Taking the public transport between the Port of Miami and the Miami airport isn’t just convenient, it’s also cheap!
While an Uber/Lyft between the cruise port and the airport will run you about $15-20 each way, and a taxi will cost you $27, you can take the train and trolley to the port or airport for just $2.25 per person, each way.
Best of all, the actual time it will take you to get back and forth is about the same. And if there is a lot of traffic between the airport and cruise port? Public transportation might even get you there faster.
The only issue is that riding public transportation in an unfamiliar place can be intimidating. From figuring out where to go, which route to catch, and even how to pay your fare, there’s a lot to know if you’ve never ridden before.
That’s why we recently rode the Coral Way Trolley and the Orange Line Metrorail to get a first-hand look at how to get from the cruise port to the airport.
Riding The Trolley and Train From the Cruise Port to Miami International Airport
Note: For this trip, we went from the cruise port to the airport. You can also ride from the airport to the cruise port by simply reversing these directions.
To get from the Miami cruise port to the Miami airport, you will take two different modes of transportation — the Coral Way Trolley and the Orange Line Metrorail — with a transfer between the two at Government Center in downtown Miami.
Step 1
First, you’ll want to find the stop for the Coral Way Trolley at the Port of Miami. The trolley has several different stops in the port area, but we found the easiest to use is the stop that’s near Seaman’s Park, across from Terminal F.
You’ll look for the blue-topped cover, and the sign for the Coral Way Trolley. Note that you can ask any number of port staff for the location of the stop if you can’t find it.
One thing to keep in mind is that the stop is some distance if you are arriving at the Royal Caribbean or Norwegian terminals. Expect to walk about 10 minutes to get there. Other terminals are much closer and take only a few minutes walk to get there.
The trolley runs Monday-Saturday from 6:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. On Sunday, it runs from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. The service is completely free and a bus should arrive every 15-30 minutes. You simply hop on and take a seat.
During our trip we arrived back to port at Terminal F, walked two minutes to the trolley stop and only waited about 2-3 minutes for the trolley to arrive.
Note: The city of Miami has a helpful tracking map where you can see exactly where the trolley is at any time. This helps you know how long until the next trolley and where your ride is in relative to your stop.
Step 2
Once on the trolley, let the driver know that you will want to exit at Government Center. The ride over takes about five minutes.
Once at Government Center, you’ll look for the signage for the “Metrorail/Metromover” and the escalators that go up to the station.
Ride the escalators up and then look for the ticket vending machines to purchase your ticket for the Orange Line. You can use the automated machine to purchase an “EASY ticket” or there is also a booth where you can buy the card from a staff member.
The ticket costs only $2.25 per person.
Ticket in hand, you’ll scan your ticket at the gate and then head up the escalators to the train platform. You can watch the boards to see when the next train will arrive. To go to the airport, you’ll board the Orange Line-Northbound.
Step 3
Once on the Orange Line, you’ll ride it north until you reach the Miami airport. The airport is the last station on the line, so there is no danger of missing your stop.
As you exit the train, look for the escalators heading up to the airport. Ride the escalator and then continue following the signs for the airport and the “MIA Mover.” This automated train runs the short distance from the Metrorail station to the airport terminals.
As you exit, you’ll continue down the walkway until you arrive at a split in the path. From here, you simply look for your airline on the board and then follow the arrow to get to your correct terminal.
Summing Up How to Take Public Transport to the Airport
To make things simple, here’s the path that you’ll take to get from the cruise port to the airport:
- Catch the Coral Way Trolley the Port of Miami (FREE)
- Transfer to the Orange Line at Government Center ($2.25)
- At the airport station, ride the MIA Mover to the terminals (FREE)
- Walk to your terminal to check-in/board your flight
In total, the ride took us about 30 minutes and was extremely convenient. We also loved saving a ton of money on getting to the airport.
Have questions about riding the trolley and train between the Miami port and airport? Let us know in the comments below. You can also view other transportation options here.
How hard is it to travel on the trolley with luggage ?
Not hard at all. When I rode there was plenty of space. I simply rolled my bag into the seating area right by my legs.