Thanks to Brightline for inviting me to cover the opening of their new Aventura Station! Subscribe for a tour of Brightline Boca Raton. More info: www.gobrightline.com/ Follow me on socials! IG: OfficialJoelFranco Twitter: OfficialJoelF
Update: Brightline has told me Aventura Station is still not ready so today’s planned video won’t happen. Hopefully it will open to the public tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
This was a very fast build. WELL DONE BRIGHTLINE. This with Boca Raton will be excellent. I really want Jacksonville to be the next hub with Amtrak. Make sure to stay off the damn tracks when the barriers are down!
my biggest hope is that brightline inspires other rail like it around the us. we need MUCH more of this all throughout the country. (would especially love to see a nice 110mph line between raleigh and charlotte)
Great video, im glad it was on my homepage. I have only one recommendation; Take advantage of the guy welcoming you at the door. Tell him you are doing a youtube video and ask if he knows more about the station. You never know what information he may provide!
The whole Brightline concept is amazing, THIS is how to build a rail system from the ground up and the attention to detail in every aspect shows ! This will be a real game changer for the state of Florida when all stops are finished and travel within the state will get much easier and faster ! I can't wait until it comes to Tampa and who knows we might even have a route north to Jacksonville ?? Brightline offers beautiful trains, stations and service which is first class in every way. Thank you Brightline !!!! ( Great video !!! )
No brightline is a mess. A large reason traffic is so bad in Aventura is because the train frequencies keep blocking the roads hourly. We are stopping car fluidity so that empty trains can circulate. Stations are poorly located too. It’s a mess. Go to Europe and see how trains are done right.
Lmao brightline is far from a mess. The construction is not done so that's why it's blocked. You won't say that when it's done. Trains moving at 80mph clear crossings in mere seconds flat. Not that big a deal!!!
The line is not fully complete that's why trains are empty. Damn Florida, be patient. The system has barley been there. Typical for people to talk on things they know nothing about, just saying
From an European perspective the security check feels weird. It seems like they are trying to run rail like an airline... not exactly seamless. Also: if you're building new tracks anyways, why not add electrification right away?
If the emphasis was placed and applied to passenger rail accommodations and trains during the sixties and seventies the way Brightline is doing now, intercity rail travel would be far advanced in more states today. Alas, it's better late than never. I'm happy it's here.
We made sure to ride Miami to West Palm Beach during our trip in November 2022... had to support the effort (since Houston is... slow to catch up 🐌)... thanks for sharing!
The travel time is actually very slow for trains, but with the extreme traffic congestion you have in Florida, it works just fine with brightline focusing on quality and service, rather than speed, and of course they don’t have the money for grade seperation, electrification, and expensive EMU’s.
If you look at the distances being covered & the station spacing, you can't really expect the train to be going faster than it already is. European trains under the same conditions would be going barely faster.
I didnt know 17 mins was bad from Downtown Miami to Aventura. Try driving mid day and that's about 30 mins. And that's with minimal traffic.Try driving that during rush hour, then come back and tell me how long it took you
what you dont understand that this was/is a public private project called all aboard florida where they use FEC line, and the FEC line is not electrified, that only happens if FEC agrees with it, and thats likely not to happen.2, read number 1. 3. Brightline west will have the " expensive EMU'S " that line will be electrified 25 KV AC 50 hertz
Thank you for being upfront about the fact that these rides were given to you by Brightline. So how much weight to give these reviews must be considered with that in mind. I've ridden Brightline a couple of times with tickets I paid for. The experience was pleasurable.
checked google maps (5pm), the drive from brightline aventura to brightline miami is 48 min in the express lane, and 56 min in the regular lanes on I95
@@malachaicarter4338 It was a joke. I know who owns it and I know there are redevelopment plans in the works (though they are only just "plans" and no action is being taken given it's going to appraently take 14 YEARS to redevelop the station; see why I made the statement about Brightline?!?!?!?!).
You only have 6.3k subs?? Never would have guessed. Keep videos like this up and you will grow quickly. Very nice detailed tour with the right amount of fluff. Great video!! Excited to see Boca's station next.
I wish we can have this connected to most major states/cities Like Florida to Texas, New York, California, Seattle, Washington DC etc Just connected with each other for ease of travel rather than taking a really expensive crowded plane. This can relieve a lot of stress and bring money to the cities and more people will travel. America NEEDS this infrastructure. It doesn’t HAVE to be as advanced as Japan or China. This is GREAT start. We can catch up to Asia’s standard later. Right now we need the basics. TRAINS BUILT AMERICA NOT JUST ROADS AND HIGHWAYS USA simply lost its way as greed and bad design began calling the shots. We can have privatized stuff without it being bad.
Looks like only one platform is operational for the time being because the tracks needs to be shifted over towards the station on the side closer to the station building.
I’m so happy Aventura and Boca are complete. I’ve taken Brightline at least 100 times since it’s very first inaugural trip! I’ll be trying these stops in a couple days! What a relief to go to Aventura skip the traffic, shop. Or even Uber to Sunny Isles for a beach day
@@JoelFrancoVlogs It will be so nice when Aventura opens the pedestrian bridge to the mall. Did they give any updates on when they plan to start and/or finish that project?
Very cool! I took the train on Monday from Boca to Miami and it took just under an hour. When you head down to Miami again on Brightline, check out the Wynwood area near downtown. A quick Uber ride from the station. Lots of cool artwork, tons of little shops and restaurants too!! 😊
I wouldn't consider this real high speed, as in China high speed or what California's working hard to achieve but Its a good medium for passenger rail in a time where hsr is becoming needed and more popular as urbanism is rising.
34 minutes according to Google maps driving on I-95 from Aventura Mall to Downtown Miami at 12:00 noon on a Tuesday afternoon. You save 16 minutes plus add parking to the equation you will probably take longer finding a parking space that will cost you $10.00 an hour.
Wow how exciting ..will wait for escalators to work though!..I hope there will be benches on the platform while waiting . Do you know if this is being considered ?? . Thank you ..great video!
They work! You can see in my latest video where I show the shuttle service to Aventura Mall. As for benches, I don’t think they are necessary because the waiting is done inside the station where there’s ample seating. You’re only ever on the platform when the train is already approaching or you’re exiting.
I always appreciate more rail in this country... however...I don't wanna see the same mistakes made with rail like I see with housing. It needs to be more casual and plain even. In my opinion it shouldn't have to be a faux luxury experience, just convienant and reliable and easy to use. Hopefully it inspires more rail built out to towns and neighborhoods along the initial network that connect to these larger regional services.
I am still not seeing the $11 charge. I did however have a $25.00 charge later to something I didn’t recognize. It was probably that but my bank applied a credit for it so nothing was really charged. Weird.
@@JoelFrancoVlogs maybe it was a hold - perhaps most of the items are less than $25 and the price is adjusted after the purchase is verified. Great video covering all the angles. I look forward to seeing more.
I’d like to come down to south Florida. Would be interested in flying into Fort Lauderdale or Miami Airport. I would need to take a shuttle to one of the beaches for a hotel. Would you be so kind to do a video with a complete trip from the airport to Lauderdale, Boca, or Sunny Isles beaches on A1A.
Boy that was noice! 🥰🥰👍👍 My only beef was that they sold only toy train cars and not genuine model railroad rolling stock. 😤😠 P.S. Did you know that Boca Raton translated into English is Ratmouth? I kid you not.
So how is one supposed to cross the tracks to the station from Biscayne Blvd? I didn't see any connection from the street across the eastern tracks to the platform.
Don’t think there’s a way without walking all the way to the nearest crossing. The area itself isn’t pedestrian-friendly. They do have Brightline+ with pickups within 5 mile radius
@Joel Franco Thanks. So there is no way to park at the mall and then walk from the mall across Biscayne straight to the station? Instead you'd have to get back to your car and drive to the other side of the tracks... Is that right?
It helps a little. But South Florida remains pathetic for public transportstion compared to any other area its size in the country, especially South Dade and virtually any East/West travel corridors. Rail to Homestead is needed. East/West at Caribbean. East/West at 154th. East West at Kendall. East/West at Bird. East/West at 8th. East West all the way up to West Palm Beach. If those were there, South Florida would start matching other cities and areas. A bus service that's 5 times larger is also needed.
Designed that way, when you arrive at the end destination the train set will now be controlled by the other engine and no need to turn around any equipment. This single car was only for the opening of the station and for the "press" to ride.
Even at $7 a day for parking, that’s expensive for Aventura where most parking is free including the mall! I bet once that pedestrian bridge is built, no one pays for parking. People will just park at the mall! I suppose maybe they’ll tow if you leave your car overnight; but if I was going somewhere overnight from Aventura station (my mom lives there; I live in Miami) I would take an Uber (or Brightline’s ride share) to the station. So I don’t see any reason to really park at the station. Maybe, if you commute everyday to work and you live west of the train … maybe, if they give a better deal on the parking for commuters/monthly pass holders perhaps. If you live east of Biscayne Blvd though, it would probably actually be faster to park in the mall near the entrance of the pedestrian bridge. (No dealing with the traffic to cross Biscayne Blvd.)
Brightline Miami to Orlando is supposedly $100. Cheapest nonstop fight is Delta at $120. 1H 10M flight time plus 1 hour check in and I'd still rather take the 3H train. It'll be more comfortable, relaxing and on return to Miami puts you in a much more favorable position in the city vs the airport (not to mention Brightline+).
So, this is a nice station, but why did they design it like an airport? All you really need for a train station is a covered platform for boarding the train. Seems like overkill to me.
Literally every station in Europe and Asia has something like this, with a lounge and shoppette, or more. The mid to larger ones add a bar and restaurant and more shops. They had all this in the 1970's.
@@ChatGPT1111 Thanks for the info! I know that certain hub stations in the US typically have amenities included, but this one seems kind of crazy for a middle stop with no connections to anything. Especially with all the added security, it feels like they're trying to emulate an airport. I don't want to have to show up an hour early to catch my train because the station owners want me drinking at their bar. I admit I'm probably overthinking this, but it's frustrating to see how much we'll drop in stations in the US, but run terrible service because "we can't afford it."
@@jamalgibson8139 eventually Aventura Station will have a pedestrian bridge with direct connection to Aventura Mall across the street. It’s the 5th largest mall in the US (by square footage) with 30 million annual visitors. This will surely bring a lot of riders
@@jamalgibson8139 and this isnt a government agency project that purposefully wastes money, although 76 million of public money went into building the station. So a private company building this like "overkill" won't happen in most places.
If we could have this option in most major cities more people would take it over an airplane or driving. Lobbyists will block them unfortunately. Airlines, car makers and oil companies would never allow this to flourish SMH!.
@@akivaplutno Right? I keep wondering if these people realize electrification and or grade separation costs money and would likely require government subsidy, which then has to go through the hellfire of US politics.
Sorry but it's not the fault of the train if people get killed. Do drivers ignore red lights at road junction ? I doubt it so why ignore a barrier with red lights and signs that tell you to stop . The almighty gave us a brain including common sense, Use it
my biggest hope is that brightline inspires other rail like it around the us. we need MUCH more of this all throughout the country. (would especially love to see a nice 110mph line between raleigh and charlotte)
I might consider getting annual passes to the theme parks once the Orlando station is built. The train makes it more feasible to just go for a day trip. You can hopefully spend the day in a park, grab the last train home at night and dose on the train on the way home. Well, I’m hoping the last Orlando-Miami train will be fairly late.
