Brightline has pulled back the curtain on Central Florida’s latest attraction, Brightline’s Orlando Station. Yesterday, Brightline released renderings of the future station, located at Orlando International Airport, which will connect millions and regionalize the state. The station spans three stories, featuring groundbreaking design and a unique synthesis of luxury amenities that meet the demand of today’s modern traveler. Opening this year, Brightline’s Orlando Station will revolutionize train travel in America and continue Brightline’s vision of offering a guest-first travel experience.
The guest journey begins at the main entrance, located off the airport’s expansive two-story glass atrium. 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 area. Brightline is currently the only rail system in America that screens all passengers and bags before boarding.
Self-Service Kiosks and Security Checkpoint
Security Checkpoint
“This world-class train station continues our mission of transforming train travel in America,” said Patrick Goddard, president at Brightline. “We have carefully thought through each detail of this station to ensure that it exceeds the expectations of the modern traveler.”
Lobby. Credit: Brightline.
The station takes the luxury amenities Brightline is known for to new heights featuring an upscale retail experience with convenient in-station shopping and its Mary Mary Bar, serving hand-crafted cocktails and lite bites. The signature sit-down bar is positioned at the far end of the station with a stunning panoramic view overlooking the train platform where guests can leisurely watch as trains arrive and depart the platform.
Mary Mary Bar. Credit: Brightline.
Located above the Mary Mary bar is an iconic, flip-flap message board that can rotate alphanumeric text and/or graphics to form a message. A nostalgic nod to historic train stations, the flip-flap will provide updated train schedules, boarding times, news of the day, and other announcements complete with the flip-flap sound reminiscent of the first passenger train stations in America.
Mary Mary Bar and Lobby. Credit: Brightline.
Mary Mary Bar. Credit: Brightline.
Passengers will access trains by escalator or elevators to the first level platform and board from one of two new track platforms. These platforms are 1,000 feet long and will accommodate a train with four coaches and two locomotives that will transport guests on the Orlando to Miami route in just over three hours.
Brightline offers two classes of service, SMART and PREMIUM. Brightline’s PREMIUM service will provide complimentary drinks and snacks in a dedicated lounge and train 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 children’s play area located in the SMART lounge.
PREMIUM Lounge Entrance. Credit: Brightline.
PREMIUM Lounge. Credit: Brightline.
Conference Room Entrance. Credit: Brightline.
SMART Lounge. Credit: Brightline.
PREMIUM Lounge: Credit: Brightline.
SMART Lounge Children’s Corner. Credit: Brightline.
The 37,350-square-foot station is located in the heart of Orlando International Airport’s new 80,000-square-foot Terminal C and connects directly to the airport’s parking deck C, which will have more than 350 parking spaces reserved for Brightline guests. An automated people mover connects the terminal to the rest of the airport facilities including Terminals A and B in under five minutes.
Two trains looking WEST towards Terminal C
Brightline’s Orlando station is designed by Bigtime Design Studios, an architecture firm based out of Miami, Florida, that also designed the newly opened Brightline stations in Boca Raton and Aventura, alongside the architect of record Sonny Fornoles of Borrelli + Partners. The buildout of the station is led by Orlando-based contractor Gomez Construction Co., whose headquarters are based in Orlando, Florida, and employs more than 100 workers on this project.
Train Station wide shot with two trains. Credit: Brightline.
Two Trains looking south. Credit: Brightline.
Two trains looking north at OIA. Credit: Brightline.
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This looks exciting! What places will train travel to and from. I am in Naples – any plans for here or Ft Myers? Will trians travel to Jacksonville?
Thank you – Good luck:)
Very exciting project!
any word on frequency?
I’m excited about this project especially being a South Florida resident!
I’m excited to continue to see brightline expand and I do hope that it grows to serve not just florida, but the southeast and eventually entire U.S. I do think brightline missed an opportunity to add actually food opportunities and shopping experience and while the station looks clean, it will ultimately lack options. The other thing that I’m worried about is if brightline is taking the lesson learned from Boca Raton and Aventura service and booking problems to heart so that this station opening can be minimized in those issue. Only time will tell but I’m rooting for them to succeed.
It’s gorgeous and well thought-out and exactly what Amtrak should be but isn’t.
Although it may become Amtrak or SunRail or Tri-Rail soon enough, since Brightline is not sustainable. There is a reason there is no other private rail in the US and it’s called money. Brightline loses tons of it every year and has never come close to their original ridership and revenue projections (go back and read the white papers and studies – I have). It has always been backed by its much bigger parent as a real estate play, and that works for a while until it doesn’t.
Don’t get me wrong – the stations are gorgeous, the route actually goes where people want to go (unlike Amtrak or Tri-Rail in South Florida) and the service is terrific. It just runs empty trains at unsustainable losses that trips to Orlando will not fix. It needs to be publicly owned and subsidized, and eventually will be.