Students who took to the skies over Thanksgiving break had new options for getting to T.F. Green Airport. In addition to the usual smattering of taxis and shuttles lined up at Faunce Arch, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority almost doubled service from the Providence train station to the airport.
Launched Nov. 14, the expanded service on the Providence/Stoughton commuter rail line includes 10 daily trips to and from the Warwick airport, with the first train arriving at T.F. Green at 4:50 a.m. and the last train departing at 10:15 p.m. The timetable was designed to coincide with flight schedules and is intended to provide more convenient connections for travelers, according to a Rhode Island Department of Transportation press release. The majority of trains leaving the airport continue on to Boston's South Station.
But despite the additional departures and the relatively cheap $2.25 one-way fare, few students appear to be using the service. Drew Morrill '13, from Bellingham, Wash., said he had not used the commuter rail connection in the past because the service was quite limited, and the schedule was not well-timed to catch flights from the airport. Now that he is aware of the increased service, he said he would consider the rail link for future trips.
MBTA commuter rail service to Rhode Island's primary airport began Dec. 6, 2010 with trains stopping at T.F. Green's InterLink hub, a $267 million project stemming from a collaboration between the state Department of Transportation and the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. The InterLink, which serves as a hub for Rhode Island Public Transit Authority buses, also features nearly 700 commuter parking spaces and room for 1,800 rental cars.
Work has already begun to further extend the commuter rail service on the line to Wickford Junction, a station in North Kingstown.
