MIAAirport Guide

Miami airport to downtown and Brickell

Choose Metrorail, taxi or a ride app from MIA to downtown Miami or Brickell, with the station route, late trains and traffic tradeoffs.

Palm-lined Biscayne Boulevard beside Bayfront Park in downtown Miami
Biscayne Boulevard at Bayfront Park

From MIA to downtown or Brickell, Metrorail wins on a slow-traffic day if your hotel sits near a station. If the roads are clear or your bags make another transfer painful, take a taxi or ride app. Pull up the road estimate once your bags are off the belt.

The tourism board puts the drive to downtown at about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on traffic. It puts the rail trip at about 45 minutes. The rail route takes more walking, but road congestion can’t lengthen the train ride.

Choose by the hour, then by your address

  • Weekday commuting hours: Airport trains run about every 10 minutes from 6 to 8:30 a.m. and 3 to 5:30 p.m. If your destination is close to Government Center or Brickell station, rail is a strong choice when the car estimate climbs.
  • Other weekday daytime hours: Trains run about every 15 minutes. A car may win when traffic is light, especially if you’d need another ride or a long walk after the train.
  • Late weekday evenings and weekends: Through trains toward Dadeland South run until 7:44 p.m. on weekdays. From 8:02 p.m., and throughout weekends, the Airport Shuttle from MIA runs to Earlington Heights every 15 minutes. Change there to continue toward downtown or Brickell. Compare that extra wait with the live road estimate.
  • Outside rail service: Use the designated taxi stand or check a ride app.

The last weekday Orange Line train from MIA runs at 12:17 a.m. The last weekend train runs at 12:21 a.m. First departures are 5:04 a.m. on weekdays and 5:11 a.m. on weekends. You’ll still need to reach the airport station from the terminal.

Metrorail, from baggage claim to the right stop

  1. After collecting your bag, follow signs to the MIA Mover. Its airport station is on Level 3, between the Dolphin and Flamingo garages. Take the Level 3 Skyride moving walks to reach it from elsewhere in the terminal. This free train takes you to the Miami Intermodal Center, also called Miami International Airport Station. It runs from 5:00 a.m. until about 4:41 a.m. the next morning, about every three minutes. Check our MIA Mover page for the airport leg. If you arrived through Concourse J internationally, MIA lists that arrivals exit on Level 3. Domestic baggage claim is on Level 1.
  2. At the Intermodal Center, follow Metrorail signs. Tri-Rail signs lead to a separate train.
  3. Pay $2.25 at the Metrorail gate. Tap a contactless bank card, phone or watch, or use an EASY Card, EASY Ticket or the GO Miami-Dade Transit app. MIA’s public transport page says you need an EASY Card, but Miami-Dade says the gates accept contactless payment. You don’t need to buy a card solely for this ride. Cash doesn’t work at the gate. Vending machines sell EASY Cards and Tickets.
  4. For downtown, use Government Center. For Brickell, stay on to Brickell station. On late weekday evenings and weekends, change trains at Earlington Heights first.

Government Center connects with the free Metromover for destinations beyond the Metrorail stop. One traveler filmed a trip through Government Center to a downtown Metromover stop. Including the station walks and onward connection, it took that traveler nearly an hour and a half.

Taxi or ride app when the last mile matters

For a taxi, leave baggage claim on the arrivals level and use the marked taxi stand at the lower curb. MIA’s meter starts at $2.95 for the first 1/6 mile, adds $0.85 for each 1/6 mile up to one mile, then $0.55 for each 1/6 mile after that. Waiting costs $0.40 per minute. There’s also a $2 airport origination fee and a $15 minimum fare for trips starting at MIA. SUVs and vans carry a 30 percent surcharge above the meter. The surcharge does not apply to wheelchair-accessible taxis serving wheelchair users. Ignore offers of transportation inside the terminal. MIA says uniformed airport staff can help at the designated taxi stands.

Ride apps can pick up on Level 1, arrivals, or Level 2, departures. On Level 1, the pickup zone is in the middle median beyond the crosswalk. Your app gives the assigned door and pickup area. Check that location before crossing the curb. Enter your hotel address instead of simply “downtown” or “Brickell,” so the quote includes the final stretch.

With several people or large bags, compare the total car quote against the $2.25 rail fare per person. A solo traveler with a light bag and a hotel near the station has a different calculation from a family heading several blocks beyond it.

If the MIA Mover is not running

One traveler filmed an MIA Mover closure and used an airport replacement bus. If you find the Mover closed, follow posted airport directions or ask a uniformed MIA employee where the replacement boards. If the detour makes the last train doubtful, return to the taxi or ride-app choice instead of rushing to an uncertain connection.

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