Metro-North fees rising soon

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) - Passengers will see Metro-North train tickets go up by 15 percent in November.

One of Malloy's top aides says even with the price hike, the cost of a train ticket in Connecticut is still lower than in New York.

Some Metro-North commuters don't agree with the comparison.

"Probably not the best comparison in the world, they always seem to do that, that was his excuse when he raised all our fees and income taxes because it's better than New York, you know I guess you can pick the highest bar and say we're under it, but I"m not sure that's a very good answer," says Nat Foote, commuter.

Shoreline East rail fares will also go up. They're increasing by 14 percent. That's not the only change riders will see. The weekend train service on the Old Saybrook/New Haven section will be shut down on weekends starting in November. This means if residents in the area want to take the train into New York on the weekend, they'll have to drive to New Haven's train station and hop a train there into the city.

"Our kids live down in New York City and in Fairfield County and we'll occasionally take the train down to avoid the traffic on 95 so to that extent it's going to be a bit of a problem," says Jim Killelea.

Closing that section of the Shoreline East Railroad on weekends will affect 1,000 passengers and save the state $4.17 million.

"I think it's probably the least intrusive way to get some effective reductions in the cost of running the railroads, so I don't see it as a real burden or problem," says Killelea.

It is the first fare hike for both Metro-North and Shoreline East since 2005.