Miami Considers Direct Train Between Airport and PortMiami

Miami-Dade officials are considering a direct rail link between Miami International Airport and PortMiami. County transportation staff are reviewing recommendations from a 2025 feasibility study on creating a nonstop transit connection between the two hubs, which currently do not have a direct public transit link.

Why Miami Is Looking at This Now

PortMiami is already operating at an enormous scale. Widely known as the Cruise Capital of the World, it welcomed a record 8,564,225 cruise passengers in fiscal year 2025. Miami International Airport also handled 55.3 million travelers in calendar year 2025.

The pressure is only expected to grow. The PortMiami 2050 Master Plan projects cruise passenger numbers rising from 7 million in 2023 to 24 million by 2050. The study also found that 84% of cruise passenger trips to and from PortMiami take place between Friday and Monday, concentrating demand over just a few days each week.

That congestion is already affecting passengers. It has become a regular occurrence for cruise lines to remind guests to leave extra time for heavy traffic around downtown Miami and PortMiami. Carnival sent alerts ahead of the busy February 21-22 and March 21-22 weekends, and PortMiami also issued traffic advisories for March 27-29. We recently covered one of those warnings here: PortMiami traffic warning for Feb. 21-22.

The feasibility study also noted that the world’s ten busiest cruise ports still do not have direct fixed-guideway transit access, with most relying on buses and shuttles.

The Two Rail Options Being Considered

The first is an Automated People Mover, or APM. This would be a roughly 9-mile extension of the existing Metromover system, which already serves downtown Miami and is commonly described as having 21 stations. The extension would add five new stations and may be able to use parts of the existing Port Bridge or Miami River bridge. Travel time is estimated at 24 to 34 minutes. Capital costs are estimated at $600 million to $700 million, with yearly operating costs of $9 million to $11 million.

The second option is a heavy-rail Metrorail extension. That would create a 10-mile service using much of the existing Metrorail network, along with about 2 miles of new infrastructure and two new stations. It would likely require a new bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. Travel time is estimated at 22 to 27 minutes. Costs are estimated at around $700 million to $800 million to build and $12 million to $15 million a year to operate.

What Sets the Options Apart

The APM could provide a one-seat ride from MIA to PortMiami throughout the day, but it also comes with drawbacks. Because it would build on the existing Metromover system, passenger capacity would be more limited, with Metromover cars carrying about 50 passengers each. It is also the slower option, with estimated travel times of 24 to 34 minutes.

The Metrorail option would offer a one-seat ride during weekday off-peak hours and weekends, but during weekday peak periods a transfer downtown may be required because of capacity limits on the existing line. Even so, it would be faster overall, with estimated travel times of 22 to 27 minutes and larger trains able to handle more passengers at one time.

The study also says the APM could begin with a shorter demonstration project between downtown and PortMiami. That starter version would cost about $247 million.

Is It Happening Soon?

Not yet.

Both rail options were found to be technically feasible, but neither has been selected. More planning and evaluation are still needed before Miami-Dade chooses a preferred alternative. For now, the project has been recommended for the county’s 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan in the Priority IV unfunded section, meaning there is no committed funding yet.

The study also outlined smaller improvements that could happen sooner, including branded shuttles from downtown stations to PortMiami, a single fare covering both rail and shuttle service, clearer signage for cruise passengers, and staff to help travelers make the trip.

What Cruise Passengers Should Know

No timeline has been confirmed for either rail proposal, but Miami-Dade officials have made clear that better connections will be needed as PortMiami continues to grow. Until then, passengers sailing from PortMiami should still plan for heavy traffic and allow plenty of extra time to reach the terminal.

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