22 September 2023: today, the privately owned passenger rail operator Brightline will start regular, scheduled Intercity services between the two largest transport hubs in Florida: Miami and Orlando.

Just like has happened in many places in Europe – such as in Sweden, the Czech Republic and Austria – we are confident that the entry of privately owned new players will benefit the US Intercity rail market as well.

More than anything, Brightline’s new service will help get people out of their cars, especially on the congested Interstate 95 Highway on the East Coast of the United States.

ALLRAIL Secretary General Nick Brooks says: “with taxpayer spending necessary on healthcare, schools, defence and many other things, governments have a finite budget. Therefore – as we are seeing around the world – the involvement of private investment will help to finance and grow new passenger rail”.

ALLRAIL congratulates Brightline on the milestone that it has achieved today and hopes that this will be the start of a new era of privately owned operators playing a major role in the US Intercity rail market.