A growing coalition of rail enthusiasts on both sides of the border is pushing the idea of a daily overnight sleeper train to link Boston and Montreal, as well as more than a dozen other cities along the route.
But the process of making the dream a reality may take even more time than the proposed train, which would take about 14 hours for the trip, nearly three times the drive time and way more than flying—but its proponents say that’s an advantage.
In their view, taking the train would allow a departure from either terminus in time for dinner and a comfortable night’s sleep before arriving at 8 a.m. And, considering that the trackage to be used belongs to a number of different railroads that also move freight at night, slow is likely to be the norm for adding a new passenger service.
The proposal calls for a base fare of about $160. A study by a Canadian organization backing the plan shows, advocates say, that demand and therefore revenue would be strong. In Europe, overnight sleeper services are continuing to regain their long-ago popularity as well.
Image: Advocates met Sept. 1 at a proposed Canadian stop on the route
