New Weekend & Holiday Service from Old Saybrook to New Haven

Will Begin Operating Year-Round on Shore Line East

Starting the 4^th of July

New Late Night Train Every Day Leaving New Haven at 10:05 P.M.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department) will begin weekend and holiday rail service on Shore Line East (SLE) starting this Friday, the 4^th of July and throughout the weekend. Initial weekend rail schedule will include four west bound trains to New Haven from early morning to early afternoon, and five east bound trains from mid-afternoon to late evening.

SLE will operate year-round weekend service from Union Station in New Haven to Old Saybrook.  The weekend service will provide a full compliment of trains in each direction, more than the initial holiday weekend service in 2007.

The new weekend rail service will include:

·        More frequent trains stopping in Old Saybrook, Guilford, State Street and Union Stations in New Haven throughout the day.

·        Branford Station will have only three westbound trains to New Haven due to scheduling limitation.  The last morning train west bound departing from Branford to New Haven at 11:24 a.m.

·        Late evening train to operate every day from Union Station in New Haven departing at 10:05 p.m. The new service will allow customers to depart Grand Central Terminal (GCT) at 8:07 p.m. to connect in New Haven at 10:05 p.m.

·        Children under 12 will ride free with a fare paying adult on Shore Line East.  Reduce fares for children apply to New Haven Line.

·        Parking is free at all Shore Line East stations.  Union Station, New Haven garage is fee parking.

·        Additional rail service is available on the New Haven Line to locations west of New Haven.  Train schedules and ticket information can be located at  www.mta.info

·        Tickets can be purchased on Shore Line East through the following options:

One-Way tickets are sold on board trains and are available at the New Haven, Old Saybrook and New London Amtrak ticket windows.

NOTE: If you purchase a Shore Line East ticket through conductor on westbound train, you may purchase a one-way New Haven Line ticket from the NHL conductor at no additional charge.  A return ticket must be purchased at your destination before you board the train, otherwise on-board purchase fee will apply.

Ten-Trip tickets are only sold at the New Haven, Old Saybrook and New London Amtrak ticket windows and are valid for nontransferable use by the named and signed passenger for 90 days.

Monthly tickets are sold by mail, phone, web and are available at the New Haven, Old Saybrook and New London Amtrak ticket windows.  Ticket information is available through www.shorelineeast.com or by calling 203-777-7433 or (800) ALL-RIDE.

UniRail tickets combines Shore Line East and New Haven Line rail fares into one convenient ticket (one-way, weekly, monthly) is available at Metro-North ticket window and ticket vending machines. Only monthly Unirail tickets are available through the web or mail in.  Ticket information is available through www.mta.info or at 1-800-METRO-INFO or in NYC at 212-532-4900.

            “We are pleased to kick off the summer holiday this coming week by introducing year-round train service on Shore Line East,” said Commissioner Joseph F. Marie.  “During the holiday season, we saw that weekend rail service was a viable, workable option. With more trains being added to run expanded weekend service, the public will have more choices available to take advantage of rail service in Connecticut.”

Consult the timetable for the Shore Line East at www.ShoreLineEast.com  or call 800 ALL-RIDE for schedule details including new weekend service.  Weekend train schedules will also be published in regional newspapers ads beginning week of June 30th.

Shore Line East trains are owned and operated by ConnDOT, 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. The service was extended to New London in 1996. SLE provides more than 2,100 passenger trips each day, with nearly 484,000 trips in 2007.