Make wishtv.com your home page

Florida fast train to connect Miami cruise port with Orlando

MIAMI, FL - JULY 14: The Miami skyline is seen on July 14, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

MIAMI (AP) — Florida’s new high-speed rail system is building a station at PortMiami, giving theme park tourists the opportunity for a car-free vacation by connecting them to the cruise capital of the world.

Brightline said Tuesday it will build a station at PortMiami by 2020. The rail will ultimately connect a crucial 170-mile (275-kilometer) stretch from West Palm Beach to Orlando and its theme parks. It’s scheduled to open in 2022. From Orlando, the company hopes to eventually expand to Tampa and Jacksonville.

PortMiami is home to 22 cruise lines. Last year, it served more than 5 million travelers, more cruise passengers than any other port in the world.

The rail, which will soon be known as Virgin Train, is also looking at additional stations in Boca Raton and Aventura.