Traffic between Ft Lauderdale and POM?

[mrsgthatsme]

After receiving some great advice from those on this board, We had pretty much decided to fly in and out of Fort Lauderdale for our cruise out of Miami this spring. However, my parents are concerned about the potential of traffic and huge delays between these two locations. We will likely be traveling from a hotel in plantation to the port of Miami around 11 o’clock on a Thursday morning so hoping the traffic wouldn’t be terrible then, but then we will be traveling from the port of Miami to the Fort Lauderdale airport during rush hour on a Monday morning (probably around 8:30 or 9 AM) How big of a risk is this timewise? What impact does the traffic have on your total travel time between these two locations? What is the earliest you would book a return flight from Fort Lauderdale if you have to travel from the port of Miami to the Fort Lauderdale airport in rush hour traffic?

[LHT28]

I would book at least noon flight

You might make an earlier one  but  I do not like to be stressed out after a cruise

YMMV

 

[JohninDC]

Trip from FLL to POM can take between 30 min (early on a weekend) to 45+ (weekday).

 

Unless you get off early and carry your bags, I agree with the above advice to look for flights around noon or later.  For a noon flight you need to be at FLL NLT 10:30, and with the time to load up your cab/Uber/shauttle and drive from POM to FLL taking about an hour that translates into off the ship, with bags, and clear of customs/immigration by 9:30 - should be doable without too much stress.

[BlueHerons]

As a local, I've NEVER made it from Las Olas to downtown or the airport in Miami in under 60 minutes and have had it take me up to three hours.

 

Most of the time, it is sixty minutes.  

 

Driving from the suburbs, your time will be less because you are much closer to the turnpike.

 

As a rule, traffic during rush hour, 7-9AM and 4PM-7PM traffic is worse going south in the morning and north in the evening.

 

Lunch hour will be a PIA.

 

Plan for the worst and hope for the best.  

[Host CJSKIDS]

You will have no issues coming on Thursday but will hit some traffic going back to FLL.  Plan on leaving at 9 am, not 8:30 as you will have quite a bit more traffic. Plan on it taking you about 45-60 minutes going back. 

[Flymia]

It will be fine. As long as you are not on the road between 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. or so traffic really is not that bad from there to Miami. 

 

For going back, you'll get some traffic but not a ton as you are going against traffic out of Miami. Agreed though 12:00 p.m. should be the earliest flight you book out of FLL. 

 

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, BlueHerons said:

As a local, I've NEVER made it from Las Olas to downtown or the airport in Miami in under 60 minutes and have had it take me up to three hours.

 

Most of the time, it is sixty minutes.  

 

I assume you are using I-95.  My one time experience driving on I-95 into Miami was absolutely the most harrowing driving experience I have ever had!  I am planning on using U. S. 1 even though there will be more stop lights and it will take longer.  (The reason I am planning on doing this:  on January 5th, I am transferring from the Volendam in Fort Lauderdale to the MSC Meraviglia in Miami.  There ought to be no rush to get from Port Everglades to the Port of Miami that morning.)

[Cienfuegos]

The express lanes on I-95 have been closed in off rush hours recently for paving and guard rail work. There doesn't seem to be too much consistency (Sunday afternoon, Wednesday midday, etc) in scheduling.  I have found the toll express lanes much more manageable than the wild west of the non-toll lanes.

 

Even with that, sixty minutes seems like it would be fine.  Midday at the FLL airport is not usually as hectic as morning and evening

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Cienfuegos said:

I have found the toll express lanes much more manageable than the wild west of the non-toll lanes.

 

Your description of the non toll lanes as being "the wild west" is quite accurate based on my experience.  Don't have the tech equipment (which I think I need)  to pay a toll for the express lanes.  That's why I plan on using US 1 to get from Fort Lauderdale to Miami.  Anything wrong with my thinking?

[Cienfuegos]

US 1 is a fine alternative, if a slower one. Many interesting things to see, but 60- 75 minutes might be a more reasonable alternative.

 

get caught up in a street fair detour and that could add some time.

[mrsgthatsme]

Thanks for the advice. As I have priced things further, I think cost overall once you figure in transportation and the difference in hotel costs will be very comparable between flying into Miami and flying into FLL, so it may come down to flight times since most people don't seem to think either option is terrible. Thanks for your input!

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, Cienfuegos said:

US 1 is a fine alternative, if a slower one. Many interesting things to see, but 60- 75 minutes might be a more reasonable alternative.

 

get caught up in a street fair detour and that could add some time.

 

Thank you for your advice.  I will plan on using US 1.  I see no reason to have to rush to get to the Port of Miami after disembarking Volendam.  

[Capt_BJ]

US-1

 

🤣

 

come back and tell us how this went.

 

lived and worked in Miami for many years

 

US-1 POM to PE

 

😂

 

 

[BNBR]

Plantation to PortMiami will be a smooth, quick ride pretty much anytime after 9am.  Probably looking at 35-40 minutes tops.

 

Coming back will be even faster.  PortMiami to FLL in the morning, even on a Monday, is a 30-35 min ride.  Traffic heads in to Miami in the morning, so you are going against traffic.  Google actually shows the ride as fast as 26 minutes, on a Monday at 8:30am.

 

Get traffic out of your head.  With your plan, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.  There won't be traffic either way barring an accident.

 

 

Edited November 17, 2019 by BNBR

[BNBR]

20 hours ago, Capt_BJ said:

US-1

 

🤣

 

come back and tell us how this went.

 

lived and worked in Miami for many years

 

US-1 POM to PE

 

😂

 

 

 

Yup, was thinking the same thing.  I find US1 far more terrifying than i95 and the 1248 stop lights would be a blast!

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, Capt_BJ said:

US-1

 

🤣

 

come back and tell us how this went.

 

lived and worked in Miami for many years

 

US-1 POM to PE

 

😂

 

 

 

I will.  Thanks for your reply.

52 minutes ago, BNBR said:

Plantation to PortMiami will be a smooth, quick ride pretty much anytime after 9am.  Probably looking at 35-40 minutes tops.

 

Coming back will be even faster.  PortMiami to FLL in the morning, even on a Monday, is a 30-35 min ride.  Traffic heads in to Miami in the morning, so you are going against traffic.  Google actually shows the ride as fast as 26 minutes, on a Monday at 8:30am.

 

Get traffic out of your head.  With your plan, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.  There won't be traffic either way barring an accident.

 

 

 

Thanks for your reply.  Driving against the on-coming traffic is better than the reverse, particularly if I am in an area that I do not know well.

 

 

51 minutes ago, BNBR said:

 

Yup, was thinking the same thing.  I find US1 far more terrifying than i95 and the 1248 stop lights would be a blast!

 

What was terrifying for me on I-95 were the multi-lanes and driving at 50-60 mph while I was being passed by others and the sudden, rapid lane changes other drivers made putting their car what seemed to be inches from my front bumper.  In my current car, I think my forward collision alert system and emergency braking would be activated.

 

I am thinking that planning to use the original entrance to the Port of Miami off of US 1 is the proper route to take rather than trying to use the new tunnel.  My destination is Terminal F for MSC Meraviglia.  Your thoughts, please?

 

 

[Cienfuegos]

I just returned earlier today from a quick trip down I-95 to Miami, and return.

 

By 11 am, The southbound traffic picked up about Davie, exit 25, above I-595 at Fort Lauderdale Airport.  I made the decision to take the tolled express lanes, rather than the free outer lanes. The mostly one lane express moved quickly, probably a consistent 80 or so. The four lane outer section moved about 75-80, with a lot of lane switching, hot rodding, etc. I've driven fast most of my life, but the lane changing, passing on the right, etc can be aggressive.

 

By Ives Dairy Farm road in the northern Miami suburbs, the outer lanes had ground down to about 35 mph, pretty solid traffic. That had dissolved by the time we got to exit 3, for the Port of Miami and Miami Beach,  I-395. Minimal traffic.  I was surprised since there were three ships in port. Much of the 395 traffic went into the Port tunnel.

 

Coming back from Miami Beach, there was little traffic on I-395. Some traffic north on 95, with a huge backup on the ramp to the Turnpike and Hard Rock Stadium. Beyond that, at 5pm, most 75-80 in the toll lanes, and about the same in the free lanes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Flymia]

On 11/16/2019 at 4:14 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

Thank you for your advice.  I will plan on using US 1.  I see no reason to have to rush to get to the Port of Miami after disembarking Volendam.  

On a Saturday you are looking at probably spending double the on the drive. Traffic is typically easy flowing on a Saturday on I-95. US-1 will be a bit more "calm" though yes. But much slower. 

[BlueHerons]

On 11/14/2019 at 4:23 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

I assume you are using I-95.  My one time experience driving on I-95 into Miami was absolutely the most harrowing driving experience I have ever had!  I am planning on using U. S. 1 even though there will be more stop lights and it will take longer.  (The reason I am planning on doing this:  on January 5th, I am transferring from the Volendam in Fort Lauderdale to the MSC Meraviglia in Miami.  There ought to be no rush to get from Port Everglades to the Port of Miami that morning.)

If I have to go to the airport, I now only use Tri Rail and if I'm going to South Beach or downtown, we take US 1.

 

However, taking US 1 is a long, slow trip.  We don't go unless we have to time to take US 1 and we make it part of the trip.

 

My husband will drive I95 when he has castings in Midtown.

 

Ives Ferry and The Glades are always backed up.