Brightline launches intercity rail service to Orlando International Airport on September 22

koc1723May 17, 2025

There will be people who say they will take the train. I bet if I got a survey or asked at MCO if I would take a train to Disney/Universal, of course I would answer yes, but that is not the full answer. The big caveat is the time, convenience and price. I recently got back from a WDW trip and MCO to our resort (Coronado Springs) was about $65 for a lyft. I was a party of 4, so about $30 roundtrip per person, not bad. It would need to compete in that range, but probably be cheaper since I was dropped off at my resort and even better very close to my room. Convenience, any transfers from the train to buses needs to be fast and easy and not add to the cost. (could they do some luggage transfer option?) When I traveled to London UK (pre-pandemic) and took the Heathrow Express it achieved most of these things, but I was without my family for that so my math would change for any trip to WDW. If I have to stop at 9 stops before getting off the train to only transfer to bus with another 5-6 stops. No thank you (for many reasons but time is the greatest). They would need to consider express trains to Disney and Universal to make this work. It is why the CTA in Chicago was not a primary method to get to the loop from ORD, way too many stops. This study needs the end to end journey in mind and Disney/Universal needs to involved to ensure it makes sense. I suspect any study done in the way described will not actually get to this level of detail, but maybe they will surprise me.

lazyboy97oApr 29, 2025

These studies have been done multiple times already. Much of the proposed right of way was first mapped out over a decade ago for the Florida High Speed Rail project. Rights of way have even been reserved for years now by FDOT along the highways. You can go look at the Beyond Ultimate drawings and see them, including the turn from the Beachline to I-4. A big part of why the Beachline route was to cost Brightline more than the FL-417 route is because it is so built up. It’s not cutting through undeveloped land. The real icing on the cake is that there is already a rail connection between SunRail and the airport. The tracks are already there. They’re still in use and owned by the City of Orlando through the Orlando Utility Commission. A SunRail train could go to the airport today but it is being studied again.

Splashin' RyanApr 29, 2025

Again, not unnecessary, this "red tape" is meant to make sure the project not only doesn't majorly disturb the little wildlife Central Florida has left, but also aims to make sure it doesn't cause harmful effects to humans like exacerbating flooding to nearby housing areas or disrupting travel flows down the line (which all have exponentially grown or changed in central florida since the first study). You cannot just say "red tape boohoo" without understanding why it is there. Every piece of research or review is there because it wasn't considered in a previous project, which led to negative effects. It's not like they're just adding hoops and barriers for fun when they do these projects.

MisterPenguinApr 29, 2025

Where can I purchase a ticket to ride the study?

lazyboy97oApr 29, 2025

The problem isn’t the spending but the red tape, unnecessary delays, and change of funding mechanisms. Transit between the airport and attractions has been studied multiple times and is being studied yet again.

Splashin' RyanApr 29, 2025

Maybe you're new to infrastructure projects, but this is neither that long of a study nor that expensive for a rail project in the US. Feel free to look at california high speed rail or even flordia or vegas (west) brightline Also you and everyone else must remember that highway spending and planning in Florida outweighs transit in every possible way. For example, the majority of I-4 projects around oralndo that wrapped up right after covid cost $2.4 billion and that was before covid inflation. Now you might say, "well, it reduces traffic" but in reality it will only induce demand in the long run. If you are frustrated with traffic that still happens on the highways, then you HAVE to be willing to have the government spend on public transit like this. The efficiency and economic opportunities rail and transit provide pay for itself in no time compared to ever-increasing road construction that requires endless maintenance.

lazyboy97oApr 29, 2025

The governments involved should have just told Universal to put up or shut up. Brightline said they needed $1 billion to do Universal’s preferred route and Universal could have just paid that and instead they have killed the project for years.

AylaApr 29, 2025

Nothing new has happened. The funds for the two year, $6 MILLION study were approved. Once that obscene amount of money is spent "looking into it", then they'll maybe spend an even more obscene $5 BILLION building it.

JoeCamelApr 29, 2025

PurduevianApr 29, 2025

No new information, but thought it was interesting that this was picked up by a fairly random YouTube channel that does a lot of videos on public transit and interesting infrastructure.

Bob HarlemApr 29, 2025

SunRail extension to Orlando airport, theme parks moves ahead Should work without a paywall: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/04/29/sunrail-extension-to-orlando-airport-theme-parks-moves-ahead/?share=omedu0hssakrsitoehdt

Chef idea Mickey`=Mar 31, 2025

And why is that ? 🙂

DisoneMar 23, 2025

If you find a way... Please let me know.

JoeCamelMar 23, 2025

And once the survey is done conditions will change and it will need another survey. Wish I was a surveyor or at least could act like one on TV