The Brightline Guide: Miami to Orlando & Palm Beach

We've taken the Brightline five times since 2025. Twice to Orlando, twice to Palm Beach, once with G, once solo. It's changed how we think about weekend travel from Miami in a way that I don't think we'll go back from. Here's everything we've figured out.

A high-speed train connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando. It's the only privately owned intercity passenger railroad in the United States, which is a fact that sounds more interesting than it is but explains why the experience feels different from Amtrak. You board at MiamiCentral (near Brickell) and arrive in West Palm Beach in about 90 minutes or Orlando in about 3.5 hours. No TSA. No boarding process. No baggage claim. No belt removal. No taking your shoes off for a stranger. You walk on the train, you sit down, the train moves, and you arrive. The simplicity of this process has ruined airports for me.

Travel time: ~1.5 hours Best for: Weekend getaways, day trips, beach days, escaping Miami without trying

This is the easiest trip from Miami that doesn't involve a car or an airplane. You board at MiamiCentral with a coffee, you open your laptop or your book or your eyes (the scenery through southern Palm Beach County is surprisingly nice), and about the time you're thinking "we should be close" you're there.

We've done this twice. Once in 2022 for a weekend at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, and once in 2025 for July 4th at the Palm House Hotel. Both times the experience was identical: easy boarding, comfortable ride, arrival in a city that feels like a completely different world from Miami despite being 70 miles north. Miami is loud and hot and urgent. Palm Beach is quiet and manicured and nobody seems to be in a hurry. The Brightline puts you there in 90 minutes without the I-95 construction or the toll roads or the Turnpike traffic.

What to do on the other end: Walk Worth Avenue (the vias between the shops are the real attraction). Eat at Pizza Al Fresco in one of the courtyards. Hit the beach. If you're staying overnight, the rooftop at the Palm House is excellent for sunset drinks. The Uber from West Palm Beach station to Palm Beach hotels is about 10-15 minutes.

Travel time: ~3.5 hours Best for: Conference trips, theme park weekends, avoiding the Florida Turnpike

The longer ride, but still better than flying when you factor in arriving at MIA 90 minutes early, going through security, waiting at the gate, boarding, the flight itself (about 50 minutes), deplaning, waiting for bags, and Ubering from MCO. By the time you account for all of that, the Brightline is roughly the same total time with none of the airport friction. And you have WiFi, a table big enough for a laptop, and the ability to stand up and walk around whenever you want.

I took this solo in March 2025 for a conference and with G in November 2025. Both times we stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando Airport. The ride has three phases: South Florida suburbs (first hour, unremarkable), the Indian River section (middle stretch, which is the scenic part: herons, mangroves, water on both sides), and central Florida sprawl (last hour, also unremarkable). G spotted the same heron in the same spot on two different trips, standing in the same posture of total indifference. She considered this significant. I considered it a coincidence. The heron had no comment.

What to do on the other end: The Orlando station is connected to the convention center area by a short Uber (about 20 minutes). If you're there for a conference, the JW Marriott Bonnet Creek is the upgrade hotel. For food, Nile Ethiopian Restaurant near I-Drive is excellent. There's a Thai place in a strip mall near the airport (unnamed, ask around) that made G's eyes water from the green curry.

Book Smart class. The seats are wider, the WiFi is more consistent, and you get a complimentary drink. The price difference is usually $30-50 each way. On the Orlando run (3.5 hours), it's absolutely worth it. On the Palm Beach run (90 minutes), it's less necessary but still nice.

Aisle seat. Always. This is non-negotiable on trains the same way it's non-negotiable on planes.

Work on the train. I've done full work sessions on every Orlando trip. The table in Smart class is large enough for a laptop and a coffee. The WiFi handles email, Slack, and video calls (though I'd suggest keeping calls to a minimum because the train is quiet and everyone can hear you). The 3.5 hours to Orlando is a full work block if you use it right.

Bring food. The cafe car exists and the options are fine, but the prices are airport-adjacent and the selection is limited. Grab a sandwich or a snack at MiamiCentral before boarding. There are a few restaurants in the station area.

G's review of the Brightline experience: She spent the first 30 minutes of the Orlando trip looking out the window pointing at things (a heron, a cow, a water tower she thought looked like a spaceship) and the remaining three hours asleep on my shoulder. On the return trip she stayed awake the entire time and considered this an accomplishment. She also denies falling asleep on the outbound trip. I have photographic evidence.

Don't drive to the station. Uber to MiamiCentral. The parking exists but it's expensive and defeats the purpose of taking the train in the first place.

Book early for holidays. The Palm Beach run on July 4th weekend fills up. We booked about two weeks ahead and got the times we wanted, but I've heard of people being shut out the week of.

Living in Miami with the Brightline changes the weekend getaway calculation. Palm Beach is a 90-minute impulse trip. Orlando is a half-day ride with WiFi and a proper table. Neither requires a car, an airport, or the specific hell of the Florida Turnpike at 5 PM on a Friday. G rates the Brightline highly. I rate it higher. We'll keep taking it, and eventually I'll show her the photo of her sleeping on my shoulder. I'm saving it for the right moment.

Read more: 2025: Orlando via Brightline, 2025: Palm Beach for July 4th, 2025: Orlando with G (Brightline Round Two)