Brightline Opens New Stations In Aventura and Boca Raton

Brightline, the only provider of modern, eco-friendly, intercity rail in America, along with its partners in Boca Raton, Aventura and Miami-Dade County, celebrated the ribbon cutting of its Aventura and Boca Raton train stations. Congressman Carlos Gimenez and Mayors Daniella Levine Cava, Scott Singer and Howard Weinburg were joined by officials from the City of Boca, the City of Aventura, Miami-Dade County and Brightline executives to officially launch the highly-anticipated opening of the two new stations. The first day of service for Boca Raton and Aventura is December 21, 2022.

The ceremony commenced at the entrance of the Boca Raton station at 9 a.m. where city officials and media were welcomed with remarks by Brightline’s President Patrick Goddard, City of Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, Florida State Senator Tina Polsky and Milton Segarra of Discover The Palm Beaches. The ceremony proceeded with a tour of the completed station and the inaugural ride from Boca Raton to Aventura.

The ceremony at Aventura began at noon with remarks by Brightline President Patrick Goddard, Congressman Carlos Gimenez, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, City of Aventura Mayor Howard Weinburg, former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Sally Heyman and Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) Second Vice Chair Robert Wolfarth. The ribbon cutting ceremony was followed by a tour of the Aventura station and the inaugural ride from Aventura to MiamiCentral.

With the station openings of Aventura and Boca Raton, Brightline now has five stations in South Florida and will connect travelers to existing stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Both stations feature Brightline’s signature autonomous MRKT, SMART and PREMIUM lounges in addition to touchless turnstiles and free high-speed WiFi throughout the station and onboard the train.

Brightline Aventura Station

Brightline’s Aventura station is located at 19796 West Dixie Highway, Miami FL 33180. The Aventura station will allow guests congestion-free travel between all of Brightline’s stations with an estimated travel time to MiamiCentral of about 20 minutes. The station will also offer express service between Miami during the peak morning and evening hour commute periods, saving time and stress for commuters.

As part of the agreement with Miami-Dade Transit, Brightline guests will have access to discounted rides between Aventura and MiamiCentral through the Brightline website and app. Monthly commuter passes for travel between Aventura and MiamiCentral can be purchased at a discount at the Aventura station guest services desk. Starting in January 2023, discounted commuter passes will be available online or through the app. Brightline will reserve capacity on commuter trains for rides between Aventura and MiamiCentral up until 48 hours of train departures.

The 34,000 square foot station features 240 parking spaces, a bus drop-off for Miami-Dade Transit passengers, newly landscaped and hardscape areas and a pedestrian skybridge that transports guests from the vertical transportation towers to the train platform. Brightline is currently designing a new pedestrian bridge which will connect the platform to the Aventura Mall. Upon the station’s opening, Brightline will provide a complimentary bi-directional Brightline+ shuttle to Aventura Mall for guests. The shuttle will be available 14 hours of the day.

The Aventura station has been designed to LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Silver criteria as part of Brightline’s goals to reduce contribution to global climate change, enhance individual human health and protect water resources. These LEED Silver station design features include a solar canopy and installation of electric charging vehicles to reduce emissions and encourage clean transportation, a careful selection of materials to increase healthy indoor spaces and smart technology to reduce water use.

In October 2019, the Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) passed a resolution to approve the property acquisition and development agreement between the County and Brightline. It also approved the use of $76.7 million of surtax dollars for the development of this project, which will serve the Northeast Corridor – one of six corridors in the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Program.

“As Mayor of Miami-Dade County, I spearheaded efforts to alleviate traffic, expand connectivity, and provide more transportation options to our residents. The opening of the new Brightline Aventura station will allow our residents to shorten their commute time and travel comfortably in world-class trains. I look forward to continuing fighting in Congress to deliver much-needed traffic relief for my constituents.” Said Congressman Carlos Gimenez (FL-26)

“This station is an important piece of our plan to bring commuter rail service to the Northeast of our county. Miami-Dade's investment in this station finally brings a new, fast, and convenient connection that is our first important step in providing relief from traffic while slashing our carbon footprint from our transportation system – the largest contributor to climate change in Miami-Dade.” Said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

Brightline Boca Raton Station

Brightline’s Boca Raton station is located on a 1.8-acre site adjacent to the downtown library and across from Mizner Park and at 101 NW 4th St, Boca Raton, FL 33432. The 22,000 square foot station features a 455-space parking garage which will service Brightline’s guests and visitors to the library, who will have dedicated, covered, and complimentary spaces on the first floor. The station will also provide two complimentary, on-demand Brightline+ EV carts to destinations within downtown Boca Raton. Travel between Boca and MiamiCentral will be approximately 60 minutes.

“Boca Raton is thrilled to welcome Brightline to our community. This train station is a game changer for how our residents and businesses connect throughout South Florida and ultimately Orlando. It’s already spurring additional growth and economic opportunities. It’s a great day for the City of Boca Raton.” Said Mayor Scott Singer, City of Boca Raton

Partners in this project include the City of Boca Raton and Federal Railroad Administration that awarded Brightline and Boca $16.4 million for construction of the station.

“Multi-city inner-state travel just became much more attainable for locals and visitors to southeast Florida. With visitation forecasted to reach new heights this season, Brightline’s enhanced connectivity couldn’t come at a more fitting time. Brightline’s unique transportation offering, presents travelers ease of access into Palm Beach County’s two largest cities’ business/cultural downtown areas, and we can’t wait for new and returning visitors to try it out.” Said Jorge Pesquera, president and CEO for Discover The Palm Beaches- the official destination marketing organization for Palm Beach County

Station Travel Times, Parking + Passes (both stations)

Brightline’s initial schedules for Aventura and Boca are designed to optimize commuter patterns and will focus on peak morning and evening weekday service. During non-peak hours and weekends, Brightline will provide service approximately every other hour. Regular hourly service will continue in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and MiamiCentral. You can view a full schedule for Boca and Aventura here.

Parking options will be available at both stations upon opening with rates for Brightline guests starting at $7 and walk-up parking rates starting at $6 for up to an hour. Guests traveling from Aventura and Boca Raton stations will also have access to Brightline+ shuttle services offered to South Florida’s biggest games and events.

For guests looking to save on fares, a commuter SMART pass will be available for $229 per month. Passes for SHORT (2-leg) and LONG (4-leg) bookings will also be available for both SMART and PREMIUM. Miami-Aventura passes can be purchased in-person at the Aventura station and will become available for purchase online in early 2023 for $170 per month.

Brightline Gives A Sneak Peak Preview At The Nearly Completed Aventura Station

On November 2, 2022, Brightline, the only provider of modern, eco-friendly, intercity rail in America, along with Miami-Dade County Commissioner Sally Heyman and City of Aventura Mayor Enid Weisman held a first look of the future Aventura station, which is set to open in weeks. County and city officials were joined by members of the media and the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) as some of the first to preview the Aventura Station.

The event began at 10 a.m. with brief remarks by Brightline’s president, Patrick Goddard, followed by Commissioner Heyman, Mayor Weisman and CITT Second Vice Chairman Robert Wolfarth. The remarks were followed by a tour of the station and concluded with media interviews. The group was joined by city officials from the City of Aventura including the incoming commissioners and mayor, Howard Weinberg.

Located across from Aventura Mall, Brightline’s Aventura station, platform and vertical towers feature 34,000 square feet of space and an 860-foot center loaded platform located within the Florida East Coast Railway and Brightline right-of-way.

Brightline will provide frequent, express service from the Aventura station to downtown Miami during the peak morning commute period and return service during the evening rush hour period. Trip time between downtown Miami and Aventura is expected to take about 17 minutes. Miami-Dade County will offer subsidized fares for a percentage of riders between Aventura and MiamiCentral.

The station will include its signature autonomous MRKT, SMART and PREMIUM lounges and Brightline+ services. After passing through security, Brightline passengers will be able to access the skybridge from the passenger lounge utilizing an elevator or escalators to the vertical transportation towers. Brightline has also started the design of its east bridge that will connect the platform to Aventura Mall.

The Aventura station has been designed to LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Silver criteria as part of Brightline’s goals to reduce contribution to global climate change, enhance individual human health and protect water resources. These LEED Silver station design features include a solar canopy and installation of electric charging vehicles to reduce emissions and encourage clean transportation, a careful selection of materials to increase healthy indoor spaces and smart technology to reduce water use.

The Brightline Aventura station will be located at 19796 West Dixie Highway, Miami, FL 33180.

Brightline Tops Off Aventura Station With Placement of 131-Foot Long Pedestrian Skybridge

Brightline, the only provider of modern, eco-friendly, intercity rail in America, along with its contractor Lemartec, has topped off the Aventura Station. The topping off took place in the early morning hours of October 8 and consisted of putting into place a 131-foot long, 68-ton pedestrian skybridge on two 41-foot-high vertical transportation towers over a 90-minute period. Stretching across Harriet Tubman Highway (formally known as West Dixie Highway), the skybridge is the final piece of the Aventura station’s structure and connects the station to the platform. This topping off marks the completion of vertical construction.

“This topping off is a testament of our team’s dedication to bring the vision of connectivity to the Northeast Corridor,” said Patrick Goddard, president at Brightline. “Our partners at Miami-Dade County were an integral part of making this station a reality and bringing enhanced access to area residents.” 

Once completed, the 3.5-acre project consisting of the station and its surface parking lot will be Brightline’s fourth in the state, connecting travelers in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, followed by Orlando in 2023. The site also features 240 parking spaces, a bus drop-off for Miami-Dade Transit passengers, and newly landscaped and hardscape areas. 

Located across from Aventura Mall, Brightline’s Aventura station, platform and vertical towers feature 34,000 square feet of space and an 860-foot center loaded platform located within the Florida East Coast Railway and Brightline right-of-way. The station will include its signature autonomous MRKT, SMART and PREMIUM lounges and Brightline+ services. After passing through security, Brightline passengers will be able to access the skybridge from the passenger lounge utilizing an elevator or escalators to the vertical transportation towers. 

“A tremendous amount of effort and energy went into what culminated in the lifting and setting of Aventura station’s pedestrian skybridge,” said Manny Garcia-Tunon, president at Lemartec. “With the help of Miami-Dade County and Florida East Coast Railway, Brightline and Lemartec were able to safely facilitate the coordination of this top off ensuring roads and railroads were clear.” 

“The topping off of the Aventura station brings us one step closer to increasing  mobility for northeast Miami Dade County,” said Mayor Daniella Levin Cava, Miami Dade County. “This station is an important component of my plan to enhance transportation options throughout the county, making it easier for our residents to go to work, school or leisure activities.”

“It is great to see the Aventura Brightline station closer to completion. This commuter stop in Aventura will not only help to alleviate road congestion but will connect a key community to four major downtown communities in South Florida and Orlando in 2023. The impact of this connectivity is vital for northeast Miami Dade County and its residents,” said Commissioner Sally A. Heyman, Miami-Dade County, District 4.

Brightline will provide frequent, express service from the Aventura station to downtown Miami during the peak morning commute period and return service during the evening rush hour period. Trip time between downtown Miami and Aventura is expected to take about 15 minutes.  Miami-Dade County will offer subsidized fares for a percentage of riders between Aventura and MiamiCentral. 

In October 2019, the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) passed a resolution to approve the property acquisition and development agreement between the County and Brightline. It also approved the use of $76.7 million of surtax dollars for the development of this project, which will serve the Northeast Corridor – one of six corridors in the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan. The $76 million investment made by Miami-Dade County has created more than 400 jobs during construction and will continue to generate significant economic benefit, including $90.8 million annually in economic impact and $2.7 billion over a 30-year period.

Brightline is expected to launch service to Aventura before the end of the year. The station is located at 19796 West Dixie Highway, Miami, FL 33180.