Florida’s new high-speed train makes 1st test run to Orlando airport
When Orlando International Airport's (MCO) new Terminal C opens Sept. 19, "higher-speed" train travel between Central Florida and Miami will be one step closer to reality.
The rail service known as Brightline, which currently services stations between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, ran its first test into the new terminal on Tuesday. The black and yellow train called Bright Blue 2 rolled onto the platform at the Intermodal Terminal Facility accompanied by engine roar, train whistles and flashing lights.
While no passengers were on board during the test, project engineer Jerome Hall was there to offer his thoughts about the milestone. "To be able to have higher-speed premium passenger rail service here in the Orlando region and connecting down to Miami is the future," he said. "For the past four years ... we've been dreaming and working tirelessly toward this goal with design and construction."
Once testing was completed, the train returned to Brightline's maintenance facility just south of the airport. The connector project from Orlando to Miami cost a total of $2.7 billion. It's about 80% complete and will start carrying passengers from Orlando to South Florida in 2023.
Related: Brightline breaks ground on Orlando extension
The trip between Miami and Orlando will take about three hours, which shaves off an hour or more from travel time by car. That's a big deal where the only current options for visitors are either to hit the road in a rental car or hop a connecting 40-minute flight.
Three additional stations are currently under construction in South Florida: Boca Raton, Aventura and PortMiami, where riders can hop off the train to board the cruise ships docked there.
Future expansion plans for Brightline include a connection between Orlando International Airport and Disney Springs, and then a continuing connection to Tampa. Plans for a three-hour connection between the Las Vegas Strip and downtown Los Angeles are also underway.
Related: Brightline name sticks for California and Florida lines
Since its opening in January 2018, Brightline has carried more than 2 million passengers between its three current operating stations.
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
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Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
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- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month