Compass Rail – Passenger Rail for the Commonwealth – will advance West-East Rail and enhance existing intercity passenger rail services.
Compass Rail – Passenger Rail for the Commonwealth – is a vision for intercity passenger rail within Massachusetts and beyond. The goal of Compass Rail is to enhance mobility, expand transportation choice, and support economic development goals through transportation investments. Compass Rail integrates existing MassDOT-supported services with new, proposed services in a unified vision.
Existing services supported and managed by MassDOT under the Compass Rail banner include the following Amtrak-operated routes:
Vermonter between Washington, D.C. and St. Albans, VT with Massachusetts stops in Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton, and Greenfield
Valley Flyer between New Haven, CT and Greenfield with Massachusetts stops in Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton, and Greenfield
Hartford Line and Northeast Regional between Springfield and New Haven, CT or Washington, D.C.
Berkshire Flyer, a seasonal, pilot service, between Pittsfield and New York City.
West-East Rail represents proposed, new Compass Rail services that focus on improved connections between western and eastern Massachusetts. These routes include:
Inland Route to operate between Boston and New Haven, CT via Springfield
Boston & Albany Corridor via Pittsfield.
Our projects
There are several ongoing service planning and capital projects under the Compass Rail banner. Using a combination of state funding, partner contributions, and discretionary awards from the federal government, MassDOT is advancing these projects to improve mobility within and beyond the Commonwealth.
Please sign up for Compass Rail updates to receive periodic communications on the status of Compass Rail projects.
