For the first time in more than six decades, residents of Massachusetts’ South Coast can take a train to Boston beginning Monday.
The MBTA’s South Coast rail begins service Monday, shuttling riders from Boston’s South Station to Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford. Those three communities were the only “major cities” within 50 miles of Boston that were not serviced by the Commuter Rail — until Monday.
The South Coast rail will run 15 trips a day between Fall River and Boston, and 17 trips per day between New Bedford and Boston. The project extends service on the Middleborough/Lakeville line, which is set to be renamed the Fall River/New Bedford line.
Trains will run every 70 minutes Monday through Friday. On weekends, 26 trips will be made between the two stations — with trains running every two hours.
The East Taunton station will serve as a free transfer point between direct trains coming from or heading to Boston and connecting trains to the new termini of Fall River and New Bedford.
“This allows for even more frequent service,” the MBTA said in a statement announcing the start of service, adding that this type of scheduling is “consistent with the all-day service model across the rest of the Commuter Rail network.”
All new South Coast Rail stations will be located in the MBTA’s Zone 8, meaning riders pay a fare of $12.25 for a one-way ride, and $6 for those who qualify for reduced fares. A single round-trip ticket will cost $24.50 for the average rider.
“With service beginning on March 24, thousands of cars will come off the roads, and thousands of people will experience the convenience and benefits of public transportation firsthand,” Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt said in the statement.
