Richard Branson Announces Brightline, Renamed Virgin Trains USA, Beginning Track Expansion To Orlando
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Brightline trains have connected Miami to West Palm Beach with high-speed service.
Now begins the process to add Orlando to that list, albeit with a new name attached.
Beginning Thursday, the trains will go by the name of Virgin Trains USA instead of its now-former name, Brightline.
Last year Brightline partnered with its new parent company, Virgin Trains, which is run by British billionaire Richard Branson.
Virgin Trains has raised nearly two billion dollars the track expansion that stretches from West Palm Beach all the way north to Orlando.
Branson was in South Florida on Thursday where he officially announced the renaming.
Hopping on board @GoBrightline Virgin Trains USA in Miami - yes, I had my ticket! – and rolling my sleeves up to hand out some tea too https://t.co/4NpDVo7lxx #VirginFamily @VirginMiaCntrl #OnTrackToRedHot pic.twitter.com/w9mnmqfLMF
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) April 4, 2019
Service from West Palm Beach to Orlando is expected to launch in 2022. There are also future plans to extend service to Tampa.
Additionally, the Orlando Sentinel is reporting that the new line will also have stops at Walt Disney World and SunRail's Meadow Wood station. Those stops are expected to open around the same time as the one at Orlando International Airport.
According to Virgin Trains USA, the railway estimates it will be able to operate up to 32 trains daily.
The high-speed trains can reach speeds up to 125 miles per hour.