Maine Transportation
Maine Guide
Maine Transportation
One of the biggest tourists attracting state in USA is Maine. It has the best beaches on the east coast and some scenic drives which can be enjoyed thoroughly. To support this Maine has also developed an amazing resource for itself i.e. its transportation facilities. There are ample transportation facilities which helps tourist who are new to Maine. The destinations which you would like to visit become very easy if the place has good transportation system. Maine has over the period of time invested a lot of money in improving its transportation system. The airports have world class infrastructure and the roads are the smoothest you can travel on.
Road Transportation in Maine
There are many bus routes which will help you find your destination easily. Intercity buses will help you travel in and around the city comfortably. You can also travel fixed route buses which will have fixed destination.These are cheaper means of transport and you may have to walk or take a cab to go to the nearest bus stop. Demand response buses are more of a door-to-door service. You have to reserve your seats beforehand so that you can be picked up from your door. If you want to travel around Maine in one single bus instead of changing too many buses you can as well go for charter buses. They are economical and will take you around all the main attractions of Maine State.
If you are a person who loves to drive his way and enjoy the trivial aspects of the country side, you can always rent a car to experience the beautiful highways of Maine. You get the permit to enter certain roads at the entry itself. North Maine Woods is 3.5 million acres of forest land where most of the roads will merge. The greenery of the forest and the beautiful mountain passes will be well appreciated by the visitors. You are provided with a road transportation map which will tell you what kind of road you will be travelling.
Maine Department of Transportation
Organization
- Bureau of Planning
- Bureau of Maintenance and Operations
- Office of Passenger Transportation
- Office of Freight Transportation
- Office of Communications
- Bureau of Project Development
- Capital Resource Management
- Transportation Service Center
- Environmental Office
- Office of Legal Services and Internal Audit
- Safety Office
- Contract Procurement Office
- Office of Engineering Quality and Oversight
Air Transport
One doesn’t have to worry if you have less time for travelling and more cities to visit. The air transport is available in all the cities and the frequency of flights is high. Most of the cities are interconnected with flights. Boston’s Logan airport, Portland International airport, Bangor International airport, Northern Maine Regional Airport, Augusta airport are some of the most popular airports in Maine.
Water Transportation in Maine
Being a coastal state, water transportation becomes a necessity. The fisher men and other industrial purposes depend a lot on the sea. For tourist to visit the small islands in the sea ferry services are provided. Bar Harbor Ferry, Cranberry Ferry, East Coast Ferry, Frenchboro Ferry are some of the ferry services which allow you to travel on sea. You have to find out the best service once you land on the coast itself and also the most economical. Every ferry service has a lot of interconnections with other harbors which will help you travel.
Railway Transportation in Maine
Two major railways in Maine are Maine Eastern Railroad and Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes railroad. Maine Eastern Railroad is one of the major touring transportation by which you can travel around places. As Europeans are the first to settle in this state, you will find the railroads more like the British standards. But in the recent past Maine has invested a lot in developing these railroads to 21st century standards making railway travelling more comfortable.
List of Maine Railroads
Common Freight Carriers in Maine
- Eastern Maine Railway (EMRY)
- Maine Eastern Railroad (MERR)
- Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway (MMA)
- New Hampshire Northcoast Corporation (NHN)
- Pan Am Railways through subsidiary Springfield Terminal Railway (ST)
- St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad (SLR)
- Turners Island, LLC (TI)
Passenger Carriers in Maine
- Amtrak (AMTK)
- Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railway
- Boothbay Railway Village
- Downeast Scenic Railroad (DSRX)
- Maine Eastern Railroad
- Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum
- Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad
- Seashore Trolley Museum
- Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway
Defunct Railroads in Maine
| Name | Mark | System | From | To | Successor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Androscoggin Railroad | MEC | 1848 | 1911 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad | MEC | 1845 | 1862 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Aroostook Northern Railroad | BAR | 1897 | 1901 | Bangor and Aroostook Railroad | |
| Aroostook River Railroad | CP | 1873 | 1989 | N/A | |
| Aroostook Valley Railroad | AVL | 1902 | 1996 | N/A | |
| Atlantic and North-West Railway | CP | 1886 | 1994 | Canadian American Railroad | |
| Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad | CN | 1845 | 1960 | Canadian National Railway | |
| Bangor and Aroostook Railroad | BAR | BAR | 1891 | 2003 | Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway |
| Bangor and Katahdin Iron Works Railway | BAR | 1881 | 1901 | Bangor and Aroostook Railroad | |
| Bangor, Oldtown and Milford Railroad | MEC | 1855 | 1870 | European and North American Railway | |
| Bangor and Orono Railroad | MEC | 1847 | 1850 | Penobscot Railroad | |
| Bangor and Piscataquis Railroad | BAR | 1861 | 1899 | Bangor and Aroostook Railroad | |
| Bangor and Piscataquis Canal and Railroad Company | MEC | 1833 | 1855 | Bangor, Oldtown and Milford Railroad | |
| Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad | BML | MEC | 1868 | 2001 | N/A |
| Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railway | MEC | 1867 | 1868 | Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad | |
| Boston and Maine Corporation | BM | B&M | 1963 | ||
| Boston and Maine Railroad | B&M, BM | B&M | 1844 | 1964 | Boston and Maine Corporation |
| Bridgton and Harrison Railway | 1927 | 1941 | N/A | ||
| Bridgton and Saco River Railroad | MEC | 1881 | 1930 | Bridgton and Harrison Railway | |
| Buckfield Branch Railroad | MEC | 1847 | 1863 | Portland and Oxford Central Railroad | |
| Bucksport and Bangor Railroad | MEC | 1873 | 1882 | Eastern Maine Railway | |
| Calais Railroad | MEC | 1838 | 1849 | Calais and Baring Railroad | |
| Calais Railway | MEC | 1832 | 1838 | Calais Railroad | |
| Calais and Baring Railroad | MEC | 1849 | 1870 | St. Croix and Penobscot Railroad | |
| Canadian American Railroad | CDAC | 1994 | 2003 | Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway | |
| Canadian Atlantic Railway | CP | 1988 | 1994 | Canadian American Railroad, Eastern Maine Railway | |
| Canadian National Railway | CN | CN | 1923 | 1989 | St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad |
| Canadian Pacific Railway | CP | CP | 1886 | 1988 | Canadian Atlantic Railway |
| Consolidated European and North American Railway | MEC | 1872 | 1880 | European and North American Railway | |
| Dexter and Newport Railroad | MEC | 1853 | 1939 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Dexter and Piscataquis Railroad | MEC | 1888 | 1939 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Eastern Railroad | B&M | 1847 | 1890 | Boston and Maine Railroad | |
| Eastern Maine Railway | MEC | 1882 | 1936 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| European and North American Railway | MEC | 1880 | 1955 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| European and North American Railway | MEC | 1850 | 1872 | Consolidated European and North American Railway | |
| Eustis Railroad | MEC | 1903 | 1911 | Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad | |
| Fish River Railroad | BAR | 1901 | 1903 | Bangor and Aroostook Railroad | |
| Franklin and Megantic Railroad | MEC | 1884 | 1897 | Franklin and Megantic Railway | |
| Franklin and Megantic Railway | MEC | 1897 | 1908 | Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad | |
| Franklin, Somerset and Kennebec Railway | 1897 | 1901 | Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railroad | ||
| Georges Valley Railroad | 1889 | 1919 | Knox Railroad | ||
| Grand Trunk Railway | GT | CN | 1853 | 1923 | Canadian National Railway |
| Great Falls and South Berwick Branch Railroad | B&M | 1841 | 1865 | Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad | |
| Houlton Branch Railroad | CP | 1867 | 1989 | N/A | |
| International Railway of Maine | CP | 1881 | 1886 | Atlantic and North-West Railway | |
| Kennebec Central Railroad | 1889 | 1929 | N/A | ||
| Kennebec and Portland Railroad | MEC | 1836 | 1864 | Portland and Kennebec Railroad | |
| Kennebec Valley Railroad | MEC | 1903 | 1904 | Somerset Railway | |
| Kennebec and Wiscasset Railroad | 1854 | 1873 | Wiscasset and Moosehead Lake Railroad | ||
| Kennebunk and Kennebunkport Railroad | B&M | 1882 | 1919 | Boston and Maine Railroad | |
| Kingfield and Dead River Railroad | MEC | 1893 | 1897 | Kingfield and Dead River Railway | |
| Kingfield and Dead River Railway | MEC | 1897 | 1908 | Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad | |
| Knox Railroad | 1919 | 1932 | N/A | ||
| Knox and Lincoln Railroad | MEC | 1864 | 1890 | Penobscot Shore Line Railroad | |
| Knox and Lincoln Railway | MEC | 1891 | 1901 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Leeds and Farmington Railroad | MEC | 1865 | 1874 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Lewiston and Auburn Railroad | CN | 1872 | |||
| Lewy's Island Railroad | MEC | 1854 | 1870 | St. Croix and Penobscot Railroad | |
| Lime Rock Railroad | 1864 | 1942 | N/A | ||
| Machiasport Railroad | 1845 | 1872 | Whitneyville and Machiasport Railroad | ||
| Madrid Railroad | MEC | 1902 | 1908 | Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad | |
| Maine Central Railroad | MEC | MEC | 1862 | ||
| Maine Coast Railroad | MC | 1990 | 2000 | Safe Handling Rail, Inc. | |
| Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts Railroad | B&M | 1836 | 1844 | Boston and Maine Railroad | |
| Maine Shore Line Railroad | MEC | 1881 | 1888 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Monson Railroad | 1885 | 1943 | N/A | ||
| Monson and Athens Railroad | 1881 | 1885 | Monson Railroad | ||
| New Brunswick Railway | CP | 1878 | 1890 | Canadian Pacific Railway | |
| New Brunswick and Canada Railway | CP | 1870 | 1882 | New Brunswick Railway | |
| Northern Maine Seaport Railroad | BAR | 1904 | 1919 | Bangor and Aroostook Railroad | |
| Norway Branch Railroad | CN | 1879 | |||
| Oldtown and Lincoln Railroad | MEC | 1852 | 1864 | European and North American Railway | |
| Orchard Beach Railroad | B&M | 1876 | 1893 | Boston and Maine Railroad | |
| Palmer and Machiasport Railroad | 1842 | 1845 | Machiasport Railroad | ||
| Patten and Sherman Railroad | BAR | 1895 | 1901 | Bangor and Aroostook Railroad | |
| Penobscot Railroad | MEC | 1853 | 1863 | European and North American Railway | |
| Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad | MEC | 1845 | 1862 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Penobscot and Lake Megantic Railroad | CP | 1871 | 1881 | International Railway of Maine | |
| Penobscot, Lincoln and Kennebec Railroad | MEC | 1849 | 1864 | Knox and Lincoln Railroad | |
| Penobscot Shore Line Railroad | MEC | 1889 | 1891 | Knox and Lincoln Railway | |
| Penobscot and Union River Railroad | MEC | 1870 | 1873 | Bucksport and Bangor Railroad | |
| Phillips and Rangeley Railroad | MEC | 1889 | 1908 | Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad | |
| Portland and Kennebec Railroad | MEC | 1862 | 1874 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad | MEC | 1867 | 1887 | Portland and Ogdensburg Railway | |
| Portland and Ogdensburg Railway | MEC | 1886 | 1943 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Portland and Oxford Central Railroad | MEC | 1857 | 1896 | Portland and Rumford Falls Railway | |
| Portland and Rochester Railroad | B&M | 1864 | 1900 | Boston and Maine Railroad | |
| Portland and Rumford Falls Railroad | MEC | 1907 | 1946 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Portland and Rumford Falls Railway | MEC | 1890 | 1946 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Portland, Saco and Portsmouth Railroad | B&M | 1837 | 1900 | Boston and Maine Railroad | |
| Portland Terminal Company | PTM | MEC | 1911 | ||
| Portland Union Railway Station Company | MEC | 1887 | 1911 | Portland Terminal Company | |
| Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad | B&M | 1865 | 1890 | Boston and Maine Railroad | |
| Rangeley Lakes and Megantic Railroad | MEC | 1909 | 1914 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Rockport Railroad | 1886 | 1896 | N/A | ||
| Rumford Falls and Buckfield Railroad | MEC | 1874 | 1896 | Portland and Rumford Falls Railway | |
| Rumford Falls and Rangeley Lakes Railroad | MEC | 1894 | 1936 | N/A | |
| Safe Handling Rail, Inc. | 2000 | 2003 | Maine Eastern Railroad | ||
| St. Croix and Penobscot Railroad | MEC | 1870 | 1899 | Washington County Railroad | |
| Sandy River Railroad | MEC | 1879 | 1908 | Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad | |
| Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad | MEC | 1908 | 1935 | N/A | |
| Sanford and Eastern Railroad | 1949 | 1961 | N/A | ||
| Schoodic Stream Railroad | BAR | 1906 | 1907 | Bangor and Aroostook Railroad | |
| Sebasticook and Moosehead Railroad | MEC | 1886 | 1910 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Somerset Railroad | MEC | 1860 | 1883 | Somerset Railway | |
| Somerset Railway | MEC | 1904 | 1911 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Somerset Railway | MEC | 1883 | 1904 | Kennebec Valley Railroad | |
| Somerset and Kennebec Railroad | MEC | 1848 | 1874 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Van Buren Bridge Company | VB | BAR | 1913 | 2003 | Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway |
| Washington County Railroad | MEC | 1893 | 1903 | Washington County Railway | |
| Washington County Railway | MEC | 1903 | 1911 | Maine Central Railroad | |
| Waterville and Wiscasset Railroad | 1895 | 1901 | Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railroad | ||
| Whitneyville and Machiasport Railroad | 1872 | 1892 | N/A | ||
| Wiscasset and Moosehead Lake Railroad | 1873 | 1876 | Wiscasset and Quebec Railroad | ||
| Wiscasset and Quebec Railroad | 1876 | 1901 | Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railroad | ||
| Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railroad | 1901 | 1906 | Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway | ||
| Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway | 1907 | 1933 | N/A | ||
| York and Cumberland Railroad | B&M | 1846 | 1865 | Portland and Rochester Railroad | |
| York Harbor and Beach Railroad | B&M | 1883 | 1927 | N/A |
Private Carriers in Maine
- Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad
- Wild River Railroad
Passenger Carriers in Maine
- Acadian Railway
- Green Mountain Cog Railway
Electric in Maine
- Androscoggin Electric Company
- Aroostook Valley Railroad (AVL)
- Atlantic Shore Railway
- Atlantic Shore Line Railway
- Auburn, Mechanic Falls and Norway Street Railway
- Auburn and Turner Railroad
- Augusta, Hallowell and Gardiner Railroad
- Augusta and Waterville Railway
- Augusta, Winthrop and Gardiner Railway
- Bangor Railway and Electric Company
- Bangor, Hampden and Winterport Railway
- Bangor and Northern Railroad
- Bangor, Orono and Old Town Railway
- Bangor Street Railway
- Bath Street Railway
- Benton and Fairfield Railway
- Biddeford and Saco Railroad
- Brunswick Electric Railroad
- Brunswick and Yarmouth Street Railway
- Calais Street Railway
- Camden and Rockport Street Railroad
- Cumberland County Power and Light Company
- Eliot Bridge Company
- Fairfield and Shawmut Railway
- Hampden and Winterport Railway
- Hampden and Winterport Electric Railway and Light Company
- Kittery and Eliot Street Railway
- Lewiston and Auburn Horse Railroad
- Lewiston, Augusta and Waterville Street Railway
- Lewiston, Brunswick and Bath Street Railway
- Lewiston, Winthrop and Augusta Street Railway
- Mousam River Railroad
- Norway and Paris Street Railway
- Old Town Electric Company
- Old Town, Orono and Veazie Railway
- Old Town Street Railway
- Portland Railroad
- Portland and Brunswick Street Railway
- Portland, Gray and Lewiston Railroad
- Portland–Lewiston Interurban Railroad
- Portsmouth, Dover and York Street Railway
- Portsmouth, Kittery and York Street Railway
- Public Works Company
- Rockland, South Thomaston and Owls Head Railway
- Rockland, South Thomaston and St. George Street Railway
- Rockland Street Railway
- Rockland, Thomaston and Camden Street Railway
- Sanford and Cape Porpoise Railway
- Skowhegan and Norridgewock Railway and Power Company
- Somerset Traction Company
- Thomaston Street Railway
- Waterville and Fairfield Railroad
- Waterville and Fairfield Railway and Light Company
- Waterville, Fairfield and Oakland Railway
- Waterville and Oakland Street Railway
Not Completed
- Portland and Rutland Railroad
- Portland, Rutland, Oswego and Chicago Railroad
