Looking Back: Tri-Rail to Expand Train Service into Downtown Miami
South Florida’s Tri-Rail Sets a New Annual Ridership Record
Tri-Rail hits a new ridership record with over 4.5 million rides, marking a full pandemic recovery, but future funding challenges loom beyond 2027.
August 4, 2025
Tri-Rail surpassed its previous ridership record after returning to 15,000 weekday and 7,000 weekend rides in February 2024.
Photo: Tri-Rail
2 min to read
The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) recently announced that Tri-Rail has achieved a new all-time fiscal year ridership record, logging 4,578,680 rides from July 2024 through June 2025. This milestone surpasses the system’s previous high of 4,465,750 rides set in Fiscal Year 2019.
“We are exceptionally proud of this ridership milestone,” said David Dech, SFRTA executive director. “It speaks to the essential role Tri-Rail plays in meeting the transportation needs of our growing region.”
Tri-Rail is also leading the nation in ridership recovery among commuter rail systems. According to a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report analyzing 31 commuter rail systems nationwide, Tri-Rail ranks #4 overall and is one of the few to recover pre-pandemic ridership fully.
Tri-Rail returned to its benchmark of 15,000 weekday and 7,000 weekend rides in February 2024, and has continued its growth since, ultimately surpassing its previous record to set a new all-time high.
Tri-Rail Funding Gaps Loom Beyond 2027
Often described by transportation officials as the equivalent of a lane on I-95, Tri-Rail has become a cornerstone of mobility in South Florida, helping alleviate congestion, connect communities, and fuel regional economic growth. The system serves as the multimodal backbone of the region, linking passengers to a network of transportation systems across three counties and dozens of municipalities, helping anchor South Florida’s transit infrastructure.
Despite its recent ridership success, Tri-Rail faces future funding challenges as the recent Florida state budget included reduced funding.
According to an agency release, SFRTA’s Governing Board and executive team are actively collaborating with the Florida Legislature, Florida Department of Transportation, and leadership from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties to secure a sustainable, long-term funding solution.
Current financial projections indicate that Tri-Rail will only have sufficient funds to operate through July 2027 without additional support.
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