Those cruising out of Port Canaveral will soon be able to rely on another form of transportation, as Brightline announced that they're planning on opening a new station in Cocoa Beach. Last week, the Cocoa City Council voted to designate $5 million for the new station.
Brightline recently opened up a new station at the Orlando International Airport (MCO), making it easier for those commuting from Central to South Florida for sailings from Fort Lauderdale and Miami. It was a wise move, as MCO is the busiest airport in Florida, seeing around 44 million passengers annually.
Despite the influx of passengers, Brightline doesn't have a station in Brevard County. Those heading from Orlando to Port Canaveral have to rely on other forms of transportation, such as rental cars, rideshares, or shuttles.
Brightline began operations in 2018 with stops in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami. Now, however, they've expanded to Boca Raton, Aventura, and, of course, Orlando, covering 235 miles.
At the time of writing, there's no timeline as to when the Cocoa Beach station could open. However, according to City of Cocoa Mayor Michel C. Blake, the City of Cocoa has met with company executives and is ready to move forward with negotiations for a station located near State Road 528 and US 1.
The drive from Orlando International Airport to Cocoa Beach takes about an hour. While not long, a new Brightline station will allow those embarking on a cruise from Port Canaveral to choose another transportation option.
Brightline Director of Public Affairs Katie Mitzner said, “Brightline is ready to begin the formal process with Space Coast stakeholders to fulfill our vision for a Brevard County station. We agree the time is now to finalize a plan.”
Read more: I took the Brightline train from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale for my cruise. Here's what it was like
Brightline has seen an increase in ridership of over 100% this year
Additionally, they estimate that they'll see around 4.3 million passengers annually between South Florida and Orlando by 2025.
A stop in Cocoa Beach makes sense, especially considering this is the area in which the trains slow down to transition from the East/West track to the North/South track.
The maximum speed for Brightline trains from Orlando International Airport to Cocoa is 125mph. Between Cocoa and West Balm Beach, the speed maxes out around 110mph, while the train substantially decreases to around 79mph between West Palm Beach and Miami.
Brightline is also building a new station in Stuart
In March, Brightline announced that Martin Country, specifically the City of Stuart, would be the site for their next station.
The company reviewed five proposals from both private and public landowners along the Brightline/Florida East Coast Railway corridor. They, however, ultimately decided on Stuart due to its location, as well as the physical characteristics of the site.
The new station is estimated to cost around $60 million and will open in early 2028.
Ships sailing from Port Canaveral
Royal Caribbean, along with numerous other cruise lines, sail from Port Canaveral. A total of 8 Royal ships will sail from Port Canaveral between now and April 2026.
In July, Royal's newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, will begin offering 3- and 4-night cruises to The Bahamas. While not the largest ship in the world, guests can find various offerings unavailable on other Oasis Class ships, including the Royal Railway - Utopia Station specialty restaurant and Pesky Parrott bar.
Additionally, upon Star of the Seas' debut in August 2025, the brand-new ship will sail from Port Canaveral to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.
Other ships include Adventure, Explorer, Allure, Mariner, Voyager, and Wonder of the Seas. Sailings range in duration from 3-night Bahamas cruises to 13-night Transatlantic voyages.
