Can gas prices get you out of your car? Brightline cuts fare to try to get you on train
With the average price for gas at $5 a gallon nationally and $4.86 in Florida, public transportation hubs see an opportunity to get people aboard.
Brightline, offering higher-speed train service from Miami to Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach, is dropping prices as part of a promotion pegged to Thursday’s National Dump the Pump Day. The annual promo is held every third week in June to encourage public transportation ridership instead of driving cars.
How much is Brightline cutting fare?
According to Brightline spokeswoman Vanessa Alfonso, the new base price fare is $10 for its SMART high-speed rail program. Previously, the base price was $17 — so it’s a $7 per ride savings. Those who purchase a monthly pass, which means 20 rides, would see the fare cut to $7 a ride, down from $10. (Base price for kids 12 and younger is $5.)
The savings also break down as follows:
▪ Brightline from Fort Lauderdale to Miami can now go as low as $20 for a round trip when the price used to start at $17 for a one-way SMART ride. In other words, $34 vs. $20.
▪ Brightline from West Palm Beach to Miami for a round trip is now $30, besting the previous $22 one way for the SMART base line.
There are other pricing points and pricing deals via www.gobrightline.com. For instance, Brightline is touting a 25% off parties of four or “bring three friends and your ticket is free” using the code ALLABOARD.
The new promotional pricing is set to run through the summer, according to Brightline.
Gas prices up, down
According to AAA, gasoline prices set national and Florida records on June 13, when the average cost soared to $5.01 a gallon nationally and Florida went over $4.88. (California was the highest in the nation at $6.43.)
But the prices have trickled down a smidgen, by about a penny to current figures as of June 16. The reason, AAA suggests, is demand for gas slipped a bit. “As crude oil prices remain volatile, the price per gallon for gasoline will likely remain elevated,” AAA added.
READ NEXT: Use this interactive map listing gas prices in Florida, and see the tips to save money
This story was originally published June 16, 2022 at 4:43 PM.
