Ticket Types and Fares on Shore Line East

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Updated May 12, 2026 13:05

Shore Line East Tickets and Fares

This information applies to Shore Line East (SLE) service.
Shore Line East offers several ticket options depending on how often you travel.

Round-Trip and Fare Information

Shore Line East does not sell “round-trip” tickets.
To make a round trip, buy two one-way tickets — one for each direction of travel.

Each one-way ticket is valid in either direction (eastbound or westbound) between the stations listed.

Fares vary depending on your starting and ending stations — for example, New Haven to Old Saybrook or Madison to New London.
Use our Fare Calculator on https://shorelineeast.com/fares/ or the Fare Chart to check your price.

If you ride frequently, consider a 10-Trip or Monthly ticket for the best value.

Shore Line East One-Way Ticket

Valid for a single ride between the two stations listed on the ticket.
Can be used in either direction (eastbound or westbound).
A round trip requires two one-way tickets — one for each part of the journey.
Expires 60 days from the date of purchase.
⚠️ Important: Amtrak trains on the Shore Line East schedule do not accept Shore Line East One-Way Tickets.

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Shore Line East One-Way Senior Ticket

CTrail Shore Line East offers a 50% discounted fare on one-way tickets for seniors age 65 and older.

One trip between the origin and destination stations listed on the ticket
Valid in either direction
Round-trip tickets require two one-way tickets
Tickets are valid for 60 days, can be used in either direction, and require a valid ID.

Eligibility and Valid ID

Passengers must present one of the following forms of ID to qualify for the reduced senior fare:

State-issued Driver’s License or non-driver ID (showing age 65+)
CT Senior/Disabled Reduced Fare Transit ID Card
MTA Reduced Fare MetroCard

Amtrak Cross-Honor Trains (Multi-Ride Service)

Some Amtrak trains on the Shore Line East schedule are cross-honor (multi-ride) trains and do not accept CTrail One-Way Tickets, including reduced-fare senior tickets.

A senior passenger cannot board these Amtrak trains without a valid converted CTrail SLE Ten-Trip or Monthly ticket, or a ticket purchased directly from Amtrak.

These trains are marked on the schedule with:

A blue column
An asterisk (*)
The AMTK label

For full details, see the Shore Line East Ten-Trip or Monthly Ticket articles.

Purchasing and Activation

CTrail Shore Line East One-Way Senior Tickets can be purchased through the CTrail eTix App, at Amtrak ticket windows at New London, Old Saybrook, New Haven Union Station, at New Haven State Street Ticket Vending Machine or onboard Shore Line East trains (cash only, no surcharge)
Use small bills if paying cash onboard (recommended: $20 or less)
Do not activate a mobile ticket until boarding the train
Once activated, mobile tickets are valid for 180 minutes

Shore Line East 10-Trip Ticket

Includes 10 one-way rides for the price of 8.
Can be used in either direction between the listed stations.
Valid for 180 days from the date of purchase.
As of February 14 through March 13, there will be no Amtrak trains on the Shore Line East Schedule. So customers cannot utilize the Amtrak Ride Reserve Program.

Shore Line East Monthly Ticket

Provides unlimited rides between selected stations for a full calendar month.
It can be used in either direction between the listed stations.
New monthly tickets are available starting on the 25th of each month.
Shore Line East does not offer discounted Monthly tickets specifically for senior or disabled customers.
Senior/disabled passengers must purchase regular Monthly tickets at the standard fare.

SLE School Monthly Ticket

Discounted monthly ticket for students 18 or younger commuting to or from primary or secondary school.
Requires proof of age and a school ID when showing the ticket on board.
Not valid for college students.
New monthly tickets are available starting on the 25th of each month.
Can be used in either direction between the listed stations.

Shore Line East Monthly Plus Bus

Adds local bus service to your monthly rail ticket.
Covers standard bus fare (step-up charges apply for express buses).
The bus portion of the ticket is valid only on CTtransit buses (the Ticket cannot be scanned; the bus operator must perform a visual inspection). Note: River Valley Transit and Southeast Area Regional Transit no longer honor the bus ticket.
Shore Line East does not offer discounted Monthly tickets specifically for senior or disabled customers.
Senior/disabled passengers must purchase regular Monthly tickets at the standard fare.
New monthly tickets are available starting on the 25th of each month.
Can be used in either direction between the listed stations.

Peak Fare Rules (Metro-North Only)

Peak fares apply to weekday trips going to or from Grand Central Terminal (GCT) or Harlem–125th Street Station, during:

Arrivals at GCT: 6:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Departures from GCT: 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Off-peak tickets are valid for all other weekday times, as well as all day on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

If your UniRail trip only involves Shore Line East and Hartford Line, peak/off-peak pricing does not apply.

UniRail / Combination Tickets (Shore Line East + Hartford Line or Metro-North)

If you’re traveling between a Shore Line East station and either a Hartford Line station or a Metro-North (New Haven Line) station, you’ll need a UniRail / Combination ticket.
This is a combined fare that covers both segments of your trip.

Available as:

One-Way
Ten-Trip
Monthly

Key Information

Offers a lower total fare than buying separate tickets for each leg of your trip.
Valid for travel in either direction between the stations listed on the ticket.
When purchasing a UniRail or combination one-way or ten-trip ticket in the CTrail eTix app or at a CTrail Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) for travel that includes Metro-North trains, you will not see the word “UniRail” on screen.
- Instead, you can choose either Peak Fare or Off-Peak Fare when prompted.

Shore Line East Group Tickets

Request using the group travel form on our website.
Available for groups of 10–120 on Shore Line East only.
Not valid with Amtrak, Hartford Line, or Metro-North.
May be eligible to save up to 35%.
Should be booked at least 10 business days in advance.
Groups with bikes should contact CTrides early (space is limited).
Group reservations must include a specific train and date.
Customers requesting group travel information should provide their origin and destination stations so the correct service and fare options can be confirmed.

UPASS

U-PASS CT is accepted on CTrail Shore Line East trains between New Haven Union Station and New London Station.

If you are looking for information about U-PASS CT eligibility or participating schools, visit https://ctrides.com/u-pass-ct-for-students/.

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Shore Line East Fares

Shore Line East fares are based on where you start and end your trip.
Use our Fare Calculator or Fare Chart on https://shorelineeast.com/to check your cost.

CTtransit Tickets

Any CTtransit ticket is accepted on connecting bus routes shown on the Shore Line East schedule.