The Inland Route is an intercity passenger rail service between Boston and New Haven, CT with intermediary stops in Framingham, Worcester, and Springfield. The route is a component of West-East Rail, and it represents the first expansion of intercity passenger rail services within the Compass Rail vision.
In September 2023, MassDOT was awarded a $108 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety and Investments (CRISI) Program. Together with matching funds from MassDOT and Amtrak, it is a $135 million project. Through this project, MassDOT, Amtrak, and host railroad CSX will collaborate to construct track improvements between Worcester and Springfield that will enable two daily passenger rail trips along the Inland Route without negative impacts to freight rail.
As a first step in the project, MassDOT, Amtrak, and CSX coordinated to develop a simulation model of the Boston & Albany rail line. By simulating service patterns and growth scenarios, the partnership has identified the infrastructure projects to be designed and built with grant funds.
Project timeline:
- 2024-25: Begin design
- 2027: Begin construction
- 2029-30: Complete construction and begin operations