South Florida commute cost calculator: driving vs Tri-Rail vs Brightline

Commuting from Boca Raton to Miami costs about $1,468.32 a month to drive at the IRS rate of 76¢ a mile ($307.65 for gas alone), versus $121.00 for a Tri-Rail monthly pass (Tri-Rail fares effective Oct 1, 2026; EIA gas week of Oct 19, 2026).

Last updated Oct 23, 2026 · Last verified Oct 23, 2026

How much does my commute cost?

4 zones traveled: $7 one way

Defaults: 21 workdays a month and 25 MPG are our assumptions; change them. Gas is EIA's Florida average for the week of Oct 19, 2026. Tolls default to $0 because Turnpike and I-95 Express tolls vary by route and time: enter yours from the Turnpike or 95 Express. See AAA for today's pump prices.

Which South Florida commutes have their own page?

• Boca Raton to Miami
• Boca Raton to Fort Lauderdale
• Boca Raton to West Palm Beach
• Delray Beach to Miami
• West Palm Beach to Miami
• West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale
• Fort Lauderdale to Miami
• Boynton Beach to Boca Raton
• Hollywood to Miami
• Pompano Beach to Miami

What are Tri-Rail's fares?

Zones (Tariff Figure 1): Zone 1 Mangonia Park, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth Beach · Zone 2 Boynton Beach, Delray Beach · Zone 3 Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach · Zone 4 Cypress Creek, Fort Lauderdale · Zone 5 Fort Lauderdale Airport/Dania Beach, Sheridan Street, Hollywood · Zone 6 Golden Glades, Opa-locka, Metrorail Transfer, Hialeah Market, Miami Airport, MiamiCentral.

How much does a Tri-Rail ticket cost?

Since October 1, 2026, a Tri-Rail one-way ticket costs $3 to $10 depending on zones traveled: 1 zone $3, 2 zones $4, 3 zones $6, 4 zones $7, 5 zones $8, 6 zones $10. A monthly pass is $121, a regional monthly pass with Miami-Dade Transit is $165 and a weekend/holiday day pass is $5.

How do I count Tri-Rail zones?

Count every zone you pass through, including the zone you start in and the zone you end in. Boca Raton (zone 3) to MiamiCentral (zone 6) is 4 zones, so $7 one way.

What is the IRS mileage rate for 2026?

76 cents a mile for business use from July 1 to December 31, 2026 (72.5 cents from January 1 to June 30). It covers gas, wear, insurance and depreciation, but not tolls or parking. We use it as a full-cost benchmark; the IRS does not allow a deduction for ordinary commuting.

Is Tri-Rail parking free?

At most stations, yes. Boynton Beach, Fort Lauderdale Airport/Dania Beach, Pompano Beach, Miami Airport and the Lake Worth Beach auxiliary lot are pay-to-park, but registered riders get 12 hours a day free. 24-hour parking is not allowed (SFRTA Tariff Policy §8.15).

How is this calculated?

Driving at the IRS rate = miles × 2 × 76¢ + tolls + parking. Gas only = miles × 2 ÷ MPG × gas price + tolls + parking. Tri-Rail = the round-trip fare × workdays, capped at the $121 monthly pass. Brightline = 2 rides a workday at the per-ride price of the 40-ride SMART pass; your real cost depends on which passes you buy and how long they last. Driving miles are approximate station-to-station routes from OpenStreetMap (OSRM). Year = month × 12.