Last week, I took the Brightline train from West Palm Beach to Miami for the first time. I Google’d myself senseless trying to find simple instructions on how to do this…the Brightline gets you to Miami but it doesn’t go straight to the airport. OK, so then what? If I then wanted to take the Metrorail to Miami Airport, how could I do THAT??
Here’s how it works.
Take the Brightline to Miami. The Brightline has its own dedicated beautiful bright and shiny (seriously) building. Follow the signs for Lyft on go out the NW 6th St exit. You will come out to an area with Lyft branding where you can wait for a Lyft (or an Uber) and take a car to the airport. My Uber to Miami Airport from Miami Central cost me $13.86. (I don’t have a Lyft account and couldn’t be bothered to create one for the purposes of this trip although I do believe there are discounts with Lyft for doing this.) I was traveling during evening rush hour — in hindsight, I probably wouldn’t pursue the Uber/Lyft option again because it felt like it took a long time and I didn’t have a lot of luggage so I would have been fine on the Metrorail. (My receipt shows I was picked up at 5:09 pm and dropped off at the door to British Airways check-in at 5:36 pm.)
OR
Coming from the Brightline building — Miami Central — go right out of the Lyft entrance and walk maybe about 30 feet. (Not even?) If you’re confused what I mean by “go right,” I suppose it’s more “bear right” because the exit is on the corner. I DO NOT mean make a right immediately out of the exit. I mean continue west down NW6th Street. You’ll be walking under the Metrorail tracks. Make a hard right (north) down a somewhat shady-looking alley after you pass under the tracks. Walk about 50 feet. You’ll find the entrance to Miami Metrorail right there. Buy a ticket. ($2.25, credit cards accepted.) If you have luggage, you can take an elevator up to the platform. Take the Orange Line to Miami Airport, which is the last stop. I tried to time this and I believe it took exactly 15 minutes between getting on the Metrorail at the airport, getting off the Metrorail at Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre and then walking over to the ticket desk at the Brightline.
Note I traveled to/from Miami in Brightline’s Select Class and it was AMAZING. I loved it. “Free” snacks and beverages in the lounges at both ends and on the train. Free wifi and phone charging too!! Definitely more expensive than Tri-rail but I loved it. (Note: The wines on offer aren’t much to write home about. Cupcake Vineyards!)
