The Amtrak Downeaster began providing daily passenger rail service between Maine and Boston on December 15, 2001, twenty-one (21) years ago today.   In just the past 12 months, the Downeaster has transported more than 467,000 passengers (a 35% increase over the previous year) including commuters, students traveling to or from college, children, senior citizens, sports fans, medical travelers, and tourists.   More than 8.4 million riders have traveled on the Downeaster since service began.

“Despite significant challenges during the pandemic, Amtrak Downeaster ridership has rebounded to 93% of 2019 levels.   The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) continues to make service improvements and infrastructure investments in the Downeaster, which maintains one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the nation.” said Patricia Quinn, NNEPRA Executive Director.

Construction continues on the Wells Area Improvement Project, which broke ground one year ago, and will lead to additional Downeaster service between Brunswick and Wells in 2025.  The $23M Project, managed by NNEPRA, is funded in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration, the Maine Department of Transportation, and CSX Transportation.

Special Travel Promotions put in place to Celebrate Downeaster Anniversary

The Amtrak Downeaster is celebrating 21 years of service by offering special discounted fares for travel during January 2023. “If you already love the Downeaster, or if you’ve haven’t ridden yet, these $20 Round-Trip fares make January the perfect time to take the train!” said Taylor Belanger, NNEPRA Marketing Director.

$20 round-trip ($10 one-way) fares for travel between Brunswick, Maine and Boston, Massachusetts or any station in between will be available for sale beginning Thursday, December 15, 2022 and are valid for travel January 1, 2023 through January 31, 2023. Reservations for these discounted fares must be purchased 3 days in advance of travel. Reference promotion code v520. For more information visit https://amtrakdowneaster.com/deals-discounts/deals/january-sale/.