Here’s How Many Passengers Are Taking Tri-Rail’s New Downtown Miami Train Service

Tri-Rail has released the first ridership numbers for its new train service to MiamiCentral.

A total of 300 passengers per day are now using the service, an increase from the 100 per day that were using it following a January 13 launch.

A change of train is required for passengers travelling to or from MiamiCentral, since the downtown Miami station has stricter emission standards, which blocks Tri-Rail’s normal trains.

Tri-Rail says its passenger count in the month of February hit an average of 15,000 weekday riders systemwide.

It is the first time since February 2020 that Tri-Rail reached that figure. Prior to that, Tri-Rail ridership was regularly at 15,000 daily rides.

 

(photo: Phillip Pessar)

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Ex-Londoner resident in 33132
1 month ago

Did save some time on my Feb 20 trip to FtL. from Miami Central. But still too much waiting around. We Miamians want DIRECT Tr-Rail trip not cobbled together version.

Anonymous
1 month ago

It’s a start, and was unimaginable fifteen years ago.

Anonymous
1 month ago

If you’re from London, you would know there you have to transfer, often multiple times, for considerable distances.

Anonymous
1 month ago

This isn’t really a “considerable distance” though, in all fairness. It’s not like everyone has to change trains at Heathrow (or just before) to get into Central London. Nearly every town in the southeast of England has one-seat rides to the center of London – usually multiple each hour.

Jordan
1 month ago

And…..the Gap isn’t all you have to Mind

Chuck
1 month ago

Once trirail starts offering direct service to / from miami central to all points north ridership will explode

Jordan
1 month ago

Excellent news!

I hope that all you daisies convince more and more daisies to “take their cars off the road”, and/or get the hell out of passing lane.

The more daisies that ride the Government Train, the less bad drivers will get in my way as I motor in the comfort of leather seats, an insane sound system, and a soy free coffee secured comfortably in my cup holder.

Anonymous
1 month ago

Gosh, you sound like a joy to be around, Jordan.

I can see why you’re driving in those leather seats alone.

Joseph
1 month ago

Man you sound insecure

Anonymous
1 month ago

In my most humble opinion, those who take advantage of public transit options are not daisies. Those who fight I-95 rush hour traffic when they don’t have to may have the brain power equivalent of daisies, however.

anon
1 month ago

We rode it last Saturday. It’s only $5 for a weekend day pass good all the way to WPB and back. Plus we got free parking at Golden Glades (2nd level is best). The southbound ride wasn’t bad since the shuttle train to Miami Central came on the same track. Northbound you had to use the elevators or stairs to get to the northbound track. The wait between trains was just a few minutes. There was good security and an overall decent experience once we figured out how to use the EasyCard machines, tap on and off, etc.

Jordan
1 month ago

That is good news!

Anonymous
1 month ago

Using it tomorrow to go to Broward for the first time. Thanks for the tips! Was planning to take Brightline but the tix for the time I need to get there were $50/each vs. $5 for Tri-Rail. Lol

Bill
1 month ago

Actually if you are switching directions, you have another option besides taking the escalators or Elevator. Since you have some time to kill, you can walk to the south end of the station platform and just come right back to the other track as it’s accessible, or go down escalators to the ground floor, buy a cup of coffee or tea at Starbucks and head right back up the escalators to the other track. Trail has 2 tracks #’s 4 and 5 at Miami Central.

Michael M
1 month ago

Take metrorail to the Trirail transfer station instead of unpredictable slower Trirail shuttle train which is what this service is. Stop calling it Trirail lol. Its just a gimmick that duplicates a faster more reliable metrorail line. That you can board at more places than just Overtown Brightline stop.

Wynwood Waiter
1 month ago

Tri-Rail needs to stop in Wynwood! It’s a Local Commuter train and should stop where people work and go.

Michael M
1 month ago

How is that physically possible? Even if they build a track it will paralyze the whole area over there with crossings galore

Anonymous
1 month ago

There is a plan to add a station within the next 4 years.

Why helps out!
1 month ago

Central station has apartments which is why the stricter emission standard!

Antennae
1 month ago

Trains should be electric like everywhere else…

bruhlol
1 month ago

Tri Rail doesnt own electric trains

Anonymous
1 month ago

At one point, or they still do, own DMUs for a test run.

Chyneesha
1 month ago

They sold them becuase they did not work for Tri-Rail. Sold them after they sat idle for like 8 years lol

Anonymous
1 month ago

Apartments have walls and A/C filters.

Bill
1 month ago

While you are correct, the train comes in under the apartment units and idles ( You don’t shut diesel engines down) underneath them until next departure and, the diesel emissions are definitely prevalent, exhaust emissions seep in through sliding door gaskets/seals, bathroom/dryer vents, kitchen exhaust hood vents, and gaps, plus the HVAC systems for buildings that have to bring in fresh air pull it in. The filters you speak of, are great for dust, dander, pollen, and smoke, not vehicle emissions and odors.

Anonymous
1 month ago

I get it. But these people agreed to live above a train station. If they wanted a clean, quiet environment, they should’ve moved to the Gables.

Jim
1 month ago

They agreed to live above a train station with emission controls.

SkiPip
1 month ago

Brightline trains run on diesel as well. Its just “clean diesel.”

Michael M
1 month ago

Trirail shuttle train is so much louder than Brightline. It constantly rings annoying bells that you also hear at crossings but waaay louder and of course it pollutes dark clouds of diesel. Even if it passes by thru Midtown and you are on the sidewalk you can smell and see that exhaust as if it’s 100 year old train.. which it’s pretty much is, same technology

anonymous
1 month ago

one seat ride to Miami central by 2040

Chyneesha
1 month ago

The county will do years of demand surveys first to see if there is demand. They will find out there is, then do another survey to see if there is demand because they took so long they don’t know if there is still demand, since it took so long. It will turn out that there is EVEN MORE demand. Then there will be a change of government, different elected officials. They will then sit on the idea for another 10 years.

Anonymous
1 month ago

Unbelievable that Brightline will have expanded from an idea to full service at multiple stations between Orlando (maybe even Tampa by this point!) and Miami by time something as simple as one seat rides to Miami on Tri-Rail would’ve happened.

Perhaps even more amazing that this is still faster than it would’ve gotten done in NYC or California.

Jordan
1 month ago

Huh?
What is so hard to believe?

Ronald Reagan said before 1980, “Government is not the solution…..Government is the problem”.

But many clamor….”WE NEED more Government Metromover extensions”

Joseph
1 month ago

In the long term Reagan’s reforms did far more harm than good

Anonymous
1 month ago

I don’t agree that Reagan did more harm than good, but I also don’t agree that the government shouldn’t get involved with infrastructure.

Transport, highways, airports, etc, that is where you WANT the government spending money, because that is something that doesn’t always directly turn a profit – the profit comes from the benefit to society, and it benefits everyone.

Anonymous too
1 month ago

I kept trying to write something to this, but I can’t find the words.

Michael M
1 month ago

It duplicates the metrorail line that is 100 more reliable and connected to the mainline Trirail without exposure to elements of weather or even outside public space. Not sure why they are dumping funds into this doomed Trirail downtown link. The only reason would be that Herzog, yes Trirail is another private welfare queen just like Brightline.. that Herzog is involved in real estate investments along the line and downtown just like Brightline, and after seen how easy the deathly Brightline gets the tax breaks and taxpayers funds, joined the fun to fund its owners thru the public funds while marketing this as a transportation project. While it clearly is unrealistic to compete with grade separated emission free metrorail that it duplicates with this tragic downtown Miami scam line…

Anon
1 month ago

not good enough sorry! they need to expediate the new NE corridor. That will actually be used like crazy

ParkingHater
1 month ago

Thank Biden for the recently announced proposed quarter billion 😳🤑

Anonymous
1 month ago

Wow, 300 passengers a DAY? They need to get one seat rides going ASAP – would probably be cheaper to just pay for Ubers for those 300 people at this point.

I understand it’s a stopgap, but to have 300 passengers daily on any rail line is, frankly, obscene. That’s two, maybe three train cars’ worth of people.

Jordan
1 month ago

Yeah….but the cost to move those 300 people was probably only $125 per person.

WE NEED to spend $37,500 per day to get 280 “cars off the road”.

Mike
1 month ago

I take the downtown shuttle daily and it does seem to be getting busier, but yeah that 300 a day is low right now.

Anonymous too
1 month ago

I think if they can see when most of those people ride, those times will get the first direct trains to Miami Central.

33132
1 month ago

Didn’t realize all of this hoopla and years in the making and riders still have to switch trains, I’m assuming in Hialeah? So in essence this new system saves what, maybe 10 minutes, from the Metrorail transfer system?

Michael M
1 month ago

Nope Metrorail is much faster and if course is waaaay more reliable cause it’s grade separated and you can board it at so many stations. No no Uber is needed to get to and from it. It also had a seamless transfer that is protected from weather elements with security as well. The Trirail downtown shuttle does get stuck as it operates on very busy and old tracks with crossings. It has to let freight trains and Brightline thru. I see it standing blowing horns and dark diesel fumes outside my windows in midtown. Its a joke and it’s always empty. You can see the train car inside at night. All empty always.

Extend hours
1 month ago

I wanted to go to Hollywood to see the talking heads, but it stops running around 9pm. If you can work in their hours it is a good deal.

Skip
1 month ago

Used to carpool from PBC to Miami. Riding Tri-Rail last 10 years. Thrilled to have the shuttle finally! Next? An express train with fewer stops from PBC. One in AM. Another in PM. Agree also that a stop in Wynwood wouldn’t derail things. Avoiding over-cramped, SRO, no-one masked, making all stops MetroRail is a welcome improvement. Now I enjoy an entire compartment to myself. Who needs Champagne?

Denise
1 month ago

I would like to get from Vero to Miami airport early in the morning about 5:30 a.m. is that a possibility can anybody help me

Jose Ga
1 month ago

I will not use it until a change train is NOT required. A JOKE that we have to use this service having to make a stop. 5 year behind schedule and they still cant get it right.

Mark
1 month ago

Why don’t they bring the train back to Key West???I hate driving all the way down there I’d rather take a train from Miami or how about a boat from Miami to Key West that sounds like fun I’m surprised nobody thought about that??? Bring the train back to Miami to Key West or how about a boat Express boat from Miami to Key West????

Jorge Barreras
1 month ago

Not for me because no direct train from Miami airport station

Think Again
1 month ago

To get from Miami Airport station to Downtown, Metrorail Orange Line is a one seat ride. If you’re on Tri-Rail from anywhere North, your one-seat direct trains terminate at MIA already. Your comment doesn’t make sense.

Jordan
1 month ago

Having tried to stomach the Brickell to MIA ride a few times, it is a futile effort.

All you have to do is drag your carry-on down Miami Avenue to the Brickell Station. Try a couple times to find the card reader which can handle your payment system, pay $2.25 then deal with an elevator spritzed with l’eau du urine, or use the escalator.

Wait a few minutes for the Orange Train (best part is this doesn’t take long anymore), and ride 22 minutes to the “Airport Station” which is really another walk, escalator, turnstile, 50 yard schlep, to the MIA-Mover. Stand for awhile….until you get to the airport.

Walk a few hundred yards, navigate wayfinding signs that make no sense, and BOOM! you made it to your gate!

45 minutes, 400 yards schlepping, and you are the Government Train hero!

OR
You can take the one seat Uber Black that shows up in your porte cochere, loads your carry-on, drops you at the front door of the TSA PreCheck for $25 and 25 minutes.

It is an HONEST one seat ride.

Anonymoose
1 month ago

This is nonsense. I’ve taken Metrorail to the airport plenty of times. It’s the easiest thing in the world. Thousands of people do it every day. If you don’t like walking, being outside, or being around other people, just say that.

Anonymous
1 month ago

What is the price difference between the $2.25 Metrorail and an Uber Black?

Michael M
1 month ago

You can also get from downtown Miami to the Trirai Hialeah transfer station faster by taking Metrorail than this slow unpredictable Trirail shuttle from Overtown Brightline station and vice versa.

anonymous
1 month ago

oh no, you have to step off at one station to connect before going to downtown.

Anonymous
1 month ago

Why take the train if it isn’t convenient? If I’m going to be in as much stress as I would be driving, why would I take the train? I love public transportation and wish we would spend a LOT more on it in this country, but you have to give people a reason to take it.

Jordan
1 month ago

You are correct sir.

Bill
1 month ago

Please be aware… This is a birth of a new form of transportation in the US. While train have been moving people around for a long time elsewhere, we in the US had ” the dream lifestyle ” of your own car in the driveway go out and enjoy the open roads and independence. Henry Flagler saw well into the future by starting a rail train service all the way from Key West ( Used to be a ferry from Cuba to the US running). up through florida as a means of transpotation. Obviously we don’t have open roads or indepence, instead heavily congested roads and dependence to get anywhere. It’s growing pains, eventually it’ll all work out as with any massive scale undertaking. Just give it time, and enjoy the ride.

Taxed Out
1 month ago

300 🤣 ☠️