The Latest Update on The Brightline Tampa Project

A $400 million bond sale has started to fund a swift rail link between Orlando and Tampa. The new trains would cut the trip to just one hour. These tax-exempt bonds start with $150 million, paying 6.5% for 28 years.

"It's a big part of our future, right? We love Tampa. Tampa's the next big market for us," said Brightline CEO Mike Reininger per thatssotampa.com. "You connect Tampa to the rest of this system, and suddenly 75% of the state is within proximity to a Brightline train. We like that a lot."

This marks the next step in connecting Florida's cities, adding to current routes from Miami through Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach to Orlando. Workers will upgrade tracks along I-4.

The bonds earned special status for helping the environment. Each mile on these trains makes 75% less pollution than cars. This fact could draw in people who want to invest in clean transport.

More people now ride trains in Tampa than ever before. The city's Union Station welcomed 156,000 Amtrak riders in 2024, up 21% from last year and the most in a decade.

The first trains started running in South Florida five years ago. After that came new stops in Boca Raton and Aventura. Last year, after building 170 miles of track, trains began going to Orlando.

With this new money, trains will soon zip between more cities. When finished, passengers can travel on one system from Tampa through Orlando, all the way to Miami.