Fort Lauderdale to Miami: Train, Rideshare or Car

Overview: Brightline vs Tri-Rail vs taxi vs car

Fort Lauderdale and Miami sit on one train line, so the choice is mostly about speed against price. Brightline is the quick, comfortable train. Tri-Rail is the cheap commuter train with more stops. A taxi, rideshare or car is the way to go when your bags are heavy or the trains do not run.

Once you arrive, miami public transport covers the rest, from Metrorail to the free Miami Beach trolley.

Bound for Miami Beach? No option has an official door-to-door time. Taxis are quickest, because they have no changes. By public transport from Fort Lauderdale airport, ride Tri-Rail 43 minutes to Miami Airport station. Then take the Route 150 bus, which takes 36 to 46 minutes to South Beach. With the shuttle and the waits, that adds up to about 2 hours.

Key Takeaway A weekday Tri-Rail ticket from Fort Lauderdale to Miami costs $6, but Brightline is the one that gets you to MiamiCentral in about 40 minutes without a change.

Speed: Brightline vs Tri-Rail

Brightline is the faster train, and Tri-Rail is slower because it stops at more stations. Brightline lists about 40 minutes between MiamiCentral and Fort Lauderdale, with trains roughly every 30 minutes at peak times. The GetYourGuide ticket for this route shows a trip time of 35 to 75 minutes for South Florida train transfers from €19 per person, with free cancellation. It has no reviews yet, so treat it as a new listing. The page names Brightline as the operator and gives 600 NW 1st Ave in Miami as the meeting point. There is no pickup: you board at the station. The listing gives no group size. Food and a free checked bag come only with the premium option.

Tri-Rail takes longer. From the Fort Lauderdale station, the ride to the Metrorail Transfer station takes 35 minutes. To reach MiamiCentral downtown you must change there to a connecting Tri-Rail train, unless you catch the X301 or X302 express. That change adds waiting time.

Which station should you use? Brightline and Tri-Rail use separate stations in Fort Lauderdale. Arriving by plane, use the Fort Lauderdale Airport Tri-Rail station, which the free shuttle reaches. Staying downtown and heading to downtown Miami, use the Brightline station. Heading to Miami Airport or paying the lowest fare, use the Tri-Rail Fort Lauderdale station.

Pro Tip If your hotel is downtown, ride Brightline. If it is near Miami Airport, Tri-Rail takes you there with no change.

Cost: Tri-Rail vs Brightline vs taxi

Tri-Rail is the cheapest way from Fort Lauderdale to Miami. Tri-Rail's fare page prices weekday trips by zone. One zone is $3, two zones are $4, and three zones are $6 one way. The Fort Lauderdale station to the Miami-Dade zone is three zones, so it costs $6. On weekends and holidays, a flat $5 Daily Pass covers all destinations.

Load the fare before you board. You can use an EASY Card, the SoFloGO app or a paper ticket, and nothing is sold on the train.

Brightline does not publish a standing fare in a form we could read, and its fares vary by date and time. Check the fare when you book. The GetYourGuide train ticket starts at €19 per person as shown on the date at the end of this guide. That price buys a Brightline seat with Wi-Fi and power and USB outlets at each seat. There is space for bikes and carry-on bags. Food on board and one free checked bag come only with the premium option. We checked that price on 23 October 2026.

A taxi costs far more. Broward County's airport page estimates about $72 from Fort Lauderdale airport to Miami International Airport. The county notes that fares are regulated and a fuel surcharge may apply. Rideshare prices move with demand, so open the app and check before you commit.

From the airport: Fort Lauderdale to Miami by Tri-Rail vs taxi

From Fort Lauderdale airport, the cheapest way into Miami is a free shuttle bus and then Tri-Rail. Tri-Rail's airport station page says a free shuttle bus links the airport terminals with the Fort Lauderdale Airport station every 15 to 20 minutes during train hours.

On a weekday, the ride south takes about 43 minutes to Miami Airport station and about 28 minutes to the Metrorail Transfer station. Trains run from 5:02 a.m. to 10:07 p.m. from the airport station. They come about hourly at midday and about every 30 minutes at the peaks. The fare to Miami Airport is two zones, or $4.

At Miami Airport, the free MIA Mover runs between the terminal and the Miami Intermodal Center. Tri-Rail, Metrorail and Metrobus connect there. A Metrorail ride costs $2.25.

Brightline offers a shuttle between the airport and its Fort Lauderdale station. Brightline's page lists it at $12 per guest plus a $3 fuel surcharge, with a same-day train ticket, and says it leaves about 10 minutes after train arrivals. Check the page for the current price.

A taxi from the terminal skips all the changes. It is the better pick after 10 p.m. or with a lot of luggage.

Car: driving vs taking the train

Driving is only worth it if the rest of your trip needs a car. We found no official drive time for this route, because traffic changes it, so we do not quote one. In Miami the car then costs you in parking. The City of Miami Beach's meter page lists South Beach on-street parking at $4 an hour, enforced from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. every day.

A car makes sense for the Everglades, which has no public transit to Shark Valley. In South Beach and downtown Miami, the free trolley, Metromover and bus cover most trips. If your Miami days stay in those areas, leave the car at home and take the train.

The shortest drive is rarely the shortest trip once you add parking.

One honest limit of this guide: we could not confirm an official bus fare or timetable between the two cities, so we do not rank a bus here. A fixed bus fare is not published. Greyhound and FlixBus price each trip by date when you book, so check the operator's own page. Tri-Rail, at $6 one way on a weekday, is the lowest fare that is published.

Time in Fort Lauderdale: boat tour vs staying in Miami

Fort Lauderdale is worth a stop of its own if you have half a day. On the transfer itself, skip the tour: the train on your own is enough. A tour wins for the stop, because a narrated boat trip shows the waterfront you cannot see from the street. You could spend the morning on the water and ride south in the afternoon. The Fort Lauderdale tour boat options include cruises on the New River and the Intracoastal Waterway.

The Millionaire's Row cruise runs 75 minutes, is from €40 per person and includes beer, wine and soda. It is run by Riverfront Cruises Venice of America and starts at 2900 Sebastian Street in Fort Lauderdale. It is rated 4.4 from 526 reviews on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation. If you want a longer outing, the 4-hour deep sea drift fishing trip is from €76 per person, run by Fishing Headquarters, rated 4.4 from 348 reviews. It leaves from 301 Seabreeze Blvd.

Can you trust these two? Both have a named operator, free cancellation and a 4.4 rating from hundreds of reviews, which is a solid record. The cruise takes up to 20 people and leaves out food and transport to the dock. The fishing boat takes up to 60 people. Bait, tackle, rods and fishing licenses are included, but food, drinks and the deckhand's tip are not. The train ticket is the only pick with no reviews, though Brightline itself runs the trains.

Best Things to Do in Miami's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found 16 listings that start in Fort Lauderdale, from €27 to €1,431. Most are boats, helicopters and airboats, so you have a fair range of choices.

If you arrive late or split your stay, you can sleep in Fort Lauderdale first. Riverside Hotel sits on Las Olas Boulevard and has a heated outdoor pool. Deco Boutique Hotel is a small 3-star about 100 metres from the beach.

Which should you pick?

Pick by what matters most. For the fastest trip downtown, take Brightline. For the lowest price or the airport, take Tri-Rail. For late nights, heavy bags or a group, take a taxi or rideshare. Take the car only if your next stop needs one. If you have a spare afternoon in Fort Lauderdale, a cruise on the New River is an easy way to use it.