The Silver Star and Silver Meteor trains travel to Miami daily from cities in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. If you are starting the trip in a different location, you’ll likely need to travel first to New York City or Washington D.C. and transfer there to a Miami-bound train. Here’s what to know about each Amtrak option.
Silver Meteor
The Silver Meteor is the fastest way to reach Miami by train. It travels closer to the East Coast in Florida and in other states so it is a more direct route. However, it does stop at the same cities as the Silver Star from approximately New York City to Richmond, Virginia. This train is also the only Florida-bound one that stops in Charleston, South Carolina.
Silver Star
Only the Silver Star stops in cities including Raleigh, Columbia (South Carolina), Lakeland and Tampa. It may be your only train option depending on your starting station. The Silver Star also departs earlier in the day than the Silver Meteor, which may work better for your schedule. However, this earlier time is more problematic in cities such as Savannah where the departure time is before 5 a.m.
Other Things to Know
Once you arrive in Miami, drive time is about 18 minutes to downtown and 25 minutes to South Beach. Lyft and Uber are quick ways to reach your final destination. Taxis are usually available at the station as well.
You can also book your ticket to Hollywood, Florida, which is about 30 minutes away from downtown Miami and Miami Beach. The station is historic (unlike the Miami Station) and has a direct connection to Tri-Rail trains. Plus you’ll get off the train faster.
Amtrak Guide 