ORLANDO, Florida. – In the spring of 2014, SunRail began rail service in Central Florida. Thousands of people lined up to ride on the first day. There was curiosity about the beautifully designed trains running through the heart of Central Florida, but also hope and excitement that a new light rail system would get people out of their cars and relieve traffic. For some, SunRail would make commuting and getting to and from some parts of our area a breeze.

We have seen mixed results in this regard.

At the end of the first five years of service SunRail’s annual ridership increased to nearly 1.47 million travelers (fiscal year July 2018-June 2019)This growth was stable, but the pandemic threw passenger numbers into chaos (fell to just over 620,000 drivers in the financial year July 2020 to June 2021)a decline of around 55%. Visitor numbers have not yet quite reached the peak of 2019: In the financial year July 2023 to June 2024, the annual passenger number was just over 1.13 million.

While some SunRail passengers praise the trains for their convenience and user-friendliness, others complain about limited late evening plans And There are no trains at all on weekends and most major holidays.

SunRail wasn’t cheap either.

The state had originally budgeted over a billion dollars for the project: about $432 million for the acquisition of the corridors for the tracks and another $615 million in capital costs. For fiscal year 2023-2024, SunRail’s annual budget was $81,577,558 (operating expenses were $61,277,558)..

SunRail’s 61-mile network now stretches north to south from DeLand to Poinciana and has 17 stations.

This 10-year anniversary marks a change in ownership of SunRail. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has operated SunRail since its inception, but plans to hand over management to Ownership and financial responsibility to the City of Orlando, Osceola County, Orange County, Seminole County and Volusia County on December 31, 2024FDOT will completely withdraw from all SunRail operations until December 31, 2027 (Expiry of the transitional operating period).

SunRail plans to connect the I-4 north-south corridor with a new route to Orlando International Airport in the east and another branch to the Convention Center, International Drive and Disney Springs in the west.

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