Amtrak and the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority announced Sept. 12 that beginning Nov. 1, the Downeaster will make two round-trips daily between Brunswick and Boston, including stops in Freeport and all other Downeaster stations.

The extension of the Boston line from Portland to Brunswick is part of the larger $38.3 million Downeaster Expansion Project that is to eventually support passenger rail connection service to Rockland. The project was initiated in 2010 by Amtrak.

In its news release, Amtrak said the rehabilitation of 30 miles of track, owned primarily by Pan Am Railways and lying between Portland and Brunswick, is funded mostly by an American Recovery and Rehabilitation Act grant. Work began on the line in 2010.   

"To  date, more than 30 miles of rail and 33,000  ties have been installed, 36 grade crossings have been rehabilitated and two station platforms have been constructed between  Portland and Brunswick," the railroad said. "The remaining track work and signal work is expected to be completed within the coming weeks."

The limited schedule was developed to provide day trip options for both southbound and northbound travelers. Southbound travelers will be able to depart Brunswick at 7:05 a.m. daily, arriving in Boston at 10:30 a.m., then catch a northbound train at 5 p.m. on weekdays, returning to Brunswick at 8:25 p.m.  Northbound travelers will be able to depart Boston at 9:05 a.m. on weekdays, arriving in Brunswick at 12:25 p.m., then catch a 5:50 p.m. southbound train returning to Boston at 9:15 p.m.  

There will also be an early morning and late evening trip between Portland and Brunswick to position trains for their Boston excursion. Weekend and holiday schedules will vary slightly, said Amtrak. One-way fares between Brunswick and Boston will be less than $30 per person.  Multi-ride passes, including the College 6-TIX will also be available. Passengers can make reservations for travel to/from Freeport and Brunswick beginning on Oct. 1.   For more information, visit AmtrakDowneaster.com.

The Amtrak Downeaster makes five round-trips daily between Portland and Boston, serving eight communities in between: Old Orchard Beach, Saco, Wells, Dover, Durham-UNH, Exeter, Haverhill and Woburn. The Downeaster has experienced record-breaking ridership for the past seven years, according to Amtrak, and has more than doubled since 2005, exceeding 528,000 riders in 2012.  Downeaster service to Freeport and Brunswick is expected to generate more than 30,000 new riders annually, Amtrak said.

Amtrak, which operates as a for-profit company rather than a public authority, was created by Congress in 1970 to take over the passenger rail services previously required to be operated by private railroad companies in the United States. Amtrak is a federally-chartered corporation, with the federal government as majority stockholder. Its board is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) is a public transportation authority created in 1995 by the Maine State Legislature to develop and provide passenger rail service between Maine and Boston. NNEPRA manages the budget, contracts, promotion, and customer services associated with the Downeaster passenger rail service. NNEPRA holds a 20-year agreement with Amtrak to operate the Downeaster rail service between Portland and Boston and is party to agreements with host railroads, i.e., Pan Am Railways and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.