This Wednesday, fares will go up 5% for customers taking CTrail and Metro-North Railroad trains in Connecticut. On top of that, riders on the Waterbury Branch will switch entirely to bus service starting July 20 because of construction at four of its six stations. Rail service is expected to return in June 2027. Waterbury branch riders have experienced such switches previously. Buses replaced trains for about two months in 2024 after extreme rainfall resulted in washouts along the rail line. In 2021, trains were unavailable for four months because of infrastructure upgrades. Last Thursday afternoon at the Bridgeport train station, where the Waterbury Branch connects to the New Haven Line, Abrina Geyer was about to board a bus that already runs on the line between trains. She said she thinks the full switch to buses, which are a bit slower than trains, will “be inconvenient for a lot of working people and people traveling, period,” and so will the fare hike. The Connecticut Department of Transportation has said the fare increase and a previous 5% hike that took place in September 2025 were necessary to maintain rail service levels amid rising costs.
Waterbury Branch trains to be replaced by buses for nearly a year starting July 20
