Brightline…My Phenomenal Fun Experience Riding One of Their Trains

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Written By: Cindy Bertram

Last week on June 13, I had the opportunity to take Brightline from their Miami Central
Station to the Brightline Fort Lauderdale Station. And yes, it was such an incredible
experience. I had first heard about Brightline online, through articles about them
published in different online travel industry publications. Then last fall while attending a
special travel conference I stopped by their booth at the trade show and had to
opportunity to talk with some of their staff members, including Gabriel Martinez, Vice
President, Distribution and Channel Sales.

A Bit More About Brightline

Brightline is a modern eco-friendly intercity rail in America, the only provider of this kind. Brightline was founded in 2017 to create a solution for routes that were too long to drive, and too short to fly. And their train services debuted in 2018.

With their high-speed rail, Brightline currently serves Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale,
Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. And they are currently working on their new Orlando
train station which is set to provide services later in 2023.

All their trains have large, hand stitched leather seats that recline for comfort, oversized
tray tables, as well as full windows. Brightline offers two types of fares. Their Smart Fare
is a comfortable business class option, offering an array of food and beverages available
for purchase. Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi, along with multiple power and USB outlets
at each seat is provided. And their Premium Fare provides a first-class experience with
added amenities. These include complimentary snacks and beverages, as well as relaxing
at their Premium Lounge at the actual rail stations.

My Experience with Brightline

When I arrived and walked into the Brightline Miami Central Station, I was amazed at
the beautiful spaces and areas – areas to grab food, beautiful escalators taking guests
up to the levels where there were more areas to enjoy food, relax and wait to be notified
as far as when the trains were departing. I had the Premium Fare, and one of the staff
members showed me where the Premium Lounge was. The Premium Lounge (which is
exclusively for people who have the Premium Fare) was beautiful, had complimentary
beverages and snacks. It even included a high-tech Tended Bar system where you could
mix your own cocktail on a touchscreen and enjoy your cocktail in about a minute.
Premium Lounge area offered beautiful areas with different seating options to relax.

When the announcement was made that boarding for my Brightline train to Fort Lauderdale from the Miami Central Station was available, I was shown how to get to the
outside area to board the train.

And the interior of the train cars was beautiful. I found my seat and sat down.

The leatherbound luxury chairs had oversized tray tables you could pull down and there
were more outlets. I was absolutely amazed and couldn’t believe I was actually on a train! Then a staff member pushing a cart came through and shared the options available as far as the beverages and light snacks. Because I had a Premium Fare, the beverages and snacks were complimentary. I was able to relax and enjoy the beautiful views. The train made one stop at Aventura, where some people got off, and other people came on the train. Then the train continued on to the Brightline Fort Lauderdale Station.

I disembarked there and then went inside. One again, I went to the Premium Lounge
and relaxed, because I had some time in-between before taking Brightline from this
station back to their Brightline Miami Central Station.

And once again, my experience taking another Brightline train back to Miami Central
Station was incredible.

Onboard the train cars themselves, there was a special area for people to put their
luggage if needed. In my case, I was just traveling that day, so I kept my one small bag with me. The Wi-Fi worked perfectly, and I was able to get a few things done, along with
enjoying the beautiful views, and managed to take a few pictures.

Brightline – One of the Most Innovative Companies in Travel

Brightline was recognized by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies in
travel, offering a guest-first experience designed to reinvent train travel and take cars off
the road. Brightline plans to bring its award-winning service to additional city pairs.

Brightline Makes History

Earlier in March this year, Brightline made history as the fastest train in Florida. This
historical accomplishment took place when Brightline conducted a train testing along its
new 35 rail corridor between Cocoa, Florida and the Orlando International Airport. The
new tracks have been built along the Beachline Expressway/SR 528, which is fenced and
has no grade crossings.

During this special testing Brightline trains were required to test faster than operating
speeds. Once they carry actual passengers, Brightline trains will be traveling at maximum speeds of 125 miles per hour, which is actually more than two miles per minute.

Currently as far as their operations in South Florida, Brightline trains go 79 miles per
hour. And later, once they start operating their Orlando Extension from West Palm
Beach to Cocoa, they will operate at 110 miles per hour.

Brightline – An Option to Consider if Your Taking a Future Cruise

Currently there are two cruise ports, Port Miami and Port Everglades. near the Brightline
stations – Brightline Miami Central Station and Brightline Fort Lauderdale Station. And
as Brightline expands with their future Brightline Orlando Station, this will provide an option as far as Port Canaveral. So if you are taking a future cruise departing from Port
Miami or Port Everglades, taking Brightline might be an option.

Final Thoughts

Brightline has been successfully reinventing train travel as well as providing a new
option for people who prefer not to drive their cars on the road. And they plan to bring
their award-winning service to additional city pairs across the country.

Being able to relax and enjoy a beautiful train ride rather than having to drive and stress
out is definitely one of the many positives Brightline provides. And their incredibly
beautiful trains, with their large leather seats along with providing food and drink
options are even more reasons to definitely consider using Brightline.

And yes, I’ll definitely take Brightline again!