Taxis at Miami and Fort Lauderdale stations

[Carolyn Jane]

I am considering long distance travel to these stations to connect with a cruise, rather than the ridiculous routings of air travel. My nearest airports are not major, although they might like to think they are. Savannah and Jacksonville…it’s like, you can’t get there from here…. Board and expect a six hour layover in NYC, Chicago, Houston…before arriving in Miami…. So, I can ride the Silver Meteor from Jesup to Miami or FTL quite cheaply, although I would go roomette at least one way. My concern is that I will need a hotel room, which is not a problem, but a taxi to get me there. We had the unfortunate experience a few years ago of getting off the Ambus in Tampa and no taxi availability. Finally had to call the hotel to send someone. So, can you tell me if taxis are readily available at Miami and FTL? Yes, I realize I could call Uber or Lyft, but I have never used those services. Thanks. CJ

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Taxi are hard to find with Uber and Lyft taken over that market. I am still not sold on the whole safety of use a Lyft. My last ride from the airport was 80 mph plus, and for whatever reason he was using his gps for directions. I did verify his ID, and plate before getting on, but the whole trip made me nervous.

As for you, several hotel will provide transfer to the cruise docks, and of course a shuttle to and from the Airport. You can ask your hotel if there shuttle that can pick you up from the train station.

Strongly recommend arriving the day before, and leaving the day after of your cruise.

Enjoy.

 

[pennyk]

It has been a few years, but last time I was at FTL and MIA, there were some taxis there. In 2018, I took a taxi from FTL to the Embassy Suites very close to the cruise port.

 

[Carolyn Jane]

I want to do a trial run in the next couple of weeks, Jesup to MIA and back on the Meteor, with the overnight between. I’ve cruised a lot, and generally go in a day early. It would probably mean a night in a hotel after, too, as I’m not sure I could make the morning departure of the Meteor. If I sailed from FTL I would have a few minutes extra, but I don’t know the relation of the station to the port. CJ

 

[pennyk]

I want to do a trial run in the next couple of weeks, Jesup to MIA and back on the Meteor, with the overnight between. I’ve cruised a lot, and generally go in a day early. It would probably mean a night in a hotel after, too, as I’m not sure I could make the morning departure of the Meteor. If I sailed from FTL I would have a few minutes extra, but I don’t know the relation of the station to the port. CJ

It may be tight catching the Meteor immediately after a cruise, but possible.
My last cruise arrived in Fort Lauderdale and I had a reservation on the Silver Star for that same day. I prefer the Silver Meteor since it arrives in Orlando earlier and I had been away for a while (after a cross country train trip to LA and Panama Canal cruise from LA to Fort Lauderdale).
I had priority deboarding from the ship and got through customs quickly. I pretty much was able to grab the first cab in the queue. Once I realized that I would get to the station in time to catch the Silver Meteor, I phoned Amtrak from the cab to change my reservation from the Star to the Meteor. I knew in advance that there were rooms available on the Meteor.

 

[Carolyn Jane]

I can’t take the Star because it doesn’t stop in Jesup, and I know for sure my niece, who lives with me and would be picking me up, would never be able to find her way to the station in Savannah. Plus it would be the wee small hours…

 

[MARC Rider]

My last trip to Miami was in 2015. We had no trouble finding a cab at the station, but with Uber and Lyft, things may have changed. I have used Uber and Lyft for lots of things in a number of cities. I've never had any serious problems with the drivers.

One thing I noticed about connecting to a cruise is that people doing so might want to program a night in a motel the night of arrival, as one can never be sure with the arrival times of the Meteor or the Star. Our meteor was about an hour and a half late into Miami, so you don't want make any connections between the train and the ship too tight. Also, I don't know what times the Cruise ships come in, but you also might want to add an extra night at a motel, especially if you're taking the Meteor, which leaves well before 9.

 

[pennyk]

I can’t take the Star because it doesn’t stop in Jesup, and I know for sure my niece, who lives with me and would be picking me up, would never be able to find her way to the station in Savannah. Plus it would be the wee small hours…

I think you should plan on 2 nights in hotels, one before the cruise and one after the cruise (since the odds of catching the Meteor in FTL after a cruise are low - even though I got lucky a few years ago)

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

We have cruised a few times out of FTL and always have a hotel the night before even when flying as flights can be delayed too. We generally fly out same day as the ship usually returns early like 7 am or so, but one time we did stay over so we could check out attractions in FTL ( I highly recommend the park with the flamingos although you would need a car to get out there). We stayed over at the Embassy Suites which I thought was nice although a little pricey, but then everything in FTL is during the winter tourist season.