Waterbury Branch trains replaced by buses through May 31, 2027

Waterbury Branch riders are now using substitute buses instead of trains, and the change is scheduled to continue through May 31, 2027. The service replacement began July 20, 2026, while station and track improvements move forward along the branch.

What Waterbury riders need to know

All weekday, weekend and holiday train service on the Waterbury Branch has been replaced by accessible buses during the construction period. The buses leave earlier than the former train schedules, so riders should check the current Metro-North timetable before traveling rather than relying on their old departure times.

The earlier departures may require changes to morning routines, work schedules, school trips and evening plans. Riders should also allow extra time when connecting in Bridgeport, particularly if they are continuing to the New Haven Line or toward New York.

Waterbury is the terminus of the branch. The substitute-bus schedule includes service toward Bridgeport, where riders can connect with trains serving the broader New Haven Line.

Why trains were replaced

Connecticut Department of Transportation officials tied the shutdown primarily to construction at four stations: Derby-Shelton, Ansonia, Beacon Falls and Seymour. The work includes station improvements as well as track, bridge, signal and related infrastructure projects near the branch connection to the New Haven Line.

Because the Waterbury Branch is a single-track line, some platform and track work is difficult or unsafe to perform while trains are operating. Coordinating the work during one extended service replacement is expected to reduce construction costs, although the more-than-$47 million savings figure is a CTDOT projection rather than an independently verified result.

What is planned at Waterbury Station

Waterbury Station is part of a broader six-station improvement program that CTDOT estimates will cost about $193 million. The program is scheduled to run from 2025 through 2028.

At the Waterbury station, plans call for a new 350-foot ADA-accessible platform designed to serve longer trains. The project also includes ticket machines, real-time passenger information, improved waiting space and a restored indoor passenger waiting area.

CTDOT lists the new platform as expected to open in September 2027, while overall Waterbury Station construction is anticipated to finish in May 2028. Those dates are separate from the scheduled end of the substitute-bus period and do not mean train service will necessarily resume immediately on May 31, 2027.

How to plan trips during the outage

Before leaving, riders should review the current MTA schedule, confirm the bus destination and check the timing of any Bridgeport connection. Accessible buses are being provided, but the substitute service does not follow the former train timetable.

The disruption is expected to last most of a year. For Waterbury commuters and reverse commuters, the practical issue is not only the bus ride itself but also the earlier departure and added transfer planning. The long-term project is intended to provide a more accessible station and improved passenger facilities once the work is complete.

Sources

• Connecticut Department of Transportation substitute-busing notice
• MTA Metro-North Waterbury Branch schedule
• WFSB report on the first day of bus substitutions