. The station is packed with amenities for future guests and has an encompassing sense of arrival from the moment you enter. We’ve curated an experience well beyond time-savings, and we can’t wait to welcome guests onboard,” said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline .
Orlando to south Florida train schedule details
Service will begin in Summer 2023 and will include 16 daily round trips with hourly departures between Miami and Orlando. Brightline’s non-stop trains have a run time between Miami and Orlando of two hours and 59 minutes. Regular service from Orlando to Miami will stop at all Brightline stations, including West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Aventura, with a run time of three hours and 30 minutes. Additional details of Brightline’s opening schedule include:
Weekdays
- Hourly southbound departures from Orlando to Miami starting at 5 a.m. until 8:50 p.m.
- First southbound train from Orlando arrives in Miami at 8:30 a.m.
- Hourly northbound departures from Miami to Orlando starting at 6:50 a.m. until 9:45 p.m.
- First northbound train from Miami arrives in Orlando at 10:15 a.m.
Weekends
- Hourly southbound departures from Orlando to Miami starting at 5 a.m. until 8:50 p.m.
- First southbound train from Orlando arrives in Miami at 8:30 a.m.
- Hourly northbound departures from Miami to Orlando starting at 5:45 a.m. until 9:45 p.m.
- First northbound train from Miami arrives in Orlando at 9:15 a.m.
Additional dedicated trains will continue to serve commuters and the south Florida region between Miami and West Palm Beach, with early morning departures at 5 a.m. from West Palm Beach and late night departures until 12:45 a.m. out of Miami.
The Brightline Orlando Station design team
Brightline Orlando Station is designed by Bigtime Design Studios, an architecture firm based out of Miami that also designed the newly-opened Brightline stations in Boca Raton and Aventura, alongside the architect of record Sonny Fornoles of Borrelli + Partner. The buildout of the station is led by Orlando-based contractor Gomez Construction Co., a minority-owned business that employed more than 100 workers on this project.
Earlier in 2023, Brightline made history as the fastest train in the southeast, reaching speeds of 130 mph and unveiled the most advanced train maintenance facility in the country, Basecamp.
