TRAIN vs PLANE Race Miami to Orlando (Brightline vs Delta Air Lines)
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Date: 2023-10-22
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Comments and reviews: 20
Jean-Francois
There is the metro between downtown Miami and the airport, so that eliminates uncertainty about traffic. The Siemens passenger cars have to comply with ADA rules and have wider aisles than normal trains and this results in narrower seats. For coach, this means substantially narrower seats than on conventional Amtrak coaches (but Amtrak's new trains will have similarly wide aisle and narrow seats.
Brighrline is limited ti 79mph for most of the distance due to rai corssings AND mixing with freight traffic (it s promarioly a freight railroad after all)
A proper comparison would be downtown Orlando to Downtown Miami,
Getting Brightline to downtown Orlando would require FEC to pay to ride the trains on CSX tracks which FEC wont do. The economics of Brightline require it runs on its own company tracks so is limited to where it goes. FEC is descendant of the Flagler railway to Key West and had prime location before anyone else laid tracks in Florida. But being close to shore means close to fancy home and lots of streets and crossings.
Not building grade separation saved FEC a LOT of money, so those crossings are a money saver, not a cost. Like Miami station, the southern part should have been planned to be elevated (so station built for that) and progressively elevate the tracks to eliminate crossings over time. But with stations at ground level, this will never happen.
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There is the metro between downtown Miami and the airport, so that eliminates uncertainty about traffic. The Siemens passenger cars have to comply with ADA rules and have wider aisles than normal trains and this results in narrower seats. For coach, this means substantially narrower seats than on conventional Amtrak coaches (but Amtrak's new trains will have similarly wide aisle and narrow seats.
Brighrline is limited ti 79mph for most of the distance due to rai corssings AND mixing with freight traffic (it s promarioly a freight railroad after all)
A proper comparison would be downtown Orlando to Downtown Miami,
Getting Brightline to downtown Orlando would require FEC to pay to ride the trains on CSX tracks which FEC wont do. The economics of Brightline require it runs on its own company tracks so is limited to where it goes. FEC is descendant of the Flagler railway to Key West and had prime location before anyone else laid tracks in Florida. But being close to shore means close to fancy home and lots of streets and crossings.
Not building grade separation saved FEC a LOT of money, so those crossings are a money saver, not a cost. Like Miami station, the southern part should have been planned to be elevated (so station built for that) and progressively elevate the tracks to eliminate crossings over time. But with stations at ground level, this will never happen.
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tpajay
I'm all for travel options & have used Brightline between Orlando & West Palm two weeks ago & will use them on next Sunday on the same route (my Premium fare was 189. 00 the first trip & will be 229. 00 next week. However, your comparisons are not the same. You should have started your trip from a hotel in Orlando that is the same distance as the hotel you walked to in Miami & began your trip timing there. Having flown many times in the last 50 years, you are correct about the carry on in planes being tight & I imagine the storage of carry-ons would be a bigger issue on the train if there were passengers in Premium class (my Premium car was mostly empty too. As far as fares, that too, depends on the day. I wanted to use the same date for comparison (Oct. 28. DL First class on the 3 MIA-MCO flights is 224. 00 & the train going the opposite direction is 149. 00, 189. 00 or 229. 00 Premium (depending on the train. DL coach is 124. 00 & trains are 79. 00 & 99. 00. I saw some Smart fares (economy) on some days as high as 159. 00 & 184. 00 one way. Again, I like & use the options but you can't begin your timing inside the MCO airport for the train & your Miami hotel by the Brightline station for the plane.
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I'm all for travel options & have used Brightline between Orlando & West Palm two weeks ago & will use them on next Sunday on the same route (my Premium fare was 189. 00 the first trip & will be 229. 00 next week. However, your comparisons are not the same. You should have started your trip from a hotel in Orlando that is the same distance as the hotel you walked to in Miami & began your trip timing there. Having flown many times in the last 50 years, you are correct about the carry on in planes being tight & I imagine the storage of carry-ons would be a bigger issue on the train if there were passengers in Premium class (my Premium car was mostly empty too. As far as fares, that too, depends on the day. I wanted to use the same date for comparison (Oct. 28. DL First class on the 3 MIA-MCO flights is 224. 00 & the train going the opposite direction is 149. 00, 189. 00 or 229. 00 Premium (depending on the train. DL coach is 124. 00 & trains are 79. 00 & 99. 00. I saw some Smart fares (economy) on some days as high as 159. 00 & 184. 00 one way. Again, I like & use the options but you can't begin your timing inside the MCO airport for the train & your Miami hotel by the Brightline station for the plane.
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Wrong
Few other items in the event not covered by others. Yall landed North in MCO which saves some time compared to flying the downwind and landing South. Also, Florida is obviously very prone to afternoon and early evening thunderstorms resulting in mile in trail, ATC flow programs, and ATC ground stops (departure delays. And then for the destination whether it be MIA or MCO, thunderstorms over the field results in arrival delays or diversions. all out of the control of the traveler. These are constraints not likely to be encountered on the Brightline. I'm manager of flight dispatch at a major U. S. carrier and often have to travel between MCO and FLL. I'll be giving the Brightline a shot! They even offer airline employees discounts! Great content as always and thank you for comparison!
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Few other items in the event not covered by others. Yall landed North in MCO which saves some time compared to flying the downwind and landing South. Also, Florida is obviously very prone to afternoon and early evening thunderstorms resulting in mile in trail, ATC flow programs, and ATC ground stops (departure delays. And then for the destination whether it be MIA or MCO, thunderstorms over the field results in arrival delays or diversions. all out of the control of the traveler. These are constraints not likely to be encountered on the Brightline. I'm manager of flight dispatch at a major U. S. carrier and often have to travel between MCO and FLL. I'll be giving the Brightline a shot! They even offer airline employees discounts! Great content as always and thank you for comparison!
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Chris
Someone will have to run this race between LA and Las Vegas when Brightline West opens, currently scheduled for 2028. It could even be a 3-way race between train, plane, and car.
Brightline West estimates a trip time from their terminus of Rancho Cucamonga, a 74-minute train ride from LA, to Las Vegas of 2 hours 10 minutes, so about 3 1/2 hours total plus a little time to get into Las Vegas itself (so maybe closer to four hours total. The flight from LAX to Las Vegas takes just over an hour, plus time to get to/from and through the airports, so it should actually be pretty close between train and plane (plus the train will have all the advantages you highlighted, while the drive can vary greatly from 3 1/2 to 5 hours depending on traffic.
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Someone will have to run this race between LA and Las Vegas when Brightline West opens, currently scheduled for 2028. It could even be a 3-way race between train, plane, and car.
Brightline West estimates a trip time from their terminus of Rancho Cucamonga, a 74-minute train ride from LA, to Las Vegas of 2 hours 10 minutes, so about 3 1/2 hours total plus a little time to get into Las Vegas itself (so maybe closer to four hours total. The flight from LAX to Las Vegas takes just over an hour, plus time to get to/from and through the airports, so it should actually be pretty close between train and plane (plus the train will have all the advantages you highlighted, while the drive can vary greatly from 3 1/2 to 5 hours depending on traffic.
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Ven100
The train by far is the best way to travel between Orlando and Miami. A train only has to come close to the total travel time of flying for it to be more than competitive. It's why studies in Europe have shown people are more willing to take a longer train ride over flying due to the added levels of comfort and less hassle vs flying.
Brightline is still running at 90 MPH between West Palm Beach and Cocoa. After the FRA certifications are complete sometime in November, that will increase the speed allowed to 110 MPH.
Having left so early in the morning for the airport, some slight time advantage was given to the plane as others have pointed out. A nice video overall.
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The train by far is the best way to travel between Orlando and Miami. A train only has to come close to the total travel time of flying for it to be more than competitive. It's why studies in Europe have shown people are more willing to take a longer train ride over flying due to the added levels of comfort and less hassle vs flying.
Brightline is still running at 90 MPH between West Palm Beach and Cocoa. After the FRA certifications are complete sometime in November, that will increase the speed allowed to 110 MPH.
Having left so early in the morning for the airport, some slight time advantage was given to the plane as others have pointed out. A nice video overall.
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Adam
Looks like those flights cost a lot less if you don't book last minute, so for booking in advance flights might be a bit cheaper, but for last minute travel the train is cheaper. Also, business travelers wouldn't arrive at the airport so early, so there might be an hour+ difference between the two even at higher traffic times. Otherwise, seems like the train is the way to go because you are able to get so much more done, relax more with fewer hoops to jump through, and you get better food/service. Nice to see a competitive option to planes that can be enjoyed.
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Looks like those flights cost a lot less if you don't book last minute, so for booking in advance flights might be a bit cheaper, but for last minute travel the train is cheaper. Also, business travelers wouldn't arrive at the airport so early, so there might be an hour+ difference between the two even at higher traffic times. Otherwise, seems like the train is the way to go because you are able to get so much more done, relax more with fewer hoops to jump through, and you get better food/service. Nice to see a competitive option to planes that can be enjoyed.
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Chris
when looking at this. lets tell the true facts about the train. it beats the plane hands down. yes it was 50 mins faster on the plane. but is the extra 80 worth that? hell no. also the food on the train looked great. the seats were amazing. the ambience of the train beats the plane. and once they get rid of the slow downs dus to crossings it will be better as well. but the BIGGEST factor for me was on the train it looked stress free. the airport left you looking frustrated. hence why when i go from Scotland to London its always by train great video.
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when looking at this. lets tell the true facts about the train. it beats the plane hands down. yes it was 50 mins faster on the plane. but is the extra 80 worth that? hell no. also the food on the train looked great. the seats were amazing. the ambience of the train beats the plane. and once they get rid of the slow downs dus to crossings it will be better as well. but the BIGGEST factor for me was on the train it looked stress free. the airport left you looking frustrated. hence why when i go from Scotland to London its always by train great video.
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fuzzylon
Thank you for a really interesting video.
I always allow 2hrs for air travel.
When I'm flying out of an airport with good food options I plan on having a nice lunch after security and before the gate announcement then if I get delayed I only grab a sandwich. The risk of delay and the consequences of missing a flight are things I really want to avoid.
Thanks also for mentioning the stressors - I find rail travel (here in France) a much easier and calmer experience than travelling by air - and that makes a difference for me.
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Thank you for a really interesting video.
I always allow 2hrs for air travel.
When I'm flying out of an airport with good food options I plan on having a nice lunch after security and before the gate announcement then if I get delayed I only grab a sandwich. The risk of delay and the consequences of missing a flight are things I really want to avoid.
Thanks also for mentioning the stressors - I find rail travel (here in France) a much easier and calmer experience than travelling by air - and that makes a difference for me.
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Chris
Another benefit of the train is the silence. I have not ridden on Brightline, but I have ridden on Amtrak's Coast Starlight. Even at full speed (70-90 mph, the train is so quiet that you can carry on a normal conversation with your seat mate. On a plane, I need my noise-cancelling ear defenders. I've also been on several European TGVs and I don't remember them being very noisy either. And, agreed, you don't need two hours lead time at the airport. Until you do. I always plan on at least two hours, even when flying first class.
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Another benefit of the train is the silence. I have not ridden on Brightline, but I have ridden on Amtrak's Coast Starlight. Even at full speed (70-90 mph, the train is so quiet that you can carry on a normal conversation with your seat mate. On a plane, I need my noise-cancelling ear defenders. I've also been on several European TGVs and I don't remember them being very noisy either. And, agreed, you don't need two hours lead time at the airport. Until you do. I always plan on at least two hours, even when flying first class.
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TheReal_DannyA
I love the Brightline. Super convenient. Biggest drawback for me is that it s NOT cheap.
Trains are comfortable. They re super clean and the staff are great. The main stations (Miami / Ft. Lauderdale / Palm Beach are huge and nice. The smaller stations are nice but not nearly as big as the 3 mains well, I guess 4 mains now with Orlando.
I live about 5-10 minutes from the relatively new Aventura stop so it s convenient.
I have yet to do the Orlando stretch but have gone to Palm Beach several times.
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I love the Brightline. Super convenient. Biggest drawback for me is that it s NOT cheap.
Trains are comfortable. They re super clean and the staff are great. The main stations (Miami / Ft. Lauderdale / Palm Beach are huge and nice. The smaller stations are nice but not nearly as big as the 3 mains well, I guess 4 mains now with Orlando.
I live about 5-10 minutes from the relatively new Aventura stop so it s convenient.
I have yet to do the Orlando stretch but have gone to Palm Beach several times.
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William
The other variable that wasn t a part of this test and that s weather. Florida is known for its afternoon thunderstorms. Those can increase your flight times significantly and last I head thunderstorms don t bother trains in the least.
I commuted between DC and NYC for years and while it wasn t any cheaper, the train was a 100 times easier on most days. Only rarely did the train have an issue. I expect that on the average, the train from Miami to Orlando will be a similar experience.
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The other variable that wasn t a part of this test and that s weather. Florida is known for its afternoon thunderstorms. Those can increase your flight times significantly and last I head thunderstorms don t bother trains in the least.
I commuted between DC and NYC for years and while it wasn t any cheaper, the train was a 100 times easier on most days. Only rarely did the train have an issue. I expect that on the average, the train from Miami to Orlando will be a similar experience.
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mrvwbug44
I always get to the airport 2 hours in advance, just in case of a long security line. My normal airport is Denver, so traffic is a non-issue as Denver has REALLY good train service to the airport now, just catch an uber or drive to the nearest station that serves the RTD A-line and forget about the I-70 and Pena Blvd traffic jams. I live in the SE part of Denver and it takes 15min to drive to the nearest station that serves the A-line and 20min on the train to get to the airport.
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I always get to the airport 2 hours in advance, just in case of a long security line. My normal airport is Denver, so traffic is a non-issue as Denver has REALLY good train service to the airport now, just catch an uber or drive to the nearest station that serves the RTD A-line and forget about the I-70 and Pena Blvd traffic jams. I live in the SE part of Denver and it takes 15min to drive to the nearest station that serves the A-line and 20min on the train to get to the airport.
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PhillyMotoXTS
40 minutes faster flying for more money and a lot more hurry up and wait between getting to the airport early, boarding, etc, I think the train is the clear winner in the scenario. One possible way that can eat in to that time is checked bags. I think we've all spent 40 minutes waiting for our bags sometimes, and the additional time getting to the baggage claim area probably would have put you over the train time anyway. Great video as always, can't wait for the next one!
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40 minutes faster flying for more money and a lot more hurry up and wait between getting to the airport early, boarding, etc, I think the train is the clear winner in the scenario. One possible way that can eat in to that time is checked bags. I think we've all spent 40 minutes waiting for our bags sometimes, and the additional time getting to the baggage claim area probably would have put you over the train time anyway. Great video as always, can't wait for the next one!
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5Oblivion
I find that people who complain that BrightLine isn't true High Speed Rail because it's not 200mph are missing the point: rail travel in the United States has played 3rd fiddle to cars & domestic aviation for decades. But now, in a world where trains are coming back as a green solution to transport, a 125mph rail link between Florida's 2 most important cities is a quantum leap compared to before. Systems like BrightLine aren't the end for HSR, they're just the start!
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I find that people who complain that BrightLine isn't true High Speed Rail because it's not 200mph are missing the point: rail travel in the United States has played 3rd fiddle to cars & domestic aviation for decades. But now, in a world where trains are coming back as a green solution to transport, a 125mph rail link between Florida's 2 most important cities is a quantum leap compared to before. Systems like BrightLine aren't the end for HSR, they're just the start!
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Daehawk
To me a train beats a plane in every way except time of travel. I hope to be able some day to hop a train in Chattanooga and go anywhere. like Tampa or Miami or Dallas or Las Vegas. If they had the lines I could spend a a weekend out and about instead of being home all the time. I dont want to drive those distances and a bus is not the ideal way and I do not want to fly. Flights are notorious for delays. For me the choice is easy. Train all day. :)
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To me a train beats a plane in every way except time of travel. I hope to be able some day to hop a train in Chattanooga and go anywhere. like Tampa or Miami or Dallas or Las Vegas. If they had the lines I could spend a a weekend out and about instead of being home all the time. I dont want to drive those distances and a bus is not the ideal way and I do not want to fly. Flights are notorious for delays. For me the choice is easy. Train all day. :)
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Flight
You made the hugest points of what has become a HUGE issues with Brightline. CARS DODGING THE CROSSING CATS THROUGHOUT THE JOURNEY! There's already been 5 accidents and one derailment of Brightline because of pin headed drivers. Its only a matter of time before the big one. And, your stopping and starting in MIA was wierd. To that end, and since i worked for American Airlines for over 30 years. See you in the wild grey yonder!
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You made the hugest points of what has become a HUGE issues with Brightline. CARS DODGING THE CROSSING CATS THROUGHOUT THE JOURNEY! There's already been 5 accidents and one derailment of Brightline because of pin headed drivers. Its only a matter of time before the big one. And, your stopping and starting in MIA was wierd. To that end, and since i worked for American Airlines for over 30 years. See you in the wild grey yonder!
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Hans
Speaking of time, one thing I don't understand as a European is that Brightline recommends to arrive 15 to 20 minutes before departure. As a European we usually get the recommendation to be there just 5 minutes before and even that is just to leave yourself with some margin for error. Technically you just have to be on the platform one or two minutes before your departure time to get on board before the doors close.
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Speaking of time, one thing I don't understand as a European is that Brightline recommends to arrive 15 to 20 minutes before departure. As a European we usually get the recommendation to be there just 5 minutes before and even that is just to leave yourself with some margin for error. Technically you just have to be on the platform one or two minutes before your departure time to get on board before the doors close.
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Al
The 7 minutes late was due to the Federal Railroad Administration's delay in certifying the signal system for full speed (110 MPH) between Cocoa and Ft Lauderdale. The train currently can only run at 90 MPH on that segment. Even though I am a train guy I do see that Brightline's propensity for incidents can sometimes add a lot of time to the trip vs. the weather and other airline delays. I still favor the train!
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The 7 minutes late was due to the Federal Railroad Administration's delay in certifying the signal system for full speed (110 MPH) between Cocoa and Ft Lauderdale. The train currently can only run at 90 MPH on that segment. Even though I am a train guy I do see that Brightline's propensity for incidents can sometimes add a lot of time to the trip vs. the weather and other airline delays. I still favor the train!
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Spelldaddy
I'm stuck with a similar dilemma myself between airline and amtrak. By my math it's the same amount of time, but what does it for me is the activity level. While there is more time and comfort on the train to get work done, with my attention span, I don't like sitting in one place for 6 hours as much as the constant moving through the airport and the much shorter (1 hour in my case) flight time.
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I'm stuck with a similar dilemma myself between airline and amtrak. By my math it's the same amount of time, but what does it for me is the activity level. While there is more time and comfort on the train to get work done, with my attention span, I don't like sitting in one place for 6 hours as much as the constant moving through the airport and the much shorter (1 hour in my case) flight time.
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Raptor2002
I am definitely team Brightline. 2 hours is the safe arrival time for flights. Another factor missed. Luggage. Medium size suit cases are carry on with Brightline, and even if you did check luggage. The time from arrival to luggage collection, really adds up on a flight. Been using bright line for cruises for a while now. Love it. Will try my first Orlando to Miami for a cruise this December.
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I am definitely team Brightline. 2 hours is the safe arrival time for flights. Another factor missed. Luggage. Medium size suit cases are carry on with Brightline, and even if you did check luggage. The time from arrival to luggage collection, really adds up on a flight. Been using bright line for cruises for a while now. Love it. Will try my first Orlando to Miami for a cruise this December.
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