FALL RIVER, Mass. — For the first time in more than 60 years, commuters from Fall River, New Bedford, and the surrounding areas can travel by train into the heart of downtown Boston.

South Coast Rail, a project that took more than 40 years and some $1 billion to complete, is officially up and running.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail got approval from the Federal Railroad Administration late last week to start the service, and the first train left New Bedford at 4:27 a.m. Monday, arriving in Boston just after the clock struck 6.

The first departure out of the newly opened Fall River Depot pulled out at 5:05 a.m. on the dot and arrived in Boston just a tad later than scheduled, at about 6:35 a.m.

Fall River’s inaugural commuter train was filled with a mix of political dignitaries, diehard public transit enthusiasts, and classically grumpy Massachusetts commuters who simply wanted everybody to get out of the way so they could get to work.

Rep. Carole Fiola, D-Fall River, was on that first train out of Fall River, although she only rode one stop before departing at Freetown to attend the state’s press conference about the inaugural day of South Coast Rail service. Fiola led a cheer as the train left Fall River Depot and a round of applause for the engineer as he came by to distribute tickets.

Hassan, who didn’t want to give his last name, said he traveled from New York City to be on hand for South Coast Rail’s opening day.

“They have been talking about South Coast Rail for like 40 or 50 years — longer than my lifetime,” he said. “We have a problem in the United States in general where we keep talking about transit projects and they don’t necessarily get built, but this is an example to the contrary. We talked about a transit project, it got built, and it is absolutely going to change connectivity throughout southeastern Massachusetts, and that’s really exciting.”

Rides from Fall River and New Bedford to Boston’s South Station will be free for the first week of service and will continue to be free on weekends through April. Parking will also be free at both stations during the same time periods.

Speaking to Boston NPR station WBUR earlier this week, Fall River resident Enrique Montero said travel between the two cities is difficult for people without a vehicle. “Public transportation to Boston will be really helpful,” said Montero, adding that the new commuter rail line will allow him to pursue job opportunities in Boston.

A one-way ride to Boston during the week will cost $12.25, and parking in either Fall River or New Bedford will cost $4 a day on weekdays and $2 a day on weekends and holidays. As with all MBTA commuter rail lines, passengers can buy an all-weekend pass every weekend, which offers unlimited rides for only $10.  Seniors, people with disabilities, and others eligible for reduced MBTA fare based on their incomes will be charged up to $6 per ride.

While the South Coast Rail commuter line is part of Massachusetts’ aptly named Mass Transit infrastructure and will impact the state’s South Coast region, it will also be a boon for many Rhode Island residents, and in particular residents of Rhode Island’s Newport and Bristol counties, which border Bristol County, Mass.

Previously, Rhode Islanders only had the Providence/Stoughton rail line available to them, and had to choose whether to drive to South County to park at the Kingston station, or drive to Providence, where parking is limited and more expensive, and take the commuter rail from there.

The shorter drive and cheaper parking offered at Fall River Depot might be attractive to Aquidneck Island or Bristol and Warren residents wanting to go to Boston — this reporter’s drive from Warren to Fall River Depot was 15 minutes, compared to driving to Providence.

But the Providence station will be an easier choice for East Bay residents heading to Boston who rely solely on public transit; the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority 60 line brings riders from Newport and every East Bay town north of it into Providence’s Kennedy Plaza, which is just a short walk away from the Providence train station. RIPTA service to Fall River exists but is quite limited.

The MBTA’s former Middleborough/Lakeville commuter rail line has been altered and rebranded as the Fall River/New Bedford line, and South Coast Rail adds five new stations to the line, including East Taunton and Freetown, and at the end of forking terminal branches which conclude in Fall River and New Bedford.

Weekday trains will run every 70 minutes or so, with more service scheduled around rush hours. Weekend trains will run every two hours. All of the New Bedford trains go all the way to South Station in Boston, and some of the Fall River trains go directly to Boston as well.

Some of the Fall River trains terminate much earlier, at East Taunton. But rail officials said the schedule is constructed so that passengers on the Fall River trains which terminate at East Taunton rather than at Boston’s South Station should have time to transfer onto the next New Bedford train at East Taunton and continue on to Boston for no additional charge.

To see the full spring schedule, click here.