FREEPORT – The date for the long-awaited arrival of Amtrak Downeaster service to Freeport and Brunswick has been set for Nov. 1.

On Wednesday, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority ¬confirmed that the train service would kick off at the beginning of November, with two-round trips between Brunswick and Boston each day. The train currently makes five round trips between Boston and Portland daily, and two of those trips will be extended to Freeport and Brunswick.

According to a release from the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, the schedule was developed to provide convenient day trip options for both southbound and northbound travelers.

Southbound travelers will be able to depart Brunswick at 7:05 a.m. daily (7:20 a.m. in Freeport), arriving in Boston at 10:30 a.m., then catch a northbound train at 5 p.m. on weekdays returning to Freeport at 8:05 p.m. and Brunswick at 8:25 p.m.

Northbound travelers will be able to depart Boston at 9:05 a.m. on weekdays, arriving in Freeport at 12:10 p.m. and Brunswick at 12:25 p.m., then catch a 6:05 p.m. southbound train from Freeport, returning to Boston at 9:15 p.m. There will also be an early morning and late evening trip between Portland and Brunswick to reposition trains.

Weekend and holiday schedules will vary slightly, though there will still be two trips from Brunswick and Freeport on those days. Exact fares were not immediately available, but the authority said one-way fares between Brunswick and Boston will be less than $30 per person. Multi-ride passes will also be available.

Passengers can make reservations for travel to/from Freeport and Brunswick beginning on Oct. 1,

2012. For more information, visit AmtrakDowneaster.com. For more on this story, see the next issue of the Tri-Town Weekly.