Brightline – soon to be Virgin Trains – has received approval for a new station at PortMiami. The Miami-Dade County Commission just approved the agreement to build the new station by 2020.
Brightline said that the new Virgin Trains PortMiami station will make it the only intercity rail system in the United States connecting an international airport – Orlando International Airport – directly to a major cruise port – PortMiami.
In a written statement Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez said that the public-private partnership will expand connectivity between PortMiami and central Florida.
Brightline, which was first launched in 2018, develops and operates privately funded high-speed intercity passenger rail systems. Current train service operates from downtown Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach with phase 2 construction underway to connect Orlando in 2022. Due to demand along the South Florida corridor, an additional station in Aventura is approved and Virgin Trains is working with the city of Boca Raton to add a station in 2020.
Last year PortMiami served more than 5.5 million travelers, more cruise passengers than any other port in the world, Brightline said. The port is currently home to 22 cruise lines and will welcome Virgin Voyages in 2020. New cruise terminals and office headquarters will soon be opening or in the pipeline for brands including Royal Caribbean Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises.
Related Stories
Brightline Hosts Travel Advisor FAM
Private Rail Company Brightline Launches Travel Advisor Program