Starting Monday, June 15, 2020, the Amtrak Downeaster service between Brunswick, Portland, and Boston will resume with one round-trip train. Downeaster service has been suspended since the middle of April.
Amtrak Downeaster will begin Phase 1 of the restoration with one weekday-only round-trip with trains 680 and 685, an early morning train south towards Boston, and a late afternoon/early evening train north towards Portland and Brunswick, Maine.
The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA), the regional transportation partner that works with Amtrak to operate the Downeaster, expects that additional trains will resume operation during the summer. Specific details have yet to be determined and are dependent on increased passenger traffic.
The trains operate over the Pan Am Railway who expedited a number of rail improvement projects along the corridor to reduce interruptions later this year. The schedule for train 680 has been modified slightly for construction-related delays and passengers on train 685 can expect delays of approximately 15 minutes for stations north of Haverhill.
At this time, stations will remain unstaffed and passengers are instructed to head directly to the platform to await the arrival of the train. Downeaster Café service on board the train is also suspended until a future date.
Additionally, a number of protocols and procedures have been put in place for the health and safety of both passengers and crew, including:
- Passengers and crews are required to wear face coverings while boarding and moving about the train.
- Newly cleaning and disinfecting protocols have been implemented, along with enhanced equipment cleaning before and after each trip.
- Ticket sales are capped at 50 percent of available seats on each train.
- Advanced reservations are required for travel. Cash sales are unavailable.
For complete details, visit AmtrakDowneaster.com.
