We had a fun ride to New Britain and New Haven! Check out more images on our Instagram post and Facebook post
Register online to participate in this event! Check this page on the day before the ride for any weather-related alerts.
Bike from West Hartford to New Haven, then ride the Hartford Line train back to Hartford Union Station, Saturday June 24th, 2023. Because it’s fun… and not as hard as it sounds!
Riders must wear helmet, bring water, a spare tube in case of a flat tire. Highly recommended to bring rain gear and a bike lock if you want to leave your ride and walk around New Haven. Bring cash or card for lunch and $8 for train ticket back. All ability levels are welcome, but this 39-mile ride is recommended for people who have recently biked at least a 10-mile trip. Expect to pedal at an average speed of 10-12 miles per hour, with rest stops each hour, during this roughly 4-hour ride. No one will be left behind, but there is no transportation support if you cannot complete the ride. Each rider is responsible for their own transportation back to Hartford/West Hartford. At the New Haven train station, riders must be able to lift their bike up a flight of stairs if necessary.
- 8:30am meet up at Elmwood Community Center parking lot, 1106 New Britain Ave, West Hartford, roll out by 8:40am
- 9:30am-ish arrive at New Britain bus station on CTfastrak multi-use path (if you need to bail out, ride the bus back to West Hartford or Hartford)
- 10am-ish rest stop at Roger’s Orchards (donuts!) near New Britain Reservoir (did we mention donuts?)
- 10:45am-ish chat with cyclists on Ride The State (headed in opposite direction) and pilfer snacks from their rest stop (does that make us Ride Against The State?)
- 11:15am-ish rest stop in Cheshire, home of the most luxurious restrooms on Farmington Canal Path / East Coast Greenway
- 12:30-ish arrive at New Haven Green during the International Festival of Arts and Ideas Arts and lots of food options
- Optional: Register for 2pm free bike tour: “Building Projects, Affordable Housing, and New Haven” (because let’s bike another 15 miles, right?)
- See Hartford Line schedule for “CT Rail” departures (NOT Amtrak) from New Haven Union Station to Hartford Union Station. Hartford Line CTrail fare is $8 if purchased from Ticket Vending Machine.
- 12:30pm departure, CTrail 6454
- 2:27pm departure, CTrail 6456
- 4:00pm departure, CTrail 6458
- 7:30pm departure, CTrail 6410
- IMPORTANT difference in Bikes on Board policies:
- – CTrail Hartford Line allows bicycles on board trains based on space availability.
- – Amtrak Hartford Line passengers must purchase their ticket through the Amtrak reservation system and pay an additional fee to bring their bike on board.
GOOD NEWS: Although there is ongoing track work north of Hartford, this June 19th Hartford Line service update confirms that CTrail trains are scheduled to run as planned from New Haven to Hartford on Sat June 24th:
- CTrail: There will be train service from New Haven to Hartford, but buses will service all stops north of Hartford
- Amtrak: There will be local and express bus service from New Haven to Springfield
For questions about this ride, email Jack Dougherty.
View route on Ride with GPS: