What to know in regards to the proposed Boston to Montreal prepare service

New England Journey

The day by day prepare service would make stops in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Canada.

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

The Montreal-based nonprofit group Fondation Trains De Nuit, or Night time Prepare Basis, is proposing a day by day evening prepare between the 2 cities that might 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 plenty of individuals from Boston and from Quebec who go to us, notably through the summer time — and different occasions as properly,” Republican State Senator Richard Bennett of Maine mentioned in an interview on the assembly. “And I believe extra avenues and extra methods to discover the world could also be rather less hectic than driving a automobile on the freeway or by means of the mountains. It is perhaps a really enticing choice.”

Outdated Orchard Seashore has lengthy been a preferred vacation spot for Canadians.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, mentioned non-public firms that might profit from the service, in addition to the rail house owners, are occupied with 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 prepare the entire numerous events, notably those that management the avenues, the rail traces, that shall be used,” Bennett mentioned. “There are literally 4 totally different rail firms between Montreal and Boston.”

Right here’s what to know in regards to the proposed prepare service.

When may the prepare service start?

2025 or 2026

What number of passengers will the prepare maintain?

120 passengers in sleeper and 70 in coach

How a lot will tickets price?

One-way tickets would start at about $150

What is 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 Outdated Orchard Seashore, 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 prefer to depart Montreal, have your meal on the prepare, go to the bar automobile and have a drink, watch some leisure, after which fall asleep,” mentioned 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.”