Brightline, the higher-speed railroad connecting Miami and Orlando, is more than doubling its departures at Boca Raton and plans to offer prices pegged to “off-peak” and “peak” travel times effective Oct. 6.
A reference to the expansion appeared in a Monday email blast to customers that outlines a pricing scheme pegged to “peak” and “off-peak” service.
“28 daily stops at Boca Raton, which nearly doubles the daily trains from just six months ago,” declares one of the items on a list entitled “South Florida Travel: Reliable Schedule, Predictable Pricing.”
Boca Raton boasts one of South Florida’s loftier median household incomes at more than $102,000, according to 2023 data. The city appears to have emerged as a significant source of train ridership for both Brightline and Tri-Rail, the lower-cost, publicly subsidized commuter railroad thast operates mostly west of I-95 along a state-owned line between Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.
Around 20,000 riders boarded Tri-Rail trains in Boca Raton in 2024, according to Tri-Rail management. The figure is good for a No. 6 ranking out of 19 Tri-Rail stations.
Brightline, which was heavily lobbied by Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer to locate a station in the southern Palm Beach County city, apparently has reaped rewards from the decision and is growing the stopover accordingly.
“Brightline has increased scheduled stops in Boca Raton with 80% of all South Florida trains and 90% of all Orlando trains including a Boca Raton stop each day,” spokesman Michael Hicks said by email.
The company does not disclose ridership figures by station.
Since resuming operations in late 2021 after an 18-month COVID-19 hiatus, Brightline has engaged in a continuous revision of prices, train schedules and loyalty programs. It launched its service over a 170-mile extension to Orlando in late 2023.
Here are some of the latest scheduling and price initiatives Brightline is offering riders for trips to and from Miami starting Oct. 6. There will be more frequencies during peak travel times, with trains approximately every 30 minutes, according to the company:
Five southbound trains arriving at MiamiCentral between 7 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
Five northbound trains departing MiamiCentral between 3:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.
Four northbound trains departing MiamiCentral between 7:45 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Four southbound trains arriving at MiamiCentral between 4:15 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Peak travel times are defined as departures Monday through Friday between 6:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., and 3:30 p.m. through 6:30 p.m.
The price differentials between peak and off-peak are fairly wide, ranging from $12 to $19, for example, on segments between Miami and the system’s Broward County stop in Fort Lauderdale, and the Palm Beach County cities of Boca Raton and West Palm Beach.
Between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, the one-way off-peak fare is $14 and $26 at peak times.
Between Boca Raton and Miami, the one-way off-peak fare is $23 and $37 at peak times.
Between West Palm Beach and Miami, the one-way off-peak fare is $25 and $44 at peak times.
Brightline is continuing its announced program to extend the lengths of its trains. Starting in September, Hicks said, all trains consisted of six coaches.
“By mid-October almost all Orlando-based service (will be) nine cars with ten coming soon,” he said.
Quest for more riders, dollars
Both revenues and ridership have been a challenge for Brightline; they have not lived up to the expectations of management and bond ratings agencies, the latter of which have downgraded Brightline’s debt.
Earlier this year, the company issued an invitation to large investors to buy shares in the company.
“Brightline continues to actively progress the planned issuance of a substantial amount of equity, with a global process underway engaging with potential strategic partners,” the company said in its August ridership report.
The month of August showed a promising upside ridership trend, according to the company’s latest public report. Brightline said it carried 252,425 customers in the month, a 21% increase over the same month of 2024. Both long- and short-distance rider figures also rose year over year.
Management also reported that the railroad’s Brightline Rewards loyalty program, which was launched several months ago, has more than 323,000 members with 58,000 signed in August.
