The passenger rail project, called All Aboard Florida, will connect South Florida to Orlando through a 240-mile route combining 200 miles of existing tracks between Miami and Cocoa and the creation of 40 miles of new track to complete the route to Orlando. Eventually the system could be expanded with connections to Tampa and Jacksonville.

There would be four stops: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando, each with connections to airports, seaports and existing rail systems such as Tri-Rail and Metrorail.

More than fifty million people travel between South and Central Florida annually, largely over highly congested highways. All Aboard Florida is envisioned to transform the way people travel throughout the state, offering a faster, safer, and more enjoyable mode of transportation between Florida’s two largest metropolitan areas.

Targeted to begin service in 2014, the approximately $1 billion project will operate on a regular schedule throughout the day transporting business and leisure passengers between South Florida and Orlando in approximately three hours.

This new intercity passenger rail service is expected to create approximately 6,000 direct jobs to construct the system and over 1,000 more jobs to operate and maintain it.

The system will include business and coach-class service with advance purchase reserved seating, gourmet meals and Wi-Fi.

FECI began a feasibility analysis for the project several months ago. Additionally, an investment grade ridership study and engineering work to design the system are underway.

All Aboard Florida will be the first privately owned, operated, and maintained passenger rail system in the United States.

Sign in with a social network: