Brightline to begin Miami service May 19

Brightline will launch passenger-rail service to Miami from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on May 19.

Trains will travel from an existing station in Fort Lauderdale into MiamiCentral, a new 11-acre intermodal development in downtown Miami. The railroad will provide eight northbound and eight southbound trips each day between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, Florida.

Late last week, Brightline provided a preview ride on the route for local and federal elected officials. The company also held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the MiamiCentral station.

"We believe that MiamiCentral will be a significant landmark in Miami for generations and Brightline will connect the state in ways that haven’t been done before," said Brightline President and Chief Operating Officer Patrick Goddard in a press release.

Architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP planned and designed the Miami station, which will connect to the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority's Tri-Rail service and Miami-Dade County's Metrorail system.

Tri-Rail's service will connect to MiamiCentral starting in 2019, Brightline officials said.

Brightline began nonrevenue service to Miami last month.

Later this year, Brightline plans to start construction on its second phase of service, which will operate from West Palm Beach to Orlando International Airport.

Siemens supplied Brightline's five trainsets.