The Bethel Metro-North Railroad station serves residents of Bethel, Connecticut via the Danbury Branch of the New Haven Line. The station is 62.2 miles to Grand Central Terminal and the average travel time between the two stations is 1 hour, 52 minutes regardless of through trains or transfers at Stamford or South Norwalk. Commuters make up the vast majority of riders using the station. The Connecticut Rail Commuter Council is a board created by the state to represent commuter's interests before Metro North and state officials.HistoryThe current station on Durant Avenue was built in 1996 and supersedes the previous station on Depot Place that had been used from 1899 to 1996, which itself replaced a station that was built by the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad in 1852 and was burned down in 1898. The old station is still standing, but trains no longer stop at it. That station house is now a bicycle shop.Platform and trackThis station has one five-car-long high-level side platform to the east of the track. The Danbury Branch has one track at this location. The station has 197 parking spaces, all owned by the state. Most of these are permit spaces, but there is also metered parking available. There is a bike rack next to the station.The station itself is open in the morning and afternoon and has a bakery, a seating area, and bathroom inside. It is not open at night. This station does not have a ticket machine. Tickets must be purchased from the conductor on the train or a weekly or monthly pass must be used.
