Writer: Joshua Andino
2 min read December 2022 — Brightline’s Boca Raton and Aventura stations opened this week to much fanfare and just in time for the holidays.
As the holiday season picks up and more snowbirds arrive each day, Brightline has opened its next step in South Florida traffic relief. In downtown Boca Raton and in Aventura, just north of Miami, the intercity rail service opened its two newest stations, with service every two hours and officially connecting the two spots to Brighline’s wider network between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
Tickets for the train’s basic Smart Service begin at $6.50, up to $339 for a monthly pass that includes all stops along the way. The Aventura station is located across from Aventura Mall, off Biscayne Boulevard, while the Boca Raton station is at 101 NW 4th St., near Mizner Park.
Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline Trains, in his interview with Invest:, explained the significance of bringing high-speed rail to South Florida. “This has been a 10-year journey designing and building this transformative project and once complete it will deliver the country’s first privately funded intercity passenger rail system, impacting the way people will travel throughout Florida.” He added, “With nearly 900 people moving to Florida every day, the highways can’t hold any more capacity. We want to reintroduce America to train travel, but in a way that’s relevant to today’s discerning traveler.”
The new stations include high-tech amenities – solar-cell parking covers with charging stations for visitors to charge their devices while waiting for Brightline’s shuttle or other ride-share service, touchless turnstiles, sleek lounges, a snack bar, and free wifi, to make the experience as convenient as possible for travelers. At Aventura, a pedestrian bridge is currently being designed to span the width of Biscayne Boulevard, and directly connect Aventura Mall to Brightline’s station. In the meantime, a complimentary shuttle service operates 14 hours a day.
The new stops will not adversely affect Brightline’s current schedule, with trains running to Aventura and Boca Raton every two hours, as opposed to the train servicing Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach every hour. As it stands, a ride between Miami and Aventura, or Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton only takes about 20 minutes.
In a separate conversation with Invest:, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer talked about the importance of Brightline coming to the city. “It will be a game changer for Boca Raton, and many residents and businesses have said this. It is so important to be connected to a major transportation network, and I’m glad we have this opportunity,” Singer said.
Next, Brightline intends to conclude its high-speed tests along the newly constructed Orlando connection, which is expected to begin service later in 2023 and connect directly to Orlando International Airport. Once the Orlando extension is complete, preliminary plans are underway to eventually connect the service to the rest of Central Florida, and eventually, Tampa.
Goddard told Invest: “When we open in Orlando, that will change everything in terms of our service for the state. Now we are connecting South Florida to Central Florida and this opens up interline agreements, agreements with amusement parks, travel agents and other major travel distributors…This is a generational moment for travel in the U.S.”
For more information, visit:
https://www.gobrightline.com/brightline-florida
