Tri-Rail West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdal

[San Diego Ellie]

We will be visiting friends in WPB for a few days pre-cruise. They would drop us off at the West Palm Beach Tri-Rail Station, and we would take the Tri-Rail to Fort Lauderdale. We will each have one fairly large suitcase. How difficult will this be? Are there many stairs you have to climb to get on and off the train? Has anyone done this with luggage?

 

Thanks for any help!

Ellie

[megr1125]

tri rail is a commuter train, not luggage friendly and not known for timeliness..

 

that said....if you're comfortable hauling your stuff, there are about 3-4 steps into the train....

 

i've ridden it before....and waited 2 hours for a train..one was cancelled, one was delayed....and frankly, i wouldn't do it again...but that's just me...

 

i am OK with luggage on Amtrak and even our local commuter trains, but Tri Rail was not fun....

 

i am sure you will get other opinions.

[fireofficer5]

Weekend trains run every two hours.

Tow small steps up to get on the train. No problens unless you are frail.

Get off at the Fort Laud. airport station. There are cabs there waiting.

[Gathina]

Well, I am probably one of the few who say do it..depending on what time of day. I take it to the airport in Miami and FLL from WPB all the time with my luggage. I've taken it other times as a commuter and see no problems. Locally, in the ads, news, etc they are encouraging people to use the train more to go to the airports and it is a good deal.

 

If you have one suitcase and arent going during a peak time I see no problems. It does have its occasioanl breakdowns and delays but its not any worse to me than staying stuck on the highway. I think once when I was on it it was delayed for over an hour as a truck collided with a train on one of the tracks but they bussed us to the next nearest station about 10 minutes away.

 

The steps are minmal, although if you have to go upstairs to the car then the steps are more narrow and I wouldnt want to schlepp a suitcase up there. I have taken the train all the way to Miami airport with two large suitcases but I also traveled during an off peak time and was able to sit near the luggage rack in the bottom car.

 

We will be visiting friends in WPB for a few days pre-cruise. They would drop us off at the West Palm Beach Tri-Rail Station, and we would take the Tri-Rail to Fort Lauderdale. We will each have one fairly large suitcase. How difficult will this be? Are there many stairs you have to climb to get on and off the train? Has anyone done this with luggage?

 

Thanks for any help!

Ellie

[Railwaylass]

I flew alone into Miami in July and took the Tri-Rail up to stay with family in Boca Raton, then back to Miami Airport a couple of weeks later. It was efficient and inexpensive, if a bit shabby. I have no complaints and found it to be a good service.

 

I didn't have any trouble managing with my suitcase and other assorted bags and the trains were on time and fairly empty when I travelled - Saturday afternoon up and then a Thursday afternoon back down.

 

My DH and I are flying into Miami for a Ft Lauderdale cruise in March and are planning to take the Tri-Rail, then catch it again post cruise to go back up to Boca and then again back to Miami.

[Muushka]

OP, I just saw your post on Trip Advisor. So glad CC gave you (and me!) some answers!

 

 

We will be staying with friends in WPB and we are cruising out of Port Everglades on a Saturday and returning 2 weeks later.

Is this considered off-peak time? Leaving early Sat AM and returning (12/29 Sat) at 12:30 or so?

 

It beats leaving the car in Fort Lauderdale!

[Muushka]

I just returned from a car deal in WPB. I flew out of Miami and happily turned down friends offers for a ride, because I wanted to take the train.

 

My observations were

 

I took the train from the last stop at Mangonia Park, so when I got on the train, it was empty. Which afforded me to see plenty of luggage racks that will be available for our cruise in Dec. 2 steps up to the train. No problem with our massive luggage there!

 

I spoke with the conductor and he recommended taking the free shuttle to the airport and then grab a cab, but I don't think it is worth schlepping the luggage to save $5. Speaking of $$ does anyone know what the cab fare is from the train to the port?

 

I think when we return it won't be quite as easy because we will be getting on a train that already has passengers. But for us, it will be a Sat AM, so hopefully it won't be too busy.

 

It works out great for us because we can stay with friends and they will take us to the train. I talked my husband into it!

[Gathina]

It really is a decent deal..Mangonia Park isn't the greatest of areas so be mindful.

 

It's a crapshoot on what the luggage rack situation will be like. The transit authority here is really pushing a big ad campagin to use the Trirail to the airports. It really is a good deal to get to the airport and many locals here do it all the time.

 

Take the shuttle. It is literally waiting for you right there when you get off the train. It's part of the deal and worth every penny, in my opinion. To the airport from the Trirail (if your talking west palm beach) from Mangonia Park it's probably about 15.00, maybe for a cab. From the Okeechobee stop to the airport it's probably a couple bucks less.

 

If your talking Fort Lauderdale, as soon as you get off you will see several shuttle buses parked there. 5 minutes later your into the terminal at the airport. No kidding.

 

When I fly international and I'm in Palm Beach, I have taken the Trirail and the shuttle to Fort Lauderdale and Miami airports. Now in Miami the Trirail, Metrorail and People Mover all converge at the airport..not sure if it's open yet or not, haven't been over that part of town in a bit.

 

 

I just returned from a car deal in WPB. I flew out of Miami and happily turned down friends offers for a ride, because I wanted to take the train.

 

My observations were

 

I took the train from the last stop at Mangonia Park, so when I got on the train, it was empty. Which afforded me to see plenty of luggage racks that will be available for our cruise in Dec. 2 steps up to the train. No problem with our massive luggage there!

 

I spoke with the conductor and he recommended taking the free shuttle to the airport and then grab a cab, but I don't think it is worth schlepping the luggage to save $5. Speaking of $$ does anyone know what the cab fare is from the train to the port?

 

I think when we return it won't be quite as easy because we will be getting on a train that already has passengers. But for us, it will be a Sat AM, so hopefully it won't be too busy.

 

It works out great for us because we can stay with friends and they will take us to the train. I talked my husband into it!

[gubby]

We used the Tri rail from Miami to FLL on a midweek morning and back the other way about 4:30. We each had a mid-sized suitcase, a backpack and hubby had a laptop case. There were no problems boarding the train and we were quite comfortable on it. Because we were both seniors the fare was ridiulously low. I think about $ 4 for the two of us. We also used the free shuttle provided to and from the airport. A great deal in this day and age, and very convenient.

[Muushka]

It really is a decent deal..Mangonia Park isn't the greatest of areas so be mindful.

 

It's a crapshoot on what the luggage rack situation will be like. The transit authority here is really pushing a big ad campagin to use the Trirail to the airports. It really is a good deal to get to the airport and many locals here do it all the time.

 

Take the shuttle. It is literally waiting for you right there when you get off the train. It's part of the deal and worth every penny, in my opinion. To the airport from the Trirail (if your talking west palm beach) from Mangonia Park it's probably about 15.00, maybe for a cab. From the Okeechobee stop to the airport it's probably a couple bucks less.

 

If your talking Fort Lauderdale, as soon as you get off you will see several shuttle buses parked there. 5 minutes later your into the terminal at the airport. No kidding.

 

When I fly international and I'm in Palm Beach, I have taken the Trirail and the shuttle to Fort Lauderdale and Miami airports. Now in Miami the Trirail, Metrorail and People Mover all converge at the airport..not sure if it's open yet or not, haven't been over that part of town in a bit.

 

Fortunately I get a ride to Mangonia Park. I used to work on 45th St, so believe me, I know the area.

Our problem is getting from the Tri Rail to and from the port. The bus I took from the Tri Rail to MIA was crazy crowded and would have been a nightmare for our luggage for a cruise, which is why I thought maybe just grabbing a cab and avoiding the shuttle to the airport. I guess if the bus weren't crowded it wouldn't be bad.

 

The MIA from Tri Rail convenient way is not completed yet. 2013 I think.

 

It is a great deal. Non-senior rate from WPB to MIA was $6.90. My friend would have paid 3X that in gas alone.