BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined with local citizens, Amtrak and Downeaster officials and state business leaders to celebrate the launch of Amtrak’s new schedule with more convenient travel options, including the addition of a third daily roundtrip from Boston to Freeport and Brunswick, which officially begins today.

“The Downeaster is one of the best trains in the Amtrak system, and from my time as Governor to today, it’s been incredible to witness its continued growth and success,” Senator King said. “Not only does the Downeaster connect Maine to the greater Boston area, but it also links us to the rest of the nation, and the addition of this third trip daily roundtrip will only help strengthen those connections by making travel options more convenient for passengers. I look forward to the Downeaster’s continued success in the years to come.”

Currently, the Amtrak Downeaster makes five round-trips each day between Portland and Boston.  Since November 2012, two of those round-trips have extended to Freeport and Brunswick. Beginning on November 21, 2016, the frequency of service to Freeport and Brunswick will increase to three round-trips each day with the addition of a new late morning southbound departure and new evening arrival times. The increased service will provide more options to southbound travelers and enable weekend day-trips to sporting events at Boston’s TD Garden. The schedule changes also provide more convenient options for business travelers by introducing an early afternoon northbound departure from Boston.

The Amtrak Downeaster set ridership and revenue records for the first quarter of its fiscal year 2017 (July–September 2016) and continues to have one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the entire Amtrak network. Since service operation began on December 15, 2001, the Downeaster has transported more than 6 million passengers the equivalent of 500 million passenger miles and has generated more than $90 million in ticket revenue.

This evening, Senator King will deliver the 1^st Annual Purpoodock Lecture at the Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth. Senator King’s remarks are titled “ISIS, Russia, and the Korean Bomb: The View from Maine” and will focus on international relations and U.S. foreign policy. The lecture is free and open to the public.

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