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June 18, 2018

Hartford Rail Line lures 10K-plus during opening day

PHOTO | CTrail Hartford Line More than 10,300 people traveled on the CTrail Hartford Line during its opening day.
By Joe Cooper

Free rides on the CTrail Hartford Line drew more than 10,300 people during its opening day on Saturday, officials said.

Riders sampled the 62-mile track for free during its first weekend bringing commuters from Springfield to New Haven, with stops along the way in Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford, Berlin, Meriden and Wallingford.

Additional services were added on Sunday to accommodate the demand as some travelers were turned away from cars due to space constraints.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said the long awaited rail line was built to boost economic development and lure professionals to the Interstate 91 corridor.

“After decades of talk it’s finally here, and the large number of people riding the train on Saturday shows that there is considerable interest in this service,” Malloy said.  

The $769 million Hartford Line is Connecticut’s first new train service in 20 years.

The trains, traveling up to 110 mph, are available at 45-minute intervals during peak hours and roughly every 90 minutes during off-peak hours.

Seventeen trains will travel between New Haven and Hartford during weekday peak hours and 12 will continue through to Springfield. At least 14 trains will run between Springfield and New Haven on weekends and holidays.

The rail line will also provide connecting service to New York City, Boston and Vermont.

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