CAPE FLYER SERVICE BEGINS

May 23, 2013 – The long awaited return of direct rail service from Boston to Cape Cod will begin tomorrow as the first CapeFlyer train will bring customers to the Cape for Memorial Day Weekend. The Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA), in cooperation with MassDOT, will operate summer seasonal service from Boston South Station to Hyannis on Cape Cod beginning this weekend through Labor Day, Monday, September 2nd.

“Working closely with our partners in the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, we are thrilled to bring rail service back to Cape Cod to help more people experience the beauty and fun of the Cape while getting there quicker and in a more enjoyable way,” said MBTA General Manager Dr. Beverly Scott.

Reducing the traffic congestion from Boston to Cape Cod on summer weekends will not only reduce negative environmental impacts but will also open up one of the Commonwealth’s key tourism destinations to even more people, providing the region with the opportunity for a greater influx of tourist dollars into the local economy. Inbound traffic over the Sagamore and Bourne bridges on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during July and August of last year averaged 230,000 vehicles on a typical summer weekend and 255,000 on the July 4th weekend. Diverting just 1 percent of these weekend trips would result in at least 2,300 riders per weekend or 29,900 riders over 13 weekends.

The trip from South Station to Hyannis will include a specially outfitted coach that will not only provide customers with a traffic-free trip but will include on-board concessions and refreshments, including bar service after the stop in Middleborough on Friday night and through the rest of weekend service that will include Samuel Adams & Cisco Brewery beers, wine, Bloody Marys & Cape Codders. The coach also has bike racks and bike tools so customers can bring their bikes – and even tune them up onboard - for their time on the Cape.

Schedule

Friday night, the 5:12pm MBTA Commuter Rail train on the Middleboro/Lakeville line will make its regular stops and then continue beyond Middleborough to Buzzards Bay, over the Cape Cod Canal Train Bridge and on to Hyannis. The train will arrive in Hyannis by 7:50pm. This train will then return to Boston, leaving Hyannis at 8:30pm and arriving in Boston at 10:45pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, the train will leave South Station at 8:00am and stop in Braintree, Middleborough, Buzzards Bay and arrive in Hyannis at 10:18am.On Saturdays and Sundays, the train will leave Hyannis at 6:30pm and return to Boston at 8:45pm.

Connection options upon arrival to the Cape

Hyannis is a transfer point for Cape-wide bus services run by CCRTA and by P&B Bus Lines.

The ferry docks in Hyannis are reachable by a short, free shuttle bus trip, a walk, or a quick bike ride and there is coordination with the island ferries (Hyline and Steamship Authority) to provide rail to ferry connections to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

There will be space for over 30 bikes on the train from South Station to Hyannis to use on the bike trails along the Cape Cod Canal and in the Mid-Cape area. The Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority is in the process of installing over 300 virtual connecting Bike Route signs Cape-Wide to get you from trail to trail. In addition, rental cars will be available at the Hyannis Intermodal Center.

This summer, there will also be a free downtown Hyannis shuttle-bus provided by the CCRTA. Customers who want to stay longer or whose travel plans change are encouraged to catch one of the frequent P&B busses that travel from the Cape to South Station.

Fares

Fares are market rate and consistent with the comparable intercity bus fares; the trip from South Station to Hyannis is $20 one-way and $35 round trip.

Customers will be able to buy tickets on-board the train or on their Smartphone via the MBTA’s “mTicket” mobile ticketing app for Commuter Rail. As of Thursday morning, tickets are still available and customers are encouraged to buy their tickets in advance.

For more information, visit www.capeflyer.com