SunRail open house: What we know about the new rail service set to begin August 12
A special report from Harlow A. Hyde, the Snoopy Septuagenarian
After more than 10 years of work, SunRail service From DeLand will finally begin on August 12 when the first train leaves for Orlando and points south at 5:30 am EDT. On Saturday, prospective riders got a preview of what to expect.
SunRail and the Florida Department of Transportation held an open house “Train Tour.” A crowd of all ages toured the station and the double-decker train parked nearby.
Here is what this reporter learned.
Where is the station?
The new station is located at 2491 Old New York Ave. According to my car’s trip odometer, the station is 3.3 miles west of the intersection of New York and Woodland Avenues, the center of DeLand. It took me eight minutes to get from the above intersection to the parking lot.
How much is parking?
At the station, the parking lot has 102 newly paved spaces, with entrances and exits to the lot plainly marked. These new spaces supplement the few formerly available for AMTRAK service. Parking is free and the walk from the most distant space to the train’s platform is only about 200 feet, at most a two-minute stroll.
More: Riding the Brightline: High marks given from a Day One rider from DeLand
Officials and staff from both SunRail and the FDOT were on hand to answer questions. Plenty of brochures and printed maps were available, as were some prizes, complimentary water bottles, and so on.
How much will it cost?
The fares are based on the number of counties your trip will cross. This sounds complex, but in fact is very simple, since there are 17 stations over the 61.5-mile route that ends in Poinciana. As such, the fare from DeLand will be the same as rates from the existing Volusia County station in DeBary.
A one-way adult ticket all the way to the route’s end will cost $5.00. However, most passengers will probably leave the train at Orlando or other stops in Orange County, which would cost $4.00. There are a variety of discounted fares available; seniors, children six and under are free, and so on.
How do you buy tickets?
While it is possible to buy a paper ticket from a supposedly “user-friendly” machine, I was told numerous times to “Download the SunRail app and use your phone” to purchase tickets. As an old fogey, I am always challenged and frequently defeated by anything related to using a smartphone.
Nonetheless, later at home I duly visited the app store and I now have the SunRail app! It was necessary to open an account, create a password, (was “Sunrail2024!” too obvious?) and provide a valid credit card. I prepaid $10 into my account and was pleased to find that as a senior I was given a 10 percent bonus and I now have $11.00 to spend on tickets. All-in-all the tickets seem remarkably inexpensive, considering the multi-million-dollar investment necessary to bring SunRail’s service to DeLand.
How do I link up to the airport bus?
For residents of DeLand, a likely question is how SunRail has been linked up with the LYNX bus service to the Orlando International Airport. A new LYNX route, Number 311, has been created which will provide express service from SunRail’s Sand Lake Road station in Orlando to MCO. And, supposedly, the bus trip will be FREE for SunRail ticket holders! I intend to take SunRail on its first day of service and will report on how this bus to the airport arrangement works, including how much time and hassle this actually entails.
I am inclined to be a little cynical, but honestly, my reaction, (and I think I can speak for most who attended the open house) is, “Gee Whiz! This new SunRail service is really going to be cool!” So stay tuned for a report on the first day of SunRail’s DeLand service. I then may have a different, or at least more realistic, opinion.
Editor's Note: Harlow Hyde is a DeLand resident and contributor to The News-Journal.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: SunRail, DOT hosts open house for prospective train riders
