Driving Orlando to Miami port

[natb]

We are renting a vehicle and driving from universal Orlando area to Miami port to jump on cruise. What time and route is best if leaving same day ship leaves. We also have to drop off car rental before boarding ship. How is traffic on a Sunday morning from Orlando to Miami?

 

[goofy4tink]

Traffic shouldn't be too bad. When I'm heading to the Ft Lauderdale area, I usually take the Fl Turnpike, then head east to p/u 95. I would probably do the same thing heading to Miami.

 

[monorailsilver]

Check google maps every day around the time you plan to leave to see where the traffic build up is and even do the directions thing, you know point A to point B to see how long it will take. Granted accidents happen!

 

[JimMIA]

The drive itself is going to take you about 4 hours, maybe a little more if you encounter any accidents, construction, etc, but that does not include returning the rental vehicle. You can't usually board before 11 AM, and you definitely want to be on board by about 2 PM. Don't push your luck and miss your cruise!

Personally, I would take the Florida Turnpike the whole way to Miami to avoid the worst of the Ft. Lauderdale traffic. If you are going to switch over to I-95, the best place to do that is PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens, north of West Palm Beach

There is no rental car return AT the Port of Miami, so you need to find out where to return the car.

Ideally, you would return the car in downtown Miami and they have a shuttle service over to the Port.

• If that is an option, I would drive first to the Port and drop off your luggage. That will be much easier than having to bring your luggage on the rental car bus.
• Take I-395 toward Miami Beach from I-95 and as soon as you get on the bridge, get in the left lane and take the tunnel. In the tunnel, stay left for cruise ships.
  • As you enter the cruise port, you will see signs indicating the terminal for your ship. The port roads are sort of a maze, so go slow and drive cautiously.
• After dropping your luggage, take the Port bridge (not the tunnel) over to downtown and return the car.

If you are forced to return the car to the airport rental car center, you will have to Uber over to the port. Depending on whether you need X or XL, that would be roughly $20-$30

 

[Carriemel]

I'll agree with taking the turnpike. I will caution that there are very few rest stops, generally every 45-50 miles or so, so plan accordingly.

A great app to keep up with traffic is WAZE. Not only does it point out where delays and accidents are, it also kind of gives you an idea where the state troopers and sheriffs are hiding out..

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Turnpike. Avoid 95 as long as possible. I'd take the Turnpike all the way to the Golden Glades interchange. Then hop 95 the rest of the way.

Traffic is ALWAYS terrible in Miami, but Sunday won't be as bad as weekday rush hour.

 

[JimMIA]

I would leave US at 7 AM. That should put you in Miami by 10:30 - 11:00 AM, which will give you plenty of time to return the rental car without undue stress.

The Golden Glades interchange mentioned above is north of Miami and you'll have to watch the signage carefully to get from the Turnpike to I-95 SOUTH. You will join I-95 at roughly NW 163 Street.

Stay on I-95 SOUTH and you will eventually come to two more interchanges -- the first is with FL 112/ I-195, pass through that one southbound. Just FYI, the signs for that interchange will also say Airport and Miami Beach, but this is the wrong interchange for where you want to go.

Very quickly, the next interchange will come up and you have to be positioned for it. That interchange is with FL 836/ I-395.

• If you have to go to the MIA Rental Car Center, as soon as you pass the first interchange, get in the RIGHT lane. That will take you to FL 836 WEST, heading to the airport. As soon as you get on 836, you are going to have to move several lanes to the left because the right two lanes exit at our major hospital complex. Follow the signs to the airport and then follow signs for the Rental Car Center.
• If you are going to the Port first, as soon as you pass the first interchange, get in the LEFT two lanes. That will take you to I-395 EAST toward Miami Beach. Watch your lane signage and once you get on the bridge, move to the left lane for the Port tunnel. Once you're in the tunnel, left lane.

Here's a clip of the area, with the Airport to the left (west) and the Port to the right (east), with I-95 going top to bottom in the middle. The road crossing to Miami Beach labeled A1A is actually I-395.

For some obscure reason, Google Maps does not show the Port tunnel. However it is right after the bridge, just where the road curves, about where the Jungle Island pin is.

 

[richmo]

I'll just add that if you're dropping your car at MIA airport and using Alamo/National/Enterprise, they have a free shuttle that runs to (and from) the port.

 

[JimMIA]

I'll just add that if you're dropping your car at MIA airport and using Alamo/National/Enterprise, they have a free shuttle that runs to (and from) the port.

Thanks for that addition. I started to post that, but wasn't sure it was the case.

OP -- if you have an option between free shuttle from MIA and free shuttle from downtown, take the one from MIA.

For me, driving Uber/Lyft in Miami and being very familiar with downtown and Port Miami, downtown would be easy.

But for a tourist, just turning the car in at the MIA Rental Car Center and busing from there would be much less stress. Plus you'll get to enjoy our skyline, sports venues, performing arts center, museum area, bay, and port views on the way.

Have a great trip, and if you have any other questions, fire away.

 

[ice cube]

We are renting a vehicle and driving from universal Orlando area to Miami port to jump on cruise. What time and route is best if leaving same day ship leaves. We also have to drop off car rental before boarding ship. How is traffic on a Sunday morning from Orlando to Miami?

Are you taking the turnpike or 95? I would do the turnpike if I was going...

 

[richmo]

I'll just add that if you're dropping your car at MIA airport and using Alamo/National/Enterprise, they have a free shuttle that runs to (and from) the port.

I'll just add a couple details in case anyone is interested. We did this last summer on a Royal Caribbean cruise. We flew in to FLL the day before, then drove to MIA the next morning (by the way, if you have a little extra time that morning, the drive down A1A is much nicer than I-95).

Anyway, if you're going to the Port via MIA and the Alamo shuttle, you return the car to the Car rental center as you normally would. Be sure to get a printed copy of your receipt when you return the car. You'll then take the elevator up to the roof where the shuttle buses pick you up. As I recall, the Alamo shuttle to the port runs pretty frequently (every half hour or so). The driver will ask to see your rental receipt as your admission to the bus. Of course, you can have your family and luggage with you.

After the cruise, its the reverse. The Alamo shuttle will stop at all the terminals being used at the port that day and pick you up. This time you should have a printed copy of your Alamo/National reservation (I suppose mobile would be okay). When you get to the car rental center at MIA, take the elevator down to the Alamo rental area.

I think in both directions we waited no more than 10 minutes or so for the shuttle to arrive. The shuttle ride itself is about a half hour - which I imagine could go up during rush hour, etc.