Interview with Richard Branson at the launch of Virgin Trains USA in Miami

It is around 5 pm and Richard Branson is visibly tired.

The owner of Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Hotels and Virgin Galactic – just to name a few hundred companies – has officially announced the transformation of Brightline into Virgin Trains USA. Aged 68, he spent the whole day holding jacks, boarding trains, taking selfies and even serving tea to unsuspecting passengers. He is now finishing the last interview of the day with me.

As we get up to shake our hands, Branson gently grabs my wrist, his blue eyes meeting mine. "I would like to hypnotize you," he said as a circle of people watched him.

"Have you ever been hypnotized?" he asks. "No," I reply, then say cheerfully that I'm ready to let him try. After all, how many times Is A billionaire, knight, philanthropist and owner of a space travel company asks you to hypnotize yourself?

Branson puts his hands behind his back and asks me to do the same. He then places his hands, palms down, in front of him and ask me to put my hands, in the same position, under his own without touching his. Then he asks me to look deep into his eyes and says that he will now make a suggestion to me that I will not remember.

In a heartbeat, he drops his hands and snaps his fingers. I say that I do not think anything has happened. "What time is it?" he asks. I am looking at my watch. It is not there.

Almost stunned, Branson raises the wrist of his impeccable white shirt to reveal my watch on his wrist. With a look of delight, he points to the finger. "You put it on my wrist," he said, suggesting that he would actually put me in a trance.

In fact, the multi-billionaire has just taken some of his grueling schedule to perform a sleight of hand to entertain the band and himself.

It's the charm of Branson, an entrepreneur known for his sense of adventure and his wonders as much as for his business acumen. This Willy Wonka's transport wants people to remember how happy it is to take a plane, sail on a ship or travel by train. Branson revolutionized air travel by offering first class service to passengers sitting in coaches. Now he focuses on train travel.

The rumor that Virgin Trains USA was taking control of Brightline has been lagging for some time. time, like magic, the MiamiCentral The station was turned yellow overnight by Virgin's signature. Two-story high-rise LED screens touted Virgin Atlantic's London travel as travelers roamed the pristine corridors.

Branson has big plans for Virgin Trains USA, expanding the service of his current Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach route to Orlando and beyond. His plans for Miami are expansive. A Virgin hotel is planned for the city center and Virgin Voyages will leave PortMiami in 2020.

The goal, according to Branson, is to ensure that vacationers take Virgin Atlantic to Orlando, then to Miami by train with Virgin Trains. United States, where they will embark on a Virgin Voyages cruise and spend the night at a Virgin hotel before flying back to Virgin Atlantic. "There are a lot of British flights coming in from Virgin Atlantic, so we have a lot of people coming to this area, a lot of people are going to Disney and we can bring them down to Miami."

All this trip makes people hungry and thirsty, and Branson has what it takes. Central Fare, MiamiStation's food hall, is expected to open at the end of the month. Tenants will include World of Famous of Mac, Buck's pancakes and pancakes, Delicatessen Patagonia, Bio Bio Gelato and the Art de Vivre wine bar, in addition to Juvia's La Estacion American brewery. The Parliament Coffee & Espresso Bar is already open and two other concepts – Rosetta Bakery and 800 Degrees Woodfired Kitchen – are expected to open this summer. The goal of Branson is to open food courts in other key cities, with the natural contenders of Orlando and Las Vegas. "I walked around Central Fare and everyone is in a good mood."

The transport mogul says he wants to bring value to his customers but does not necessarily offer them the most economical way to move them from point A to point B. "Virgin is proud to offer a service very good quality at a price lower than expected.Everybody will not afford to pay for it, but it's cheaper than taking the car or plane, and c is twice as fast. "

Branson also says that he has a soft spot for Miami. "Our office is based in Miami and my wife has an apartment in Miami and she invites me to visit on occasion." When asked when he was in turn inviting his wife Joan Templeman to stay on Necker Island, his private paradise located in the British Virgin Islands, Branson launched: "Only if it's a good girl. "

Virgin Trains USA is also planning to start rail service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. When asked if it was possible to connect the two coasts via Virgin Trains USA, Branson hesitated: "Just a planning that would make it one." no starter. According to him, the best choice is city-to-city service between 250 and 350 miles. Other possible routes between cities include Charlotte to Atlanta and Chicago to St. Louis.

With the plans, the trains and the ships on board, there remains a means of transport to master for Branson: the journey in space. When asked how long before we can take a train for a rocket for a space trip via Virgin Galactic, Branson has a flicker in his eyes. "The train for our spaceship? We talked about it today, it's possible." Cocoa [on Florida’s Space Coast] is very close to Orlando. "

If Branson can remove someone's watch and put it on his wrist without being detected by a dozen people, he can certainly persuade people to fly into space aboard a red rocket – no hypnosis is required.

Virgin MiamiCentral. 350 NW First Ave., Miami; 305-520-2300; virginmiamicentral.com.