- I took the Brightline train from Fort Lauderdale to Miami in premium class for $39.
- The seats were comfortable and the "first-class experience" came with some solid perks.
As a former Floridian and frequent traveler, the Florida-based train service Brightline recently caught my attention.
I wanted to try the inner-city train service from Fort Lauderdale to Miami, as I'm no stranger to I-95 and the traffic that comes with navigating those popular destinations.
So, I booked a one-way ticket and sprung for Brightline's premium class, which advertises a "first-class experience." It was $39 (plus tax), only about $17 more than the basic smart class.
I wasn't exactly sure how luxurious a 45-minute train ride could be, but I quickly found out.
First of all, booking my ticket was easy
Brightline earned points from me for its convenient and seamless booking process.
I booked my tickets through the Brightline app, but they can also be purchased with a guest-services agent at the train station, via the self-service kiosk, or the Brightline website.
The process was pretty similar to booking any other travel ticket. I chose my ticket type (one way or round trip), cities I was traveling to and from, dates, and number of passengers.
Once I found a time that worked, I chose the fare type, provided my traveler information, and selected my seat.
Before confirming my purchase, I could select any additional needs for my trip such as Uber rides, parking passes, or checked bags. My ticket was emailed to me and available on the app.
The ticket came with great perks before I even set foot on the train
At no additional cost for a standard ride, transportation to and from the train stations (within 5 miles) was available through Brightline's partnership with Uber. I selected the time frame most convenient for me during the booking process and Brightline handled the arrangements.
Once a ride was secured, I received a phone call and text message alerting me of the Uber's arrival time and driver information. I received a link to track the driver, too.
Premium tickets also come with lounge access, which can be utilized up to two hours before train departure. I had to scan my boarding pass to enter, similar to the process at an airport lounge.
The premium lounge had a beer and wine station, juice, coffee, and a fridge filled with water and soda. Snacks like fresh fruit, muffins, pastries, yogurt, and deviled eggs were also available.
The lounge was incredibly spacious and I particularly liked the charging stations built into the furniture.
Guests in the premium lounge also got priority boarding. An attendant came about 10 minutes before departure to escort us to the platform.
The premium service continued on board as well
A few minutes after boarding, I was greeted with a cool towel infused with essential oils. Next, I was offered a breakfast box or charcuterie box plus my a choice of coffee, tea, juice, water, beer, wine, or cocktails.
I grabbed an orange juice and ginger ale, plus a charcuterie box that had Ghirardelli chocolate, grapes, Asiago cheese, dried meat, and crackers.
Shortly after, someone also came by with a cart filled with more offerings, including a range of name-brand snacks and candies like Pringles and M&Ms.
The seats were pretty comfortable and there were a few options on board
The premium train car had several seating configurations. Passengers could select an individual seat, double seat, or quad seating. I sat in a double seat.
Some of the arrangements came with full-size tables with pop-out charging ports. Others were standard equipped with charging ports, a full-size tray table, and a pop-out phone holder.
My seat had a fold-down tray table that was convenient, especially for the snacks and drinks provided. I thought the reclining seats were extremely comfortable — as a plus-size traveler, that's a huge bonus.
Overall, Brightline premium was worth the price
Brightline's service is excellent for those who want to avoid unpredictable traffic, want to avoid parking fees if traveling for a sporting event, or want a convenient way to city-hop on a whim. The trains also have restrooms on board.
For comparison purposes, Miami and Fort Lauderdale are roughly 30 miles or 45 minutes apart. Depending on the time of day, rideshares between the cities can be costly. The day before my trip, I paid $58 plus a tip for a one-way Lyft that took 49 minutes to go 31 miles.
Overall, I think Brightline is worth taking if you need to get from one Florida city to another.
Currently, passengers can book a one-way or roundtrip ticket to or from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Aventura, Boca Raton, and Orlando.