What to know about the proposed Boston to Montreal train service


New England Journey

The each day practice service would make stops in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Canada.

François Rebello, a former Québec politician and rail fanatic, has been working with Fondation Trains De Nuit to get the challenge in movement. The Boston Globe

The concept of an in a single day practice service between Boston and Montreal is gaining steam.

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The Montreal-based nonprofit group Fondation Trains De Nuit, or Night time Prepare Basis, is proposing a each day night time practice between the 2 cities that may make stops in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

It’s not a brand new concept. The group accomplished a feasibility examine greater than 5 years in the past and attracted the curiosity of New England states earlier than the challenge misplaced momentum after it was decided that the Canadian tracks wanted about $100 million in updates and repairs, in accordance with The Boston Globe.

Earlier this month, about 60 worldwide enterprise and authorities leaders gathered in Coaticook, Quebec, to debate renewed curiosity within the proposal.

“Maine is a vacationer place. We get numerous folks from Boston and from Quebec who go to us, significantly through the summer season — and different occasions as properly,” Republican State Senator Richard Bennett of Maine stated in an interview on the assembly. “And I believe extra avenues and extra methods to discover the world could also be rather less tense than driving a automotive on the freeway or via the mountains. It may be a really engaging choice.”

Previous Orchard Seaside has lengthy been a well-liked vacation spot for Canadians. In 2019, 5.4 million Canadian guests visited Maine and spent an estimated $1.2 billion.

François Pepin, president of Fondation Trains De Nuit, stated non-public corporations that may profit from the service, in addition to the rail homeowners, are considering serving to financially with the challenge, in accordance with the Globe. The muse can even apply for grants from the Canadian authorities.

“I believe the best problem goes to be to arrange all the numerous events, significantly those that management the avenues, the rail strains, that will likely be used,” Bennett stated. “There are literally 4 completely different rail corporations between Montreal and Boston.”

Right here’s what to know concerning the proposed practice service.

When would possibly the practice service start?

2025 or 2026

What number of passengers will the practice maintain?

120 passengers in sleeper and 70 in coach

How a lot will tickets value?

One-way tickets would start at about $150

What’s going to the route be?

The proposed route between Montreal and Boston is as follows: Canadian locations Montreal, Candiac, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Farnham, Bromont, Magog, Sherbrooke, and Coaticook; and U.S. locations Island Pond in Vermont; Berlin and Gorham, N.H.; Bethel, Auburn, Portland, and Previous Orchard Seaside, Maine; Durham, N.H., and Boston.

How lengthy would the route take?

14 hours

What would the expertise be like?

“You possibly can simply think about what it will be wish to depart Montreal, have your meal on the practice, go to the bar automotive and have a drink, watch some leisure, after which fall asleep,” stated François Rebello, a former Québec politician and rail fanatic who has been working with Fondation Trains De Nuit, in accordance with The Boston Globe. “You get up within the morning, and also you’re at your vacation spot.”