Can American Train Travel Actually Work? | Live From IPW 2026

Welcome to a special IPW 2026 series of View From Afar. In this episode, recorded live from the conference floor, Brightline Holdings CEO Nicolas Petrovic sits down with Afar editorial director Billie Cohen for one of our most future-facing travel industry interviews yet: a real look at whether American train travel can actually work.

Nicolas stepped into the role in February, bringing decades of international rail experience from Eurostar, Siemens, and projects in the UAE. He now leads Brightline, the privately operated passenger rail service connecting Miami to Orlando, with ambitions to bring modern high-speed rail to more of the country.

In this conversation, Nicolas and Billie discuss:

Why American train travel is a genuine bet, and what it takes to get people out of their cars and onto a train

The lessons from Eurostar, where Nicolas helped grow the business market from 10 to 80 percent share and sell tickets to travelers in the U.S., India, and China

How Brightline built a high-quality railway through one of the most urbanized corridors in the country

Why the on-board experience, the pricing, and the distribution matter as much as the tracks, right down to a signature citrus scent in every station

The new 39 dollar fare and a philosophy of filling trains with everyone, from students to billionaires

What all of this means for Florida destinations, from Orlando theme parks to the beaches, once the train becomes part of the trip itself

What 3 million passengers last year, and a 20 percent jump this year, say about where American train travel goes next

This is one in a series of travel industry interviews and tourism experts interviews recorded live at IPW 2026, part of View From Afar's ongoing look at travel trends 2026, travel innovation, and the destination management questions that come with a new way to move. For an honest read on the future of American train travel, it is a front-row conversation with one of the hospitality industry leaders shaping the future of travel.

Resources