PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 9, 2023
For the first time in five years, Amtrak’s Downeaster has pitched a plan to raise certain fares by $2 to $10, depending on destinations, accommodations and special offers. The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority proposed the increases in response to inflation and rising costs that have driven up Downeaster’s operating expenses 20% in that period. At the same time, ridership growth has resumed since the pandemic, with marked gains through the summer months.