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

Apr 21, 2023 in "Brightline"

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Brightline Orlando Station

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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.

Brightline Orlando Station

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.

Brightline Orlando Station

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.

Brightline Orlando Station

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.

Brightline Orlando Station

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.

Brightline Orlando Station

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.

Brightline Orlando Station

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Disone5 days ago

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

JoeCamel5 days ago

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

Disone5 days ago

The convention center is the universal route. They are paying 2 million dollars of the a much larger cost of the survey for that route. The survey that will take TWO years to complete. And the survey is not even approved yet. So we're going to wait for the approval for the 2-year multi-million dollar survey. And then the two years of the land survey. And then provided the survey to give everything the green light then construction can start? I want too but I don't share your optimism on this project.

JoeCamel6 days ago

It will go to the convention center as well, strong motivation to choose that route

Disone6 days ago

Which they also did when it was high-speed rail sponsored by the federal government. That project fell through in part because of universal's temper tantrum although that was not the nail in the coffin for the project. However It does raise the question as to whether or not they really want do this? I suspect they don't. All they really want is to make sure there isn't a train that goes from the airport to Disney. It's okay if it goes to them first and then Disney but definitely not direct to Disney. Or no train at all is just fine and hence they put up A stance that seems like they support it when really they're putting up more obstacles than there are solutions. By design.

lazyboy97o6 days ago

Even crazier is that the connection to the airport already exists. A SunRail train can already get to the airport station. Universal though really needs to be the ones paying for all this extra rigmarole. They’re the ones who stomped their feet about the FL 417 route. They’re the ones who put this idea together. For something they supposedly want they’ve created more obstacles than solutions.

Disone6 days ago

Agreed. Spending a half million dollars to pay a portion of a "study" that is going to take 2 years? No thank you

JoeCamel6 days ago

I wonder how many millions have been spent "studying" SunRail and it's iterations? Might have built a few miles of rail and bought some rolling stock and maybe even operate late enough to be useful?

DCBaker7 days ago

The CFTOD will reportedly consider approving $500,000 towards the project development and environmental study for the Sunshine Corridor at the Board of Supervisors meeting next week - here's the article from OBJ: "The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, the governing entity for the land of Walt Disney World Resort, has proposed providing the Florida Department of Transportation funds for a key Sunshine Corridor study. The district's board of supervisors on March 28 will consider approving $500,000 to support a project development & environment study for a shared rail corridor that will be utilized by both commuter rail SunRail and the Brightline intercity rail service. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District oversees more than 25,000 acres across 24 landowners in Orange and Osceola counties, including The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS). The study, which will cost $6 million, has already gotten commitments of $2 million each from the Florida Department of Transportation and Universal Destinations & Experiences, as well as $500,000 apiece from the city of Orlando, Seminole County and Osceola County. The corridor would have stops at Orlando International Airport, near the Orange County Convention Center and near South International Drive. It also would allow Brightline to expand to Tampa on a route along Interstate 4. Representatives with the district and Disney were not immediately available. Orange County also has said it will commit funding, but has not yet held a vote to do so. The PD&E study, which will take two years to complete, is expected to provide more detailed cost estimates and other information. The Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission — which includes the city of Orlando and Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties — could vote to move forward with the study as early as March 27. A meeting agenda had not been posted for the commission as of March 21. Early estimates have said costs could total more than $4 billion for the Sunshine Corridor and would expand SunRail's current annual ridership of 1.2 million." https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2025/03/21/central-florida-tourism-oversight-district-sunrail.html

DCBaker28 days ago

Here's the latest update from the Orlando Business Journal: "Universal Destinations and Experiences will help fund a study for the Sunshine Corridor. The theme park company — part of Philadelphia-based Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA) — will provide $2 million through its Shingle Creek Transit and Utility Community Development District for the development and environment study for the shared corridor for commuter rail SunRail and intercity rail service Brightline. The funding was announced at the Feb. 27 meeting of SunRail's Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission by John McReynolds, senior vice president of external affairs at Universal Destinations and Experiences. The study, which will cost $6 million, has already gotten $2 million from the Florida Department of Transportation, as well as $500,000 apiece from the city of Orlando and Seminole County. Universal saw it as important to help move the study forward and match funds provided by FDOT and the local governments — including incoming commitments for Orange and Osceola counties — McReynolds said. "We have done what we've needed to do as an organization to ensure our commitment. We stand still today — as Universal and the CDD — and still have land reserved for the station and some of the tracks, and we stand as committed today as we have ever been." Universal already has committed to providing land along Destination Parkway for the Orange County Convention Center station and using the district to help fund the project. Osceola and Orange counties plan to provide funding, as well, with the Orange County Commission's vote targeted for March 25, according to Orange County Mayor and SunRail board member Jerry Demings. Osceola County will put its $500,000 in funding on the agenda soon, though an exact date was not announced yet. It is expected to take roughly two years and will provide more detailed cost estimate for the project, as well as guidance for how to phase construction and how a transfer station would work between the corridor and existing SunRail stations, among other findings. John Tyler, FDOT District Five secretary, said during the meeting an action item to advance the study could go before the SunRail board as early as its March meeting, which is currently scheduled for March 27. FDOT — who will coordinate the project's development and environment study — will visit with the Federal Transit Administration in Atlanta in March. The corridor would have stops at Orlando International Airport, near the Orange County Convention Center and near South International Drive. It would also allow Brightline to expand to Tampa. Universal's new Epic Universe theme park, set to open May 22, will be near the convention center station. Catchlight Crossings, an affordable apartment community being built on land Universal donated, is also close to the proposed station. Once Epic Universe opens, there is expected to be more than 100,000 workers in the International Drive corridor. Early estimates have said costs could total more than $4 billion for the Sunshine Corridor and would expand SunRail's current annual ridership of 1.2 million." https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2025/02/27/sunrail-universal-sunshine-corridor-brightline.html

HauntedPirateJul 24, 2024

I would if I were more frequently visiting the cities it services. But it is also another good bit of info to know, thanks!

DisoneJul 23, 2024

Sign up for brightline emails. Get notifications like this 1-day sale..... $29 fares galor. Must dates San's Fridays and Sundays

HauntedPirateJul 23, 2024

Good info, thanks! I'll tuck that away for future reference, since getting to certain places can be cumbersome. We rented a car in FLL (return at MCO). Not worth the hassle for us to fly or take the train when we need a car regardless.