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The company operating a high-speed rail link between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach is considering a station at PortMiami.
David Helfman, vice president of corporate partnerships for Brightline, told a group of about 100 travel advisors at the Miami station that “we’re looking at developing a station directly at the port.”
Brightline is planning to start construction later this month on a segment that would extend the service to Orlando.
In an interview, Helfman said the company is working with the city of Miami on the port station concept but offered few other details.
Brightline uses tracks formerly part of the Florida East Coast Railroad. An unused spur would connect the downtown Miami station with the port.
In February, the Miami-Dade County Commission passed a resolution to investigate the feasibility of building a station at the port and file a report.
Brightline is in the process of rebranding as Virgin Trains.
The advisors were attending a lunch and tour of the station organized by MSC Cruises, which is the official cruise line of Brightline. MSC unveiled a $95 package in which two cruise passengers can park at the stations in West Palm Beach or Fort Lauderdale, check their bags, ride the train roundtrip, debark at the Miami station and be driven by Lyft to the port, where their bags will be delivered to their staterooms. Agents will earn 5% commission on the package.
“It’s a great value,” said Ken Muskat, chief operating officer of MSC Cruises USA.
Some advisors agreed. “Coming from Pompano Beach and being able to go on something other than Lyft, or Uber, or a taxi — I think it’s amazing,” said Marie Favre, an agent with Global Travel in Pompano Beach.
Source: travelweekly.com