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Higher-speed rail systems have made traveling and commuting a simple luxury across many countries. They offer speed that rivals airplanes while at a convenience that is far greater than an airport. They even offer accommodations and comfort that rival or surpass that of many airlines. However, they have been missing from the transit options available to travelers in the United States until now.

Just a bit south of Orlando International Airport, travelers can now find the new Brightline Station set to be open by early 2023. With two new train sets just arriving, Brightline sits ready to provide higher-speed rail service between northern and southern Florida.

Travelers to the sunshine state will soon have a new method of commuting between destinations once they arrive in Florida. Having the higher-speed rail available will do much to simply travel while taking demand off of other previously heavily used means of transportation, allowing for an overall better experience all around.

Orlando’s Newest Eco-Friendly Rail Welcomes Travelers

Brightline Rail just welcomed two new six-car higher-speed trains to Orlando. The Trains are “Bright Green 2” and “Bright Pink 2”. They arrived together at Brightline’s Maintenance Facility just south of Orlando International Airport. These two trains add to the already existing fleet of trains running between the north and south of Florida.

Both trains are constructed in the same six-car format. They each have two locomotives at the front and back of the train, with four passenger cars filling out its middle. Their original home was Sacramento, California, but they both made the 3,000-plus mile journey across ten states to arrive in Orlando on July 8th of this year.

Brightline Rail represents the first private company in the US to create a higher-speed rail system, private or public, in the country.

It should be noted that higher-speed rail systems are not high-speed rail systems. They do not reach quite those speeds, but they are still quite quick.

Fast Eco-Friendly Travel For Florida

This is an exciting moment for residents of Florida as well as visitors to the state. These two trains represent the best of what modern transit has to offer. As higher-speed trains, they are a smooth, stress-free ride free of both nauseating bumps and turbulence. Each seat is also fully equipped with conveniences like USB and charger plug-in connections, and each car has a high-speed Wi-Fi connection. Travelers won’t need to worry about long pesky airport security lines and or highway traffic if they choose to ride on “Bright Green 2” or “Bright Pink 2”.

Related: Extreme Sports In Florida: 10 Must-Do Activities For Adrenaline-Seekers

Brightline Is Just Getting Started

“Bright Green 2” and “Bright Pink 2” are just the start of what Brightline plans to offer Florida from their Brightline Station in Orlando. They are also not the first trains offered by Brightline. “Bright Red 2” was their first train which arrived in 2021. It is still traveling around its route through Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties to its destination in West Palm Beach. The second train was “Bright Blue 2,” which arrived early this year in February. Later this year, Brightline Station is awaiting the arrival of even more train sets as they eye the completion of their fleet in early 2023.

  • Bright Red - Arrived in 2021
  • Bright Blue - Arrived February 2022
  • Bright Green - July 8th, 2022
  • Bright Pink - July 8th, 2022

Brightline's Mission

Brightline is the leading private company in the US in pushing for eco-friendly higher-speed transportation. As a private company, they are investing billions in the American infrastructure, trying to create the country’s first private high-speed rail network, as the US doesn’t even have a public high-speed rail network yet. Partnering with Siemens Mobility for their expertise, Brightline has ambitious goals. To show their commitment to American companies, they have worked with 160 suppliers across 27 states to secure all the components their stainless-steel coaches are made from.

Brightline’s Passenger Cars

Those enjoying a ride on one of Brightline's new coaches will be treated to an incredibly comfortable travel experience. With wide aisles and fully accessible restrooms, riding on a Brightline train is nothing like many economy class flights where travelers are shuffling carefully by seats doing their best just to reach a tiny bathroom without bumping anyone. With Wi-Fi and charging stations also available, rides on Brightline’s Venture Train Set exceed expectations. Also, they more than meet any ADA requirements from cover to cover.

About Brightline, The Company

Currently, there are no other providers of modern, eco-friendly, higher-speed rail service in the United States. Brightline serves Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and West Palm Beach right now, with plans to open stations in Boca Raton and Aventura and to start service to Orlando with their new station in 2023. The company has been recognized with several awards too. For example, They were named Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in their travel category in 2020.

Brightline's plans are not just for Orlando, Florida. With so many congested corridors all over the US, Brightline plans to bring trains to cities across the country. Some of their near future plans include connecting Las Vegas to Southern California.