High-speed railway between Orlando and South Florida is a soon coming reality with a projected date of completion being in 2022 when Virgin Trains USA, formerly known as Brightline, completes its track extension between Orlando and West Palm Beach.
The trains will be traveling at speeds of up to 125 mph and will regularly move people from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Miami Central Station in the heart of Downtown Miami. The train will also stop in West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale, which it is already doing on a daily basis.
Moving forward, Virgin Trains USA is working on establishing train stations in the Space Coast, Disney World, and Tampa. Just think of the possibilities that exist in that. Enjoy a fine breakfast on the beach in Miami, then hop on a train headed to Disney in time to enjoy Disney’s Star Wars ‘Rise of the Resistance’ ride before lunch.
How about fast forwarding to 10 years from now. Have a light meal in South Florida before a beautiful sunset, and then hop on a train that takes you and your family stress-free to the Space Coast in time for a launch into space with Blue Origin, or SpaceX the next morning. The possibilities are real, and seemingly endless.
Visitors from all over the world will have even more choices in how they want to visit Central Florida destinations via Miami International Airport(MIA) , Ft. Lauderdale International Airport(FLL) , or Orlando International Airport(MCO).
There are certainly some hurdles to overcome for all of this to become a functioning reality (Florida Department of Transportation recently announced a statewide rail-safety initiative intended to curb injuries and fatalities on or near rail crossings), but in a time where productivity, efficiency, eco-mindfulness, and accessibility are more important than ever… we are about to see another vision come to fruition and existing markets to be shaken up, continuing to make Florida, and Central Florida specifically, one of the most popular destinations for tourism in the world.