Brightline Miami Station — Local services in Miami

Took the Brightline from Miami to Orlando late August of 2024. Experience was average at best. Definitely not as great as I thought, especially Premium. Do yourself a favor and ignore all the influencers saying otherwise. The best thing about it is that you're not driving the turnpike to Disney. We took the earliest train on a Tuesday (6:50a)...premium on the way to Orlando. First thing, the station doesn't open until 6:00a, so we were waiting outside a bit thinking it'd be open at least an hour before to take advantage of the premium lounge. The station is pretty but that's about it...don't expect much from customer service, etc. When it finally opened, the premium lounge food was pretty bare in comparison to what I saw online. There were labels for eggs, bacon, and breakfast potatoes but they never came so we got stale waffles, bread, ham and cheese, yogurts, and individual cereal packs. I took a couple of things to have on the train just in case, and thank goodness I did since the options were minimal on the train. At least the coffee was working. On the train it was even worse. I thought was premium we had a selection of things free and such. The cart lady (who was wearing a mask in August 2024-which should have been a sign of low quality) only offered a muffin...not this breakfast pack that was shown online or in fact anything else. At least there was coffee....but not in the last hour. She said no coffee but hot water for tea. The seats and table were dirty...definitely doesn't look like they clean regularly especially w a service that's been around for a couple of years only. Not 1 person (including cart lady) offered to help me with my 1 luggage or stroller, seeing I was by myself with a toddler. The Cart lady was also the instigator of an almost fight between passengers when someone came in in west palm that had the window seat across from ours in the table. There was a (rude) German guy sitting working on the aisle seat of that row. The guy that just came in didn't want to bother the (rude) German guy working so just sat on the empty seat on the other side of the aisle. No bother to no one...until the cart lady came and tried to move them. Everyone was quiet doing their own thing perfectly fine and she just started something at 7ish in the morning....it was just uncalled for. Everyone stayed put...including her mask. From Orlando to Miami we didn't do premium but it was pretty much the same. Can't comment on their premium but it did look like from the outside that they had more food. Wish the station had more food options reasonably to be able to take on the train. Got a coffee at the bar to take on the train just in case. I was offered more options (to buy) for food and snacks. Food was ok, nothing out of this world, just overpriced. Again, no one offered to assist with luggage or stroller or anything for that matter. Seats and table were the same kind of dirty. Not much difference in space that I notice between premium and standard...not for the price difference. If you're doing the Mears Connect in Orlando to Disney/Disney Resorts, its a hot mess. The directions Mears sends is incredibly confusing and there is no signs or people that have any clue as to where Mears is. Took me 30 minutes to find it. Overall, you're pretty much paying to not drive the...

Brightline is a nice train and sustainable option. Unfortunately i don't recommend it due to customer service and risk of having to pay double your ticket if you arrive late it's not worth the hassle, flying is easier. Brightline expects customers to buy a premium ticket instead of providing the travel norm of being able to be placed on the next train if you arrive late and they don't properly note this to customers until it happens to you if you only purchased a Smart Saver, and only allow you to transfer with no fee if Smart or premium ticket booked, which is not clearly stated anywhere prior to purchase. Premium tickets should only be for value-added items or modification before departure, it shouldn't include norms of switching trains if missed.

It is travel industry norm if a customer arrives late or misses their flight that they are placed on the next available flight with no additional fee as long as they arrive to the airport and wait, as sometimes it's reasons outside the customers control. If you arrive late and miss your train you have to purchase a second ticket at full price and "lose" your first ticket. Brightline is collecting double price and price gouging since the 2nd ticket is booked in the moment when the next train is very expensive causing customers to pay twice. This is an unethical business practice and Brightline should stop it.

On their website they try to lump canceling prior to service and missing your train both as cancelation which is not the same. Cancelation is if you no longer need the service and try to cancel your ticket prior to the service, being switched to the next train if you arrive late is not "cancelation". This is deceptive to label both scenarios as cancelation.

To make it worse, Brightline profits off customers that are late but my train from Miami to Orlando stopped 4-5 times and we were 45 min late, and the 2nd train ticket from Orlando to Miami the train departed an hour late. Do customers get a refund or credit when the trains arrive/depart late? They don't so Brightline should also be understanding for scenarios when customers...

Title: Solid Experience with Brightline Miami Central, with a Few QuirksReview:

I recently traveled from Miami Central Station using Brightline and wanted to share my experience. Starting with parking, I found it a block west of the main entrance. Encountering a minor hiccup, the parking scanner (seemingly without power) didn't work, but the attendant promptly assisted me after I read the code.The walk from the parking to the entrance took about 5 minutes. While the second-floor dining options were closed, Joe and Juice was open, offering a selection of coffee, light sandwiches, and small pastries—albeit pricey, they're your sole option before entering the terminal.Inside the terminal, you'll find a few food options similar to those at an airport: a grocery-type store with snacks and drinks, and a bar offering delicious, Latin Miami-style coffee and empanadas. Between the two, the empanadas upstairs stood out for me. However, for coffee, I preferred Joe and Juice despite the high prices.The train ride itself was pleasantly quiet and smooth. Although not immaculately clean, it was far from filthy. Opting for a table seat was a great choice for comfort and workspace, ideal for getting some work done. Even though I was initially by myself, the seating arrangement wouldn't have bothered me if shared.For those in a hurry or didn't have time to eat beforehand, there's a food cart attendant on board selling sandwiches, snacks, and drinks. Prices are on the higher side, but it's convenient.Overall, my journey with Brightline was solid, with a few minor areas for improvement. The comfort and convenience it offers, especially for those looking to work on the go, make it a commendable choice for travel within...