Brightline’s long awaited train service between Orlando and Miami started selling tickets for September service.
The high-speed passenger rail will reach speeds of 130 mph when traveling between the two cities. They promote themselves as an elevated service, meaning free wifi and charging ports at every seat. There’s also a first class option with unlimited food and beverages.
The train has been operating for about 60 miles between West Palm Beach and Miami since 2014, with a ticket between the two cities starting at $15.
I, like other people, was expecting the ticket prices to fall around $40 between Central and South Florida. To my large disappointment, they were almost double, starting at $79.
In my opinion, the trains are destined to fail. Here’s why.
To start, Brightline is literally the most expensive link between the two cities.
How do the tickets compare to alternative options? I decided to compare Orlando Airport to Fort Lauderdale Airport, as the two train stations are near both city’s airports. I chose Wednesday, September 13, a random day in the middle of September. It’s usually a relatively slow travel season.
Here’s the Brightline:
Some things to note:
- Base Ticket Price is $79
- The trip takes just under three hours
For a family of four adults to add Orlando to their Miami vacation, it would cost them upwards of $632 roundtrip.
Here’s the cheapest flight between the two cities (MCO-FLL) on Silver Airways:
Some things to note about airfare:
- The cheapest price for the week is $59, almost $20 less than the Brightline
- The flight time is an hour and twenty minutes
An inter-city bus:
- $33
- A little over three and a half hours
Amtrak provides the only other rail service:
- The base fare is $36
- The train takes almost five hours, but that’s a rant for another day.
Driving is a bit of a complication:
- Gas: (from MCO to FLL at 30 mpg at $3.50/gallon for 212 miles) = $24.73
- Tolls: $15.65 (SR528 to FL Turnpike)
- Total = $40.38
- Three hours
Now, let’s compare.
Cheapest: Flix Bus
Fastest: Flying
Brightline adds nothing to the South Florida -> Orlando corridor. Had it been more competitively priced, I could see the company doing very well. Hell, if you can fly between the two cities for a third of the time and like $20 less, I see no reason to take the Brightline.
You could argue that it’s much more environmentally friendly, but what average American is going to care.
Brightline literally offers nothing new to consumers. If they want efficiency, they’ll drive. If they want a cheap option, they’ll take the bus. If they want a fast option, they’ll fly.
Even if they want to take a train, I’d argue they’ll take the Amtrak. Not only is it $40 cheaper, but it’s arguably a more scenic trip. The Amtrak goes through Kissimmee, Lakeland, Tampa and Okeechobee as opposed to following freeways. It’s also only two hours longer, something I’m sure most anyone can justify.
All of this makes me apprehensive for the train’s future expansion to Las Vegas from the L.A. area and the eventual line to Tampa. Brightline is really pushing the narrative that they are looking to take cars off the road, but I just don’t see them doing this.
I’m incredibly disappointed, but a soapbox for expanded rail service in America seems to be a losing battle.
Turquoise Skies 