HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut’s Shore Line East commuter rail system is set to restore some of the trains that have been replaced by bus service since April 2018, while Amtrak is adjusting its ticket-sales policy to address overcrowing issues on the Hartford Line also served by commuter service.
Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 22., three weekday round trips will be restored on the Shore Line East, which operates between New Haven and Old Saybrook, Conn. There will also be two Friday-only trains. Three additional round trips will continue to be covered by bus service.
“We are pleased to return these trains to the schedule, but our work is not yet done,” Joseph J. Guilutti, commissioner-designate of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, said in a media release. “We will work tirelessly to restore full train service on Shore Line East. This is our goal. Our customers deserve no less.”
The trains, operated by Amtrak, had been replaced by bus service because of a shortage of rolling stock to cover both the Shore Line East and the Hartford Line service that began in 2018. That shortage reflected aging equipment that required repair; the restored service reflects the return of some of that equipment.
The new Shore Line East schedule is available here.
On the Hartford Line, Amtrak will limit advance sales on peak-period trains No. 475 (Hartford to New Haven) and 474 (New Haven to Hartford), making room for up to 72 CTrail ticket holders. Some CTrail ticket holders have been turned away from Amtrak trains on the route, although the agreement between the state and Amtrak had promised tickets could be used on either CTrail or Amtrak trains. [See “Amtrak cites safety in turning away CTrail ticket holders,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 2, 2019.]
“We believe these changes will alleviate some of the ongoing overcrowding on weekday afternoons,” Guilutti said. “We thank Amtrak for its willingness to make these changes.”
