Miami Metromover - Driverless Trains in Downtown and Brickell with Free Wi-fi

Metromover Train, Downtown Miami

Miami's elevated Metromover train system is a convenient way of getting round the sights of Downtown and Brickell and a driverless novelty worth riding just for the experience.

Trains and Wi-fi Both Free
Also, it's completely free and free wi-fi is being introduced on the system.

High Bridge Over River
If you have limited time, take the Brickell Loop, with its high bridge over the Miami River – shown in the photo – and its roller-coaster-like section.

Three Overlapping Metromover Loops
The Metromover system has three loops which overlap in the Downtown shopping district.

Downtown (Inner) Loop
A Downtown (Inner) Loop connects places such as Bayside Marketplace, with its marina and shops, and the Metrorail Government Center Station, where you can take a train on Miami-Dade's single rapid-transit line, or catch a bus at the nearby Downtown Bus Terminal. This Downtown (Inner) Loop operates in a clockwise direction.

Northern Omni Loop & Southern Brickell Loop
The other two lines, the northern Omni Loop, and the southern Brickell Loop, follow the same route in Downtown Miami as the Downtown (Inner) Loop, but in an opposite, anticlockwise direction.

This means you may have to changes trains to get to where you want, but the trains are frequent and the distances comparatively short. Although the system is operated by the county's Miami-Dade Transit, it runs only in the centre of the City of Miami.

Google Transit Doesn't Include Metromover Trains
Metromover train routes do not currently show up when doing a Google Transit search for directions, although the stations do.

Trains Every Few Minutes
All three Metromover loops operate from early morning till late at night, seven days a week, with trains every 90 seconds during rush hours and every three minutes during off-peak hours.

Destinations on Digital Screens
Train destinations are shown on digital screens on the platform, with arrows pointing at the track where the train will arrive.

Note which track the arrows are pointing at for the destination that you want, or you could end up travelling in the wrong direction.

System Patrolled by Security Guards
Security guards patrol the Metromover system, so don't worry too much about any oddball characters who may be riding the trains, particularly in the evening.

Main Metromover Stations
Here are some of the main stations where you may want to get off, although certainly not the only ones:

• Government Center – Downtown Bus Station, Metrorail rapid transit trains, Historical Museum of Southern Florida, Miami Art Museum, historic Miami-Dade County Courthouse, main library, shops in and around Flagler Street
• Adrienne Arsht Center (previously Omni) – concert halls, Omni Bus Terminal (closer to South Beach than Downtown Bus Terminal), Miami Herald newspaper office (and El Nuevo Herald)
• Freedom Tower – American Airlines Arena, historic Freedom Tower (Cuban “Ellis Island” immigration centre)
• College/Bayside – Bayside Marketplace (and marina), Miami-Dade College Wolfson Campus
• Miami Avenue – shops in and around Flagler Street
• 1st Street – Gusman Center for Performing Arts, shops in and around Flagler Street
• Brickell – Mary Brickell Village restaurants and shops, Brickell Financial District, Metrorail rapid transit trains
• Knight Center – James L. Knight Center (conventions and concerts)

Some Accidents, Despite Good Safety Record

The safety record of the Metromover system is generally good, but a maintenance supervisor was killed in 2009 when a train hit him as he was inspecting the tracks.

Another accident occurred in 2010 when the bumper of a train which was slowing down as it entered Brickell Station hit the bumper of a train already at the station. None of the 40 passengers was seriously injured, although 16 people were taken to hospital. Damage to the trains was minor, with no visible signs of the collision

This incident certainly hasn't caused me to stop using the Metromover.