NEWS - Brightline Florida is set to unveil a new train station that will connect Orlando to Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, and other South Florida neighboring cities.
The train station will be located inside Orlando International Airport's Terminal C, extending its perimeters to the Brightline Vehicle Maintenance Facility. The entire infrastructure will encompass four zones.
Brightline has not yet released an official announcement regarding the exact date of the grand opening, but the new train station is expected to begin operation this year.
A Sleek, Modern Design
The new South Terminal station will boast two high-speed trains that can cut the travel time from Orlando to Miami down to three hours. Both trains have the capacity to pull four cars each.
In addition to the brand-new high-speed trains, the new Brightline station is slated to have three floors designed to accommodate an in-station shopping mall and a Mary Mary bar offering craft cocktails and snacks for Brightline passengers.
In the train station, travelers will find 87 flat-screen TVs, a children's play area inside a smart lounge, and high-speed internet. Each seat will have a changing station.
The modern amenities and convenient features of the new Brightline station do not end there. The 1,000-foot train platform is connected to Orlando International Airport Terminal C's parking deck, allowing travelers to access to 350 parking spots.
One-Way Ticket To A Better Future
According to Orlando City Mayor Buddy Dyer, the new train station will allow Orlando to be more accessible to the South Florida cities, which can improve the chances of holding bigger social and economic events for the city in the future.
Mayor Dyer also said that the new Brightline train station will increase the level of comfort for residents of Orlando who want to travel for leisure or work.
The new train station will also help drive the economic growth of the city, as it is expected to create 2,000 jobs per year after construction is complete.
As of now, train travel from Central Florida to Miami and neighboring cities takes an average of six hours and 20 minutes. The new Brightline Southern Terminal station promises to cut more than half of this travel time.
Orlando Is On A Steady Track
The new Brightline train station also holds a bit of history in its tracks.
Brightline runs on a rail track owned by Florida East Coast Railway, a Class II railroad company founded in the 19th century by the American industrialist Henry Flagler.
Henry Flagler also founded the city of Miami and the incorporated town of Palm Beach, Florida. He helped develop the Atlantic coast of Florida. Today Florida East Coast Railway is owned by Grupo México.
Brightline also connects Miami to West Palm Beach. The West Palm Beach Brightline station is connected to the new Brightline Orlando station. The new Orlando station is set to connect to a future Brightline project in Tampa, as per the Brightline website.