In the past, a hire car was an essential accessory whenever visiting your second home in Florida. However, recent investment in public and private transport systems means the Sunshine State could be more accessible without your own set of wheels. Belt up as we take a closer look…
Cruising the interstate highway, elbow out the window and wind in your hair… it’s all part of the American experience for many overseas visitors. The moment you pick up your carefully selected yank tank at the airport can be as thrilling as arriving at your resort for the first time. The USA is after all the classic road trip destination.
Equally, having your own car offers complete control over your travel arrangements. For young families, it makes life much easier. Just remember to factor in hidden costs – daily parking rates at the theme parks aren’t cheap – $30 isn’t unusual while tolls are charged on motorways.
It could be time to consider other transport options when you visit Florida. Ongoing upgrades to rail projects, such as Brightline, as well as the advent of transport apps like Uber make travelling around the state much easier than a decade or two ago. At the same time, today’s choice of international flights for flying in from abroad is plentiful.
Florida is served by a string of international airports making travel easy
Array of airports!
Orlando International Airport, the USA’s seventh busiest airport for passenger numbers, is the main gateway to the Sunshine State. It serves Orlando, including the city’s metropolitan area, and the resort-packed counties around it, but its central location also makes it convenient for the state’s east and west seaboards. A typical transfer to a Disney resort in Kissimmee is 20-30 minutes.
Not far behind for passenger numbers is Miami International, Florida’s second busiest airport (the USA’s tenth). Also, on the eastern seaboard and ranked third for traffic is Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, while Palm Beach International and Jacksonville are other Atlantic coast options.
Key air hubs on the western seaboard are Tampa International and Southwest Florida International at Fort Myers), while Sarasota-Bradenton International and St Pete-Clearwater International are often useful for connecting flights.
Major airlines that operate the nine-hour direct flight from the UK to Florida are Virgin Atlantic, Norwegian Air and British Airways. TUI offers flights from various UK airports to Melbourne Orlando International airport on the eastern seaboard, with a transfer of around 80 minutes from Orlando and its resorts. Typical airlines offering indirect flights include Delta, United Airlines, US Airways, Iberia, KLM, Continental Airlines, Air Canada and American Airlines.
Disney makes it very easy to travel to its parks, so leave the car behind
Transfers to Disney and Greater Orlando
You land at Orlando headed to your Disney home with no intention of hiring a car. What are your options? There is a wide choice of private shuttle services, including taxi or minibus, or use an app like Uber or Lyft, which have designated pick-up areas at the airport. It’s worthwhile checking with your resort or community what most people do. In fact, many larger hotel-style resorts (and hotels) have their own shuttle service, much like they do for the theme parks.
Cheaper bus/coach options are operated by Mears Connect, whose 24/7 shuttle service stops are various resorts in the Disney and theme parks area, including Walt Disney World and Disney Springs. The Lynx local bus service also has services to and from the airport.
For days kicking about famous International Drive, Orlando’s main tourist strip and close to a number of theme parks, hop on and off the I-RIDE Trolley buses. Essentially old-fashioned tram-like buses painted green, they travel exclusively throughout the International Drive Resort Area on a 11-mile route with 100 stops. The Red Line Trolley route services the International Drive both north and south bound. The Green Line Trolley route is the counterpart to the Red Line route, beginning in the Major Boulevard business district and travelling along Universal Boulevard. Get a multi-ticket pass for best value.
Image: Davslens via Shutterstock
Let there be Sunrail
SunRail is a local 17-stop rail service that winds through the Greater Orlando area from north to south. Last year saw the completion of the third phase, the Northern Expansion. Its most northerly station is now DeLand in Volusia County.
The southern stretch, which includes a stop at Kissimmee, ends at Poinciana in Osceola County. Sunrail’s four stops within Orlando city include Lynx Central Station, from where you can connect to the Lynx bus network with a direct service to Orlando International Airport, or connect with the Lymmo network that covers downtown Orlando.
Image: Ceri Breeze via Shutterstock
East coast – future is Brightline
Travelling down the south-east coast of Florida? Then consider taking the new Brightline high-speed rail service, which since 2023 has connected Orlando International Airport with Miami Central. The 235-mile journey takes around 3.5 hours with prices ranging as low as £30-£50. With five other stops in-between Orlando and Miami, Brightline launched in 2018 with a service between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach quickly extending to Miami Central the same year.
Stops at Boca Raton and Aventura were added at the end of 2022, followed by Orlando International the following year. Another stop at Stuart is due to open in 2026. There are even plans to connect it with the west coast by adding an Orlando-Tampa route – watch that space.
