Traveling on Brightline! Is Premium Worth It?

[@travelsofmunch1476]

LOVE to see that it's busy, this train must succeed for passenger rail in the US to substancially improve

[@Ven100]

I've travelled both Premium/Smart and Premium is definitely worth it. Let's just take West Palm to Miami $15 vs $37 (some Smart prices are higher - but let's stick to the widest gap). First, if you're someone who drinks alcohol, you get 4 free drinks (2 in the station 2 on the train). To which I partook in 4 rum & cokes, so that alone makes up the price difference. In fact, one of the trips where I had a Smart ticket, the same drink in the bar at the station was $8 (so x4 would've been $32). Then you factor in the free snacks in the station and on the train, it's more savings. It's a no brainer. If you're someone who doesn't drink alcohol, and not going to eat any food, then Smart is better as the seat upgrade alone isn't worth $22 more, especially not on this short of a journey. Brightline Plus was still free whether you had Premium or Smart ticket so we'll see how that shakes out. If it becomes free with Premium then that's a no brainer as I got dropped off at my AirBnB in South Beach Miami from the station which would've been at least a $14 Uber.

[@southfloridarailfan6466]

I think it can come down to if you really are going to use it that much or is it just going to be a wasteful upgrade. In this video I just rode the train for fun so it really wasn’t a necessity. I had 2 free drinks and 2 snacks when i was traveling premium. So the only way its gonna be worth it is if you actually use the perks, and the upgrade isn’t just for the seat.

[@Ven100]

@@southfloridarailfan6466 You essentially said what I said. 😄 I will say however that your "free beverages" of choice were Pepsi & Ginger Ale..😑 So you didn't make full use of the premium.. If you're just going to drink apple juice 🍼, Smart class makes more sense.

[@speedracer1945]

Thanks 4 the info 😀

[@stephenharper9961]

It's a great thing to see tbh, I'm really looking forward to the Orlando and Tampa extensions, and it's fantastic to see the freight operator and brightline work together in such great harmony and should happen more

[@badgerattoadhall]

I took this train from fort Lauderdale to Miami in February in premium (hey vacation). I was impressed. I would have very much liked a station at fll itself. The port of Miami extension also looks like it is a no go. Apart from that it was awesome.

[@VomBethel]

I think what they are doing with the expansion to Orlando makes so much sense with the trains going right to. the airport property. The only issue I have with the current service (West Palm to Miami) is the stations aren't too close to the airports. We live about 20 minutes from the Fort Lauderdale Brightline station. Not sure it makes sense for us to take the train until we can go to the Orlando airport. Even better will be when we can take it to the Orlando area parks--but that's at least 5 years into the future.

[@southfloridarailfan6466]

100% I like where brightline is going. I think it’s save to assume they will have a substantial ridership increase when the orlando line opens for operations. One thing I do know is that brightline offers their private cars to the airport in West Palm

[@josephj.6478]

If the airport is within 5 miles of the station then you can take one of Brightlines Tesla's to anywhere in that 5 mile radius free of charge.

[@VomBethel]

@@josephj.6478 Agreed. It’s a great benefit. I wonder how long they’ll continue to provide this complimentary service?

[@josephj.6478]

@@VomBethel I think as long as you pay for Premium 😉

[@bobbyvee8941]

It appears that Premium would be my choice because of less interaction with people! I just don't like people.

[@Ven100]

Premium only has 16 less seats than Smart (48 vs 64). The difference is negligible considering it's not like you interact with every single person in that particular carriage anyway. I can see your point in the station however.

[@MrJoeairman2000]

Amen! I would pay more to sit on the single seat side so as not to have to interact with someone next to me.

[@markydee48]

I started commuting on it daily this past week between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Smart plus is worth it. Is the upgrade worth it? For me not really. Not on that short of a ride but when Orlando comes on line, it may be worth it. The free car/ share a ride service in a 5 mile radious just makes the ride on Brightline a no Brainer. The train is just fantastic. The best part of it all??? My car has the same full tank for 2 weeks now. Seriously folks.. try it. You won't be disappointed.

[@redstone5149]

Thanks for making this video! Consider investing in a gimbal!

[@Mars-ev7qg]

Do they have a stop for the airport you went by?

[@kwnor]

If you don't have a ride waiting for you, the free transportation within 5 miles makes the premium worth it.

[@southfloridarailfan6466]

I’d have to agree with that

[@frograilfanning]

Traveling on Brightline! Is Premium Worth It?

[@Ven100]

Yes. See my post earlier.

[@crystalconner3494]

If you need a ride when you arrive it may be worth paying more. We will have to see.

[@robb38111]

Great to see people are beginning to take Brightline and realize its benefits to 95's horrible traffic. Your vids are always well done but for this one you seem from the beginning out to convince us that Premium is not going to be worth it for any of us--forgetting the needs of age ranges and work demands AND the danger of dissuading first time out of staters to try Premium and support private transit. Your focus is on amenities . you completely leave out endorsing the relaxing stress free atmosphere--the fewer passengers and less noise--the service--the great lounge --single seating -private car--emphasizing the HUGE perk of a free ride. Your bias shows when you emphatically state Premium passengers can ONLY board first at West Palm and Miami falsely claiming this perk is limited when YOU KNOW one can't board first since the train is not in the station as it is in a terminals !

[@southfloridarailfan6466]

once again, I do believe it comes down to your specific needs as a traveler. If you don’t like the crowds then premium is right for you. Looking back at it, I didn’t give premium as much credit as deserved because i was just riding for fun and it wasn’t necessary. About the early boarding with premium, I was trying to get across that this perk is only available at west palm and miami and NOT fort lauderdale station

[@transitcaptain]

I want to take this train one day

[@juniormedina9049]

How long did it take to make it from point A to point B? I hear that the train will move much faster. Do you know of the speed?

[@southfloridarailfan6466]

From Fort Lauderdale to Miami is only 35 minutes which is less than driving. These trains have a max track speed of 79mph which we did get up to. Sections of track on the Orlando extension will permit speeds up to 125mph is what their saying.

[@speedracer1945]

Is Brightline wheelchair ♿ accessible?

[@Ven100]

yes

[@dlivex9492]

Ones the Orlando station is open the tickets will be $42.00 which is expensive if people wants to go to Disney world they will have to save up more money even for going back home.I would rather drive than spending on rides so it seems like it isn't worth it.

[@HueyRailfanning]

nice!

[@Howrider65]

It will cost $100 each from Miami to Orlando a ripoff.. People can load 5 in a car and still come out way ahead. Yeah, California prices in Florida.

[@badgerattoadhall]

But ffs you are not in a car and off Florida roads.

[@Ven100]

This is a silly comment. First off the majority of people aren't filling up cars to capacity on the interstate. Secondly, you're gonna cramp 5 people in a car for the 3.5-4H trip? Yeah, I'll pass. That's 3.5-4H without stops or the inevitable traffic. The cost of the train is less than any airline ticket other than your basic Sprit/Frontier w/o baggage. Add baggage and it's more. The train will get me there in comfort, in 3 hours, I'll be far more relaxed than the 5 people in the car. The folks in the car will be stuck in traffic as I sip my 🍷 traveling at speeds of 125 MPH. If your basis for travel costs is soley based on comparing it to 5 people filling up a car then you might need to rethink how travel (particularly high speed rail) works.

[@peterfrank29]

it sure is , but wish they brought back cheese and meat platter lol

[@Toast0808]

Great that it’s a train, but I hate that they seem to be trying to imitate airlines. It’s supposed to be a train, not an airplane on rails. If I wanted to be on a plane, I would fly.

[@Ven100]

It only imitates airlines for the security check in - and even that is very minor. You're still allowed to bring liquids or carry your own luggage on (even though they have the option for them to check the luggage for you).