Live free but dry: No NH liquor during Maine to Boston train – Boston News, Weather, Sports

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Passengers on an Amtrak train traveling from Maine to Boston will soon have to wait to purchase alcoholic beverages on the 35-mile route through New Hampshire.

The Amtrak Downeaster takes passengers 145 miles from Brunswick, Maine to Boston. The train includes a cafe car that serves alcohol.

However, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission has told the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority that the train is not allowed to serve alcohol while traveling in New Hampshire.

The change is set go into the books on March 20th, reported the Portland Press Herald. It stems from a New Hampshire law that bans the serving of alcohol that was not purchased in the state.

The company providing the train’s food and beverage service, Mansfield, Massachusetts-based NexDine Hospitality, buys its alcoholic beverages for the 145-mile run in Maine, the newspaper reported.

The train brings hundreds of thousands of passengers to Boston each year, and its advertisements sometimes play with the opportunity to relax with a drink during the ride. It’s a popular alternative for sports and concerts, being just steps from TD Garden, one of New England’s largest venues.

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