Amtrak will increase the frequency of weekday train service to Mystic and Westerly, effective Monday, March 16.

The additional stops are seen as a potential boon for local tourism. "We find that more and more visitors are coming to Mystic by train, and the increases in stops will likely increase those visits. We expect to see more train travelers this season," said Peggy Roberts, president of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce.

"More train stops in Mystic will be great for tourism," she added.

The number of southbound trains stopping in Mystic will increase from two to six. The northbound number will increase from three to five. The new southbound stops will be at 7:30 a.m., 9:37 a.m., 12:38 p.m. and 8:08 p.m. The new northbound stops will be at 3:16 p.m. and 6:40 p.m.

In Westerly, the southbound trains stopping will increase from four to five. The northbound number will increase from three to six. The new southbound stop will be at 2:56 p.m. The northbound stops will be at 9:55 p.m., 1:55 p.m. and 8:44 p.m.

Amtrak public relations manager Jason Abrams said Wednesday that in fiscal year 2019, the Westerly station served 45,379 passengers and the Mystic station served 28,662. Abrams believes the new schedule will increase ridership but was unable to estimate the expected increase.

"Fiscal 2019 was a record year," Abrams of Amtrak ridership. "More and more people are using the trains and we hope to be as efficient as possible. When you give people more options to travel in Connecticut, you give people more access to other major stations; this schedule will benefit other stations."