Riders on the soon-to-be opened Hartford Line commuter rail will pay $8 for a one-way ticket from New Haven to Hartford and $12.75 for a trip to Springfield, Mass., according to proposed fares released Monday.
The state Department of Transportation announced the fares in anticipation of the expected May opening of the commuter rail, dubbed the CTrail Hartford Line.
New Haven riders can also purchase a monthly pass for unlimited trips to Hartford for $168, while a monthly pass to Springfield will cost $267.75. Weekly and 10-trip passes will also be offered, along with discount fares for seniors and students traveling to and from school. The full fare schedule can be found here.
State officials say the service will shorten travel time between New Haven and Springfield and make commuting by train more convenient.
CTrail and Amtrak will provide 17 roundtrip trains between New Haven and Hartford each weekday, with a dozen continuing on to Springfield, although Amtrak will continue to set its own fares. There will also be stops in Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin, Windsor and Windsor Locks. Travelers will board trains every 45 minutes during peak periods.
“When the CTrail line launches, it will be a game-changer for the state,” Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a statement. “It will position Connecticut as a more attractive place for new business investment, provide transit options for our current residents and will attract new residents who don’t want to be automobile-dependent.”
Municipalities like Wallingford and Meriden have built economic development plans around their new stations, constructed as part of the rail project. Both are expected to open later this year.
A public hearing on the fares and service will take place in New Haven on Nov. 13 from 5 to 8 p.m. in the city’s Hall of Records at 200 Orange Street. Comments can also be submitted to the transportation department by mail or at dot.hartfordlinecomments@ct.gov through Nov. 27.
Natalie Missakian can be reached at news@newhavenbiz.com
