Tri-Rail continues to experience growth in ridership during the first quarter of 2025, with a 2% increase compared to the same period in 2024. The system has averaged 385,000 passengers per month in 2025, with March nearing 400,000 rides.
The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), which operates Tri-Rail, recently reported that over 4.4 million passengers used the system in 2024. This figure is slightly below the record set in 2019, when the system served 4,495,039 passengers.
Since 2024, Tri-Rail has averaged 15,000 daily weekday riders, with some days in 2025 reaching 16,000. Weekend ridership has also remained strong, with Saturdays consistently exceeding 8,000 rides and Sundays averaging 7,000.
David Dech, Executive Director of SFRTA, said: “As we continue to expand and enhance our services, it’s clear that South Floridians are increasingly recognising the value and convenience of Tri-Rail. With more people relying on Tri-Rail for their daily commute and travel, we remain committed to improving service and ensuring a reliable transportation option so even more people come onboard.”
Reports from train stations show that airport travel continues to be a significant factor driving Tri-Rail’s growth. Miami Airport and Fort Lauderdale Airport stations are the system’s busiest, followed by Metrorail Transfer Station, where passengers can connect to Miami’s Metrorail system. Tri-Rail trains also provide service to MiamiCentral Station in downtown Miami.
In addition, the introduction of an express train service in July 2024 has contributed to ridership growth. This weekday service includes a southbound morning train and a northbound evening train, offering limited stops and a one-seat ride between MiamiCentral and West Palm Beach. The express service has seen an average of 450 round-trip passengers daily, often exceeding 500.
Dech added: “We are grateful to have a dedicated ridership base that supports Tri-Rail and lets us know what we need to do to improve our services. This continued growth in ridership demonstrates people are appreciating our efforts to make this a better system.”
With the increase in passengers, SFRTA plans to launch an educational campaign to remind passengers of the importance of purchasing tickets before boarding the train. Passengers can purchase train passes at all Tri-Rail station ticket vending machines and through the Tri-Rail mobile app, available on the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
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