New Rail Service Between Maine and Boston
Passenger train service returned this month to Maine after an absence of more than 30 years when the new Downeaster began serving a 114-mile route between Portland and Boston.
Stops include the seaside resorts of Old Orchard Beach and Wells in Maine, plus Saco, Maine; Dover, Durham and Exeter, N.H.; and Haverhill, Mass. The train makes four round trips each day. Fares between Portland and Boston begin at $21 one way or $35 round trip.
In its first five days, the train averaged 860 riders a day, said Michael J. Murray, executive director of the agency formed by Maine to develop the rail project. The train is owned by the state of Maine and operated by Amtrak. Murray called the ridership “very positive” for a startup.
His agency had projected 1,000 riders a day but expects it will take at least six months to reach a peak.
For reservations, contact Amtrak, (800) 872-7245, www.amtrak.com. For more information, visit www.thedowneaster.com.
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