After repeated delays, Tri-Rail, the tax-subsidized and more affordable alternative to Brightline trains, is finally set to arrive in downtown Miami at the end of January. The long-awaited launch will take place on Saturday, January 13, marking the beginning of urban transportation service in Miami that had been anticipated since 2016.
Despite encountering numerous setbacks, including a platform that was initially built too wide for Tri-Rail trains, the service is now ready to commence. Miami-Dade County commissioner and Tri-Rail board member, Raquel Regalado, expressed relief at the news, stating, “It’s finally come true. We have overcome many obstacles.” Regalado was instrumental in the ousting of the entity’s previous director over service delays.
The new Tri-Rail service will provide the first express service along the route, linking downtown Miami with a regular Tri-Rail stop at an existing transit station in Hialeah, which is currently served by both Tri-Rail and Metrorail. Funding for Tri-Rail comes from a combination of federal, state, and local sources and is managed by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.
While this is a significant development in urban transportation in Miami, travelers will still have to wait for the direct route from West Palm Beach to Miami that Tri-Rail had initially proposed. Regardless, the impending arrival of Tri-Rail in downtown Miami represents a major milestone for the city’s transportation infrastructure.