All aboard! Boston to Hyannis rail service begins in May. The details are still being worked out, but here are 10 things you should know:
· Boston to Cape Cod passenger rail has been on a nearly three-decade hiatus.
· The new service will run from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
· The train will depart Boston Friday nights, Saturday and Sunday mornings; return trips on Saturday and Sunday evenings. There's a possibility of an early Monday morning train from Hyannis to Boston.
· Departing from South Station, air-conditioned rail cars and a bike car will be attached to the MBTA's Middleborough/Lakeville trains, which then continue to Hyannis.
· The Hyannis-bound train will stop at Wareham, Buzzards Bay, and either West Barnstable or Sandwich.
· "It's not high-speed," but neither is sitting in Bridge traffic.
· Cost of a round-trip ticket has yet to be determined, but should be "around 30 bucks." Whether the MBTA's new mobile-app to purchase tickets will be available also needs to be worked out.
· Governor Deval Patrick supports the service, referring to it as "a boost for residents and tourists alike," and thanked the MBTA , MassDOT and the Cape Cod Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) for the collaboration.
· RTA's Tom Cahir would like to see local fare from Truro Vineyards, Cape Cod Potato Chips and others served on the train.
· To encourage car-free visits, the RTA plans to have buses at the train stops to carry folks to other Cape towns and expect the Plymouth & Brockton bus company will as well.
__
· Boston-Hyannis passenger rail service due by May [The Barnstable Patriot]
· Take a Train From Boston to Cape Cod This Summer [BostInno]