More commuters using trains within the state

STAMFORD, Conn. --Metro-North's statistics for its New Haven line show many more riders have been using the trains to travel to points within the state in recent months.

Figures show a significant growth in daily trips at points between New Haven and Greenwich.

The figures also show more riders are getting off the train in Stamford, compared with those boarding in Stamford and riding the train into Grand Central Terminal.

More than three million intrastate trips have been made from January to October this year - an increase of 6.5 percent from the year before.

Metro-North says overall ridership on the New Haven Line, which includes trips into Grand Central Terminal and reverse commuting out of New York City into Connecticut, has increased by 3 percent during the same period.

At Stamford, the New Haven Line's busiest station after Grand Central, 4,300 people this year got off the train every day - 2,500 coming from other points in Connecticut and 1,800 from New York - during the morning peak.

The rise in intrastate ridership is due to rising gas prices, increases in the frequency of service and the increase of development in cities such as Stamford, Eugene Colonese, rail administrator for the state Department of Transportation's rail bureau said Wednesday.

Colonese said that in recent years, the state has held down the monthly fares for intrastate tickets, making it more competitive with driving.

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Information from: The Advocate, http://www.stamfordadvocate.com