Key Aspects:

• Miami officials are considering a train service to alleviate traffic between the airport and the cruise port.
• Two proposed rail lines are being considered.
• The project is estimated to cost between $600 million and $800 million.

Miami-Dade transportation officials are considering recommendations for a non-stop train service connecting Miami International Airport and PortMiami.

A recent study, the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (MDTPO) 2050 Master Plan, showed promising results for an expanded rail line connecting the two major Miami destinations.

The study, which was published in September 2025, explored the economic feasibility of public transportation solutions between the airport and cruise port. PortMiami, the Cruise Capital of the World, regularly deals with an extremely high volume of passengers, particularly on busy weekends.

The railway proposals aim to address the dense traffic that follows from the ever-increasing number of tourists passing through the city on the way to the port. PortMiami currently has 10 cruise terminals working with over 20 cruise lines and welcoming millions of passengers a year.

Eight public transportation solutions were originally proposed in the study. Now, according to a report by CBS News, MDTPO has narrowed that down to two proposals.

Details Of The Proposed Solutions

The first option is a 9-mile extension to the existing MetroMover track. The MetroMover is a free people mover system with 21 stations in Downtown Miami.

This is the simpler solution, as it could incorporate existing structures such as the Miami River Bridge. The major drawback to this proposal is capacity. The MetroMover cars have a maximum capacity of only 50 people each and average only 9 miles per hour.

The second proposed option would be significantly higher capacity. This plan would add a 10-mile extension to the Metrorail track. Metrorail is a rapid transit railway system currently spanning 25 miles of track.

This proposal would expand that to 35 miles of track. The construction of this solution, however, would be much more involved, requiring a new bridge to be built.

It’s interesting to note that neither of these solutions was advanced in previous screenings by MDTPO, but it seems that reconsiderations have taken place.

Whichever proposal is accepted, it comes with a substantial price tag for taxpayers. The project is estimated to cost between $600 million and $800 million in capital expenses and $9 million to $15 million in annual operational costs.

How Bad Is Traffic in PortMiami?

PortMiami consistently ranks as the busiest cruise port in the world, and it’s only getting busier by the day.

In 2025, the Cruise Capital of the World welcomed a record 8,564,225 cruise passengers through its terminals. MDTPO estimates that by 2050, that number could rise to as high as 24,100,00.

But it’s not just cruisers that influence traffic. Miami is the second most populous city in the state of Florida, with approximately 2.84 million people living in Miami-Dade County.

High numbers of ships in port, special events, and road work can all turn a leisurely drive to the cruise terminal into an aggravating standstill. It’s become a regular occurrence for cruise lines to send their guests reminders to leave plenty of time to avoid the busy downtown Miami congestion.

Earlier this month, CruiseHive reported on Carnival Cruise Line warning passengers of just such a high traffic weekend. Cruisers were advised to allow extra time to reach their ships due to construction downtown as well as the Bounce Back for Cancer event.

There’s no word yet on how long these proposed projects will take to complete. In the meantime, we all know what construction does to traffic, so if you’re cruising out of PortMiami, be sure to leave plenty of time to get to your ship.