Peak Period Schedule Improvements

As part of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation's project to improve traffic capacity on the Spaulding Turnpike and rehabilitate the Little Bay Bridges, COAST and Wildcat Transit have been awarded grant funds to add service on public transit routes that will mitigate some of the traffic impact over the bridges between Dover and Newington. 

Schedules on route 2 and the Trolleys were reconfigured to make vast improvements for daily commuters. With more options and more consistent service throughout the day, we're making the switch from your car to the bus even easier! Get out of work a little late today? Don't worry, you won't have to wait an hour for the next bus! The peak commuter periods run from about 6 to 9AM  and about 3 to 6PM. During these periods, buses on route 2 and trolley will run every half-hour. Bus services continue to run through about 9PM daily.

The NHDOT has agreed to fund five years of the expanded peak-period bus service as part of the Newington-Dover construction project. COAST hopes to take advantage of the vastly improved bus service over that five years to build support for its continued operation past year five. If the ridership supports keeping the added service, COAST will need significant additional financial support from the State and Federal governments, and communities that are served by the bus routes.

Starting June 25th, 2012, COAST will run expanded weekday schedules on Route 2 and the Portsmouth-Pease Trolleys, with service every 30 minutes during morning and evening commutes, and every hour the rest of the day. 

If you live in or near Rochester, Somersworth, or Dover, consider taking Route 2 for your daily commute to Portsmouth! Click here for the new Route 2 schedule beginning 6/25/12.

Route 2 runs directly to Market Square. If you work at or near the Pease Tradeport, you may need to transfer to the Trolley system at the Fox Run Mall (see below).

If you live or work in Portsmouth, try the Portsmouth-Pease Trolley system. Click here for the new Trolley schedule beginning 6/25/12

Service to East Rochester

All of the additional runs of Route 2 gave COAST a unique opportunity to extend service into East Rochester on certain runs. The community of East Rochester has been requesting COAST to extend bus service for many years and we are excited to be able to do so. The service into East Rochester will be a direct extension of the Route 2 bus line.

The trips are scheduled around commuter hours which may work best for people working day-shifts anywhere between Rochester and Portsmouth.

Morning departures from East Rochester heading south to Portsmouth:

• 5:40AM arriving in Portsmouth at 7:09AM
• 6:40AM arriving in Portsmouth at 8:17AM
• 7:40AM arriving in Portsmouth at 9:17AM
• 8:10AM arriving in Portsmouth at 9:47AM

Evening departures from Portsmouth Market Square returning to East Rochester:

• 3:25PM arriving in East Rochester at 5PM
• 4:25PM arriving in East Rochester at 6PM
• 5:25PM arriving in East Rochester at 7PM
• 7:55PM arriving in East Rochester at 9:30PM 

Riders should remember that these runs include local service! Although the route goes all the way to Portsmouth, there are stops approximately every quarter-mile along the route through Rochester, Somersworth, Dover, and Newington. You can also make direct connections to every other COAST bus route, as well as Wildcat Transit routes 3 and 4.

The stops in East Rochester will be made in the same order whether the bus is heading southbound or returning northbound:

• Salmon Falls Rd. / Roulx Dr.
• Portland St. / Salmon Falls Rd.
• Portland St. (East Rochester School)
• Portland St. / Broadway
• Portland St. / Crowhill Rd.
• Main St. / Cocheco Ave.
• Main St. / Highland St.
• Highland St. (Rochester East Apartments)
• Highland St. (Shoreyville Plaza)

6/19/12 Please note: a change was made just prior to starting service, eliminating planned stops at Watson Dr. and an intermediate stop on Portland Ave between Salmon Falls and the East Rochester school. Because the intermediate stop was eliminated, the East Rochester School stop was moved further south on Portland Ave and is now located at the driveway nearest to the soccer fields. These changes were made after the printed schedule brochures were delivered. Please reference the above stop listing for the most current information. We apologize for any inconvenience.