CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEWS RELEASE 2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546 NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7546
FOR RELEASE: November 8, 2007	FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:    OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS    TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062    Fax: (860) 594-3066    Web site:www.ct.gov/dot

New Holiday Weekend Rail Service to Start

on Shore Line East

Inaugural SLE Service will Operate from

Saturday, November 17 through Sunday, December 30, 2007

New Haven Line Will Offer Additional ‘Shoppers’ Specials’

Rail Service Due to Increase Demand

            The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) will continue the expansion of rail service on Shore Line East (SLE) by adding weekend holiday train service.  The special holiday rail service will run on weekends beginning Saturday, November 17 through Sunday, December 30.  This inaugural weekend service will complement the recently expanded Shore Line East rail service that started on October 8. Ads with SLE schedules are being run currently in local newspapers.

The new holiday weekend service will include three morning trains to New Haven, which connect with New Haven Line service to New York City.  In the late afternoon and evening, SLE will offer three trains from New Haven to Old Saybrook, connecting with New Haven Line trains from New York City.  These six trains will have station stops at New Haven-Union Station, Branford, Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook and Old Saybrook.  Holiday weekend service will not stop at New Haven-State Street Station due to weekend construction on the Grand Avenue Bridge.

            In addition, two morning trains from New Haven to Old Saybrook will stop in Guilford and three evening trains from Old Saybrook to New Haven will stop in Guilford.  Children under 12 ride free with an accompanying adult.  Parking at all SLE train stations is convenient and free.  A daily parking fee is assessed at Union Station in New Haven. 

            “For the first time, the state will begin offering special weekend train service on Shore Line East.  As the holidays are fast approaching, we want the public to use mass transportation, whenever possible, for their travel plans around the state or to New York City.  It is fast, convenient, and easy.  Many train stations along the New Haven Line and Shore Line East offer free parking on weekends.  And in addition, the New Haven Line will increase train service on both Saturday and Sunday for your convenience.  So climb aboard, and join us on the new Shore Line East weekend service this season,” said Transportation Commissioner Ralph J. Carpenter.

            This year, the New Haven Line will offer additional rail service – the most ever – for Saturday and Sunday to service Connecticut customers.  These ‘Shoppers’ Specials’ will operate during the heavy holiday travel period, and are a result of increased ridership experienced during last year’s holidays.

Twenty-five additional Saturday and Sunday Shoppers’ Special express trains will operate in Connecticut, an increase of 16 trains from the 2006 holiday season.  Specifically, Saturday Shoppers’ Specials will increase to 19 trains to serve Connecticut customers, and on Sunday six Shoppers’ Specials will be added.  These trains will not run on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.  A special schedule will be published for those holidays.

New schedule times are available on-line.  Consult the new timetable for the Shore Line East at www.ShoreLineEast.com  or call 800 ALL-RIDE or (203)777-7433.  For the New Haven and Branch Lines call 800-METRO-INFO or at www.mta.info.

Shore Line East trains are owned and operated by DOT, under contract with Amtrak to provide daily rail operations. SLE commuter operations began in 1990, serving seven stations along the 33-mile segment of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor between New Haven and Old Saybrook.  SLE provides nearly 2,000 passenger trips each day, or more than 450,000 each year.