Brightline Says Florida Trains Will Keep Running as Parent Companies Enter Chapter 11
If you have a Brightline trip coming up in Florida, don’t cancel it. The trains will keep running even as several companies tied to Brightline go through Chapter 11.
Brightline announced on September 25 that it reached a deal with some of its financial stakeholders to restructure its debt. As part of the agreement, the company is also getting $490 million in new financing.
The important thing for travelers is that Brightline Trains Florida LLC, which actually operates the trains between Miami and Orlando, is not filing for Chapter 11.
Brightline says train service will continue as usual throughout the process, so don’t worry if you already bought tickets for an upcoming trip.
Brightline Trains Are Still Running
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Brightline currently has stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando. Those trains aren’t part of the bankruptcy filing.
Reuters reports that 17 Brightline affiliates filed for Chapter 11 in New Jersey late on September 24. The bankruptcy petitions list more than $1 billion in assets and more than $1 billion in liabilities.
Chapter 11 doesn’t necessarily mean a company is shutting down. U.S. courts describe it as a type of bankruptcy generally used to reorganize a business and its debt.
In this case, Brightline says the company that runs the Florida trains will stay under its current management and operate normally.
Brightline Is Getting $490 Million
There is a lot of money involved in the agreement. Brightline’s existing stakeholders have committed $490 million in new long-term financing. That includes $140 million in senior debt and $350 million in junior debt.
The company’s $2.2 billion in tax-exempt bonds used for Brightline Trains Florida will stay in place.
Two other parts of the company are also staying out of Chapter 11. One holds the rights for future commuter service in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, while another holds the rights for Brightline’s planned expansion to Tampa.
Expansion Plans Aren’t Going Away
Brightline says it still plans to expand in Florida. That includes a future station in Cocoa, commuter service in South Florida, and eventually bringing its passenger trains from Orlando to Tampa.
The company also says more people have been riding this year. Through August, ridership was up 14% compared with the same time in 2025, while revenue was up 17%.
