Passenger Trains > Florida Brightline - No stops between Orlando and West Palm?

I see the Brightline is scheduled to start operating to/from Orlando in the next few weeks.  I've a vacation planned in the Melbourne area, and a guest flying into Orlando for the week.  

Great! I thought, they can take the new train from MCO and I'll pick them up in Cocoa or Melbourne.  Nope! Brightline operates non-stop between Orlando and West Palm Beach, then a few stops along the way to Miami.

I was under the impression that Brightline would have intermediate stops in populated areas.  Did I misunderstand the plans, or have they backed off on providing service for over a 100 miles of coastal cities?

There is speculation of stop in Cocoa someday to feed the cruise ship market, but nothing has been officially announced.  Right now you are correct from Orlando to West Palm there are no stops.

Travel time for the non-stop run between West Palm Beach and Orlando will be 2 hours 8 minutes.
Overall 16 norrthbounds a day Miami/Orlando with 14 southbounds.
https://www.gobrightline.com/train-stations/fl/train-schedules

There have been overtures between Brightline and more than one city between Orlando and West Palm Beach, most notably Cocoa as said above. Some of the greatest opposition to Brightline came from those counties and cities north of West Palm Beach. Their opposition probably delayed Brightline by at least a year, if not more, and cost hundred of thousands of dollars in legal fees. More stops will come, but the lack of local service is a mess made by the nimbys and others in those locations. Looking at things from a business perspective (and, the Brightline folks are very good business people), the stops will eventually happen. But, to get things started, Brightline will just zip through those areas for now.

If they're selling speed, more stops = a slower trip.

BrightLine often mentions "phase 2" considerations for stops.  Right now, I suspect they want to get the core product up and running.

Palm Beach Gardens is already on the list for a Tri-Rail stop along the FEC.  Jupiter / Tequesta haven't said they want or would accept a stop. Port St Lucie has said they don't want a stop. Fort Pierce would like one.  Vero Beach doesn't want one. I don't think there are any plans other than Cocoa for a stop in Brevard / Volusia.

That could all change. Just like the $$$ from Miami-Dade opened up a commuter service plan on BrightLine tracks.

johnpage Wrote:
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> There have been overtures between Brightline and
> more than one city between Orlando and West Palm
> Beach, most notably Cocoa as said above. Some of
> the greatest opposition to Brightline came from
> those counties and cities north of West Palm

> fees. More stops will come, but the lack of local
> service is a mess made by the nimbys and others in
> those locations. Looking at things from a business
> perspective (and, the Brightline folks are very
> good business people), the stops will eventually
> happen. But, to get things started, Brightline
> will just zip through those areas for now.

Brigthline was proposed from the beginning to only have a few stops and none north of West Palm.  No local stops had nothing to do with local opposition, NIMBY's or lawsuits.  In fact, the lack of local service drove some of the opposition of locals.  To people in Cocoa-Melbounre, or Port St. Lucie, Brightline is all impact and no benefit.  Why support a project that is purposefully laid out to not serve you and your community?  You cannot ride a train that does not stop where you are or where you are going.  So many rail "advocates" fail to understand that basic point.

That was the "brilliant" business plan.