First look inside Brightline Orlando Station at MCO and details of pricing and schedules

Apr 21, 2023 in "Brightline"

Brightline Orlando Station
Posted: Friday April 21, 2023 12:13pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Brightline, the eco-friendly intercity rail company, yesterday unveiled its all-new Brightline Orlando Station at Orlando International Airport (MCO). 

The new Brightline station at MCO links Central and South Florida, with one-way fares starting at $79 for SMART and $149 for PREMIUM. SMART fare bundles for families of four will be available for less than $199 one way. Orlando ticket sales will launch in May for summer 2023 dates.

Watch the video below for a tour of the new station.

The 37,350 square foot station is located in Orlando International Airport's new 80,000 sq. ft. Train Station facility adjacent to Terminal C. The Train Station connects directly to the airport's Parking Garage C, which will have more than 350 parking spaces branded for Brightline guests. The Train Station provides direct access to the other airport terminals A and B via the airport Terminal Link (automated people mover) in under five minutes. 

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 arrive in the expansive two-story station space, featuring Brightline ammenities including:

Mary Mary Bar, serving hand-crafted cocktails and light bites. The signature sit-down bar is positioned at the far end of the station with a panoramic view overlooking the train platforms.



MRKT PLACE offers in-station shopping for last-minute gifts, sundries and refreshments.

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.

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.

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.

Orlando to South Florida Brightline 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.

Brightline's opening schedule include:

Weekdays

  • Hourly southbound departures from Orlando to Miami starting at 5:00 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 5:00 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 5:00 a.m. from West Palm Beach and late night departures until 12:45 a.m. out of Miami.

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Andrew256 days ago

Businesses need to grow in order to satisfy investors/creditors, they certainly would like to expand into Tampa if they believe it makes sense financially.

TrainsOfDisney6 days ago

I don’t know if I’d call 2 million riders a year a “niche” product. And that’s of course growing. Why do you think it’s not? Businesses expand all the time. Adding Tampa and then Jacksonville has always been part of the business plan.

JMcMahonEsq6 days ago

The flat earther line wasn't meant as a shot at people who want the train line or not. It was more just as a exaggerated statement that there are niche markets that can served for almost anything, but that just because there are "some" people that would use/want something, doesn't mean its a big enough market to invest in servicing. If it came across that i was relating pro tampa/MCO train route people to flat eathers that wasn't the intention. While I haven't seen the studies that were done, I just don't know how much the demand/use for the Miami/Orlando leg can be used/translates to demand for a east/west spur between Tampa and Orlando. Its not a knock against Brightline the company, it seems like they are doing well both in marketing and implementation for the Miami/Orlando route. But that almost goes to my point, is the the expansion worth the risk, and is the ROI high enough to justify the risk, when the current route is finically doing well, assuming it is.

Twirlnhurl7 days ago

Does Disney get grant money for Disney Transport? I don't think they do. (Not saying they never would, I just don't think that it is a part of their current business model.) Lynx gets grant money to operate, including operating bus likes that serve WDW from outside, but that serves a tiny fraction of the population that is served by Disney Transport.

TrainsOfDisney7 days ago

Right…. Infrastructure. Like… public transit!

Twirlnhurl7 days ago

I don't think Disney has received many grants for their theme park stuff. I'm sure that they've had some research grants at Living with the Land and stuff like that, but that is very limited. Maybe they got some grant money for low cost housing and for clean energy busses? The primary government benefit that Disney gets at WDW is access to municipal bonds for infrastructure through RCID/CFTOD. The only way delivery services could reduce the number of cars on the road is if they are able to trip chain (deliver to multiple houses on a single trip) enough to offset the induced demand for the product. So if 5% of the grocery deliveries only exist because of the presence of the delivery service, and 6% of grocery deliveries are delivered by drivers who deliver to two houses instead of one house, you would reduce the number of cars on the road by 1%. More factors go into it, though. And I think the literature mostly shows very modest reductions in traffic system wide, but it is contingent on a bunch of variables.

Rich Brownn7 days ago

Believe it or not, not all Florida tourists have kids. Nor is everyone traveling to Tampa a tourist.

Disstevefan17 days ago

I argue there are more cars on the road. In the old days, before these services, we planned when we ran errands. and the delivery folks were not on the roads. I KNOW I use these services to get stuff delivered WAY MORE times than I would have gotten in my car to do the same task.

GhostHost10007 days ago

don't worry...no doubt they'd charge for it. I'm surprised we don't have to drop a quarter in a bucket at the front of the bus when we get on yet

Disstevefan17 days ago

That will cost only 1 zillion dollars.

Lilofan7 days ago

Less cars on the road since some including my own family don't even bother getting in their car to run most errands and or going to other stores. Let someone else do it for us and come to poppa .

King Racoon 777 days ago

I'm sure the footers are in place already. Also Zootropolis confirmed for galaxy's edge.

GhostHost10007 days ago

Let's start a rumor Disney is expanding the monorail to MCO

HauntedPirate7 days ago

Right, because every person on a train or bus is at least half a car off the road (thinking of carpools, etc.). I think we're on the same page here. :)