Miami Transportation
MIA Airport is a major hub for hundreds of daily domestic & international flights; credit Wiki Commons
Airport
Miami International Airport (MIA) anchors Miami Transportation with outstanding air connections to North American, Caribbean, South American, and European destinations. As a Top 7 U.S. Hub Airport by passenger volume, MIA has a wide range of restaurants, lounges, gift shops, WiFi, business services, and passenger amenities that savvy travelers expect.
Since it expanded rapidly without a master plan, MIA Airport evolved into a 3-terminal, 7-concourse, 4-level navigation challenge course. Most ticketing check-in and departures are on Level 2. Arrivals and baggage claim are on Level 1. To efficiently move between terminals, take the moving walkways on Level 3. Look at the airport terminal map to figure out Level 4.
MIA Airport has two Automated People Movers (APM). MIA APM transports passengers from the 3rd level Central Terminal of MIA Airport to MIA Airport Station, which interconnects MIA Rental Car Center (RCC), Metrorail, Amtrak, Tri-Rail commuter trains, and Intercity Buses. Skytrain APM transports passengers between the main MIA Airport terminals and distant D Terminal.
Car Rentals
Rental car brands include Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, and Value at the 6500-vehicle MIA Rental Car Center (RCC). Roadway and signage enhancements at RCC make it easy to reach surrounding highways. If you plan to rent a car, keep 7 or 8 one-dollar bills handy to quickly pass through tollways.
If headed to downtown Miami, follow signs to Dolphin Expressway (Tollway) for the 7-mile trip. If your destination is not Downtown Miami, proceed across MacArthur Causeway to South Beach or exit onto the I-95 Freeway for destinations north and south.
Taxis/Shuttles/Uber/Lyft
A taxi and shuttle dispatcher is on duty at MIA Airport. Via Yellow Cab or Checker (954-565-5400), a ride to Downtown Miami/Brickell Avenue costs about $25, while a ride to South Beach costs about $30.
Super Shuttle within Miami-Dade and Broward Counties ranges from $15 to $100, though it costs around $25 from MIA Airport to Downtown Miami/Brickell Avenue. Tri-County Airport Express, another shared-ride shuttle, is also available.
Alternatively, follow the MIA Airport Arrival Roadway signage to the Uber/Lyft pick-up area.
Train Stations
Amtrak
Brightline Florida
Brightline Florida is a private company operating a passenger rail line between Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach & Orlando International Airport. Brightline built MiamiCentral Station under a high-rise development downtown at 600 NW 1st Avenue, Miami.
Brightline passenger train leaving MiamiCentral Station headed northbound; (c) Brightline
Brightline’s superior Station Experience includes the architectural motif of surrounding modern high-rises combined with a small cafe, pleasant waiting area, digital train schedule board, clean restrooms, and other amenities. Miami Metrorail and Tri-Rail commuter service stop at MiamiCentral Station too. Most downtown attractions are within a 4-block walk.
Brightline’s Onboard Passenger experience is great too. Trains run hourly and feature comfortable seating, large windows, overhead storage, WiFi, USB outlets, large tray tables, bike racks, ADA accessibility, and clean restrooms. Boarding/Exiting trains is always fast. You can bundle a taxi ride with your Brightline ticket, so it awaits your arrival. Alternatively, you can book an Uber/Lyft within minutes of your arrival to have them waiting streetside.
Brightline reaches 79-110 mph top speed from Miami up to Cocoa. Without stopping at Cocoa, Brightline train rises to 125 mph in the last 20 miles to Orlando International Airport. As a result, the Total Train Travel Time between Miami-Orlando International Airport is slightly shorter than the Total Air Travel Time.
See this article about Interstate High-Speed Rail Progress to understand Brightline Florida’s important role.
Amtrak
Amtrak Miami Airport Station is located at Northwest 21st Street at West 37th Avenue. That Amtrak station conveniently connects to the MIA Airport People Mover, MIA Rental Car Center, Metrorail, Tri-Rail, Intercity Bus, hotel shuttles, taxis, and Uber & Lyft services.
Amtrak features a single long-distance route that only has 2 daily roundtrips and a 79 mph top speed to/from Miami:
Amtrak Silver Meteor: Washington-Richmond-Raleigh-Jacksonville-Orlando (Downtown)-Fort Lauderdale-Miami
Save money. Use Amtrak Saver Fares to book seats 21+ days in advance.
Tours & Experiences
Day Cruises
Bayside Marketplace is a waterfront shopping, dining & marina complex in Downtown Miami. Its maritime features include speedboat cruises and day cruises around islands in Biscayne Bay that showcase homes of the rich & famous.
A typical day cruise from Bayside navigating Biscayne Bay; (c) Greater Miami CVB
Other day cruises go just far enough outside of U.S. waters to let you legally gamble on shipboard casinos. These cruises are relatively inexpensive and very popular on weekends.
If you’re driving, several free-to-ride causeways over Biscayne Bay have iconic islands that you can stop at. Unless the islands have gated entrances, you can view beautiful mansions, the Miami skyline, and the Miami Beach skyline.
Rapid Transit
Metrorail is an elevated 24-mile, 23-station Metro Heavy Rail system. Metro Overtown/Lyric Theatre, Metro Government & Metro Brickell stations are hubs serving the central business district of Miami. You can easily transfer from Metro Overtown/Lyric Theatre Station to MiamiCentral Station.
• Orange Line: MIA Airport Station-Downtown-Dadeland South
• Green Line: Palmetto-Downtown-Dadeland South
Metrorail weekday service is 5:30 am-12:40 am with a 6-10-minute train frequency. On Friday and Saturday nights, service extends to 1:30 am. Weekend service offers 10-20 minute frequency. The fare costs around $2 One-way or a $5 Day Pass.
Some attractions are within walking distance of several stations. To visit Brownsville and MLK Plaza, take the Metro Green Line. Take either Metro line southbound to visit Vizcaya, Coconut Grove, and Coral Gables.
For Miami Heat basketball games, transfer at Metro Government Station to the free Metromover, then exit at Bayfront Park Station. For Miami Marlins baseball games, transfer at Culmer Station to the Express Shuttle for a 10-minute journey to the ballpark 90 minutes before and after games.
Metromover, a free-to-ride Automated People Mover augments the Metrorail system with 20 stations and 4.4 miles of elevated track concentrated near attractions in Government Center, Central Financial District, Brickell Avenue, Omni Business District, and Museum Park (Frost Museum, PAMM, Maurice Ferre Park). Use Metromover to connect to Metrorail at Government Center Station or Brickell Station.
Tri-Rail commuter train, Metrorail train (upper, hidden), and Amtrak train (not shown) stop at MIA Airport Station; credit Wiki Commons/P Pessar
Tri-Rail, a 67-mile, 15-station commuter rail line through Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Tri-Rail features WiFi and double-decker cabins with stops that include MIS Airport Station, FLL Airport, and Palm Beach Airport.
Tri-Rail’s MIA Airport Station is shared with Amtrak, Taxis, Uber/Lyft, and hotel shuttles. Some Tri-Rail trains go to MiamiCentral Station in downtown. If you board north of Miami, double-check your Tri-Rail train destination.
Cruiseport
PortMiami on Dodge Island, is the gateway for more than 3 million cruise passengers a year, earning Miami the nickname, “Cruise Capital of the World.” PortMiami is easily reachable from Downtown Miami via Biscayne Blvd then turning east onto Port Blvd to cross a causeway.
The PortMiami’s specialty is 3 to 7-night cruises of the Western Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean. A handful of the 11-night cruises sail to the Southern Caribbean and the Panama Canal. These major cruise lines serve PortMiami:
Royal Caribbean Celebrity International
Take popular cruises to the Bahamas and the Western Caribbean. Enjoy 3, 4, 7, 10, and 11-night routes on a variety of grand ships. Celebrity Cruises, a division of Royal Caribbean, is tailored to longer-distance upscale cruises. Royal Caribbean headquarters are on Dodge Island, the same as large cruise ships.
ADDRESS: 1050 Caribbean Way
PHONE: 305-539-6000
Carnival Cruise Lines
One of the world’s most popular cruise lines with its family of “Fun Ships” operating voyages from 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, and 14 days to the Bahamas, Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean, and Panama Canal.
ADDRESS: 3655 NW 87th Avenue
PHONE: 305-599-2600
Norwegian Cruise Line
Features 7 to 10-day cruises throughout the Western, Eastern, and Southern Caribbean. Ships include Leeward, Norway Majesty, and the Norwegian Wind. Regional headquarters near MIA Airport.
ADDRESS: 7665 Corporate Center Drive
PHONE: 305-436-4731
Freeways & Tollways
Miami Freeways & Tollways are notoriously congested during commute hours, so many time-sensitive travelers choose adjoining tollways.
For spectacular views of multi-deck cruise ships from MacArthur Causeway, check out Friday and Sunday evenings between 4-5:30 pm, when most ships leave for 3-day cruises to the Caribbean. Feel free to wave at them.
PortMiami also sports plenty of day cruises to the Bahamas that are relatively low since those islands are only 60 to 90 miles away and passenger volume is typically high.