Orlando to Miami: drive, train, bus or fly, compared
The four ways between Orlando and Miami side by side: the Turnpike drive, Brightline, Greyhound and the short flight, with the time and cost catch of each.
The short version
- Most relaxed: Brightline, about 3 hours 30 minutes, airport to downtown Miami.
- Most flexible: Drive Florida's Turnpike, about 245 miles, with cashless tolls.
- Cheapest: Greyhound from $30.98, about 4 hours 15 minutes at best.
- Fastest in the air: Nonstop MCO to MIA on American or Southwest.
- Best for theme parks: Drive; every other option starts at Orlando's airport or bus station.
Take Brightline if you are going downtown-to-airport or staying near a station, drive if you are hauling a family between a theme-park hotel and Miami Beach, and only fly when the flight connects onward anyway.
The four options side by side
| Option | Time | From | Where it starts and ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brightline train | About 3 h 30 min | $39 SMART Saver this fall, 14 days ahead | Orlando airport (MCO) to MiamiCentral, downtown Miami |
| Car | Depends on traffic; check a live map | Fuel plus Turnpike tolls | Door to door |
| Greyhound bus | From 4 h 15 min; Greyhound says closer to six on a typical trip | $30.98 | 555 N John Young Pkwy or the Florida Mall to the Miami Intermodal Center, Golden Glades or 4101 Collins Ave |
| Flight | Short flight plus airport time at both ends | Check the airline | MCO to MIA on American or Southwest; MCO to FLL on JetBlue or Southwest |
The Brightline price is a fall offer: adult SMART Saver, booked by November 5, 2026 for travel through November 19, 2026, with Orlando as origin or destination. Greyhound distances are about 243 to 245 miles.
gobrightline.com (via search), greyhound.com and flymco.com, checked October 2026
Driving: the Turnpike and the toll question
The usual drive is Florida's Turnpike from the Orlando area south to Miami. Greyhound puts the road distance at about 243 to 245 miles. Traffic around Orlando and on the Miami end decides the time far more than the miles do, so check a live map before you set off.
Most Turnpike lanes are cashless. A SunPass or another accepted transponder pays the lowest rate; drivers without one are billed by TOLL-BY-PLATE at a higher rate. The Turnpike's own toll calculator gives the full trip cost if you pick the start and end points and the payment type.
In a rental car, ask at the counter how tolls are billed, and what the company charges for its toll program, before you drive away.
Brightline: the easy one, with one big catch
Brightline runs between its station at Orlando International Airport, next to Terminal C, and MiamiCentral at 600 NW 1st Avenue in downtown Miami, with stops at West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Aventura. Brightline's Orlando page puts the full trip at about three hours thirty minutes.
The catch is the Orlando end. The station is at the airport, so a theme-park stay still needs a ride to or from MCO. In Miami you arrive downtown, a Metrorail or Metromover ride from Brickell, or a taxi or rideshare from Miami Beach.
For fares, fare types, bags and kids, see our Brightline guide below.
The bus: cheapest, slowest
Greyhound lists 12 departures a day from Orlando to Miami, the first at 12:45 am and the last at 11:05 pm, from $30.98. The fastest trip is about four hours 15 minutes, but Greyhound itself says a typical trip is closer to six hours.
In Orlando the bus leaves from the Orlando Bus Station at 555 N John Young Pkwy or the Florida Mall at 1634 Florida Mall Ave. In Miami it stops at the Miami Intermodal Center, 3801 NW 21st Street, next to the airport; Golden Glades, 15890 NW 7th Ave; and 4101 Collins Ave on Miami Beach.
Flying: only when it saves the transfer
Orlando International lists nonstop service to Miami on American and Southwest, and to Fort Lauderdale on JetBlue and Southwest. Miami International says Southwest began two daily Orlando flights on August 5, 2025.
The flight itself is short, but security, boarding and the trip into Miami add the hours back. Flying makes sense when you are connecting to another flight at MIA, or when a fare is cheaper than the train with your bags included.
Which one fits your trip
| Landing at MCO, staying downtown or in Brickell | Brightline from the airport station |
| Family with a theme-park hotel and a car seat | Drive the Turnpike, with a SunPass |
| Solo traveler counting every dollar | Greyhound, booked early |
| Connecting to an international flight at MIA | Fly MCO to MIA on the same ticket |
| Going to Fort Lauderdale or Boca instead | Brightline; both are on the line |
Questions people ask
How far is Orlando from Miami?
About 243 to 245 miles by road, according to Greyhound's route page.
What is the best way to get from Orlando to Miami?
Brightline is the most relaxed, about three hours thirty minutes from Orlando airport to downtown Miami. Driving wins when you start at a theme-park hotel or need a car in Miami.
Is there a bus from Orlando to Miami?
Yes. Greyhound lists 12 daily departures from $30.98, from 555 N John Young Pkwy or the Florida Mall to the Miami Intermodal Center, Golden Glades and Miami Beach.
Which airlines fly Orlando to Miami nonstop?
American and Southwest, according to Orlando International Airport's route list.
Do I need a SunPass to drive from Orlando to Miami?
No, but it pays the lowest toll rate. Without one, cashless lanes bill you by TOLL-BY-PLATE at a higher rate.
More guides
The train from Miami to Orlando: Brightline fares, stations and how the trip worksBrightline · Train · 5 min readRenting a car at Miami airport: the Rental Car Center, the MIA Mover and the returnRental car · Airport · 5 min read
Miami airport to South Beach: the $2.25 bus, a taxi or Uber, and the train to BrickellSouth Beach · Airport · Transit · 4 min readBus times, prices, distance and stops from greyhound.com; nonstop airlines from flymco.com and miami-airport.com; Brightline route, time and fall fare from gobrightline.com (text via search); tolls from floridasturnpike.com; all checked October 2026.