Walking down Church Street, I noticed that the old railroad station had been “modernized” with some aluminum awnings. It seemed like overkill since the entire station is designed to protect passengers from the elements. A sign conveniently instructed me to “Look”, so I sat down to do just that. The new SunRail commuter train has begun its service and the train is completely free from May 1st to May 16th. I need to get on board to sketch. The free service is
designed to allow passengers to experience the comfort and ease of
commuting on SunRail, and become familiar with SunRail schedules and
cost-savings prior to purchasing or activating more than 12,000 pre-sold
passes on May 19.
During the free trial period, SunRail ambassadors will be available at
each station and on board trains to answer any questions that SunRail
riders might have. The Ambassadors will also be available on May 19, and
for several weeks thereafter, to assist customers with pass purchases
at Ticket Vending Machines located on each platform, and to remind
riders to “Tap On” at ticket validators before boarding SunRail, and to
“Tap Off” at their final destination. The SunRail Ambassadors will be
easy to spot in black polo shirts with the bright SunRail logo, and black
pants.
The SunRail train runs from DeBary in the North, to Sand Lake Road in the South. There are 12 stations in all. SunRail trains will arrive at each station every 30 minutes during peak
service times when traffic on the roads is typically at its worst.
During non-peak periods, trains will operate every 2 hours. Initially,
there will be no service on the weekends. If you’re looking for a free adventure in the next week, then hop on board!