River/New Bedford MBTA Commuter Rail line began service Monday morning, connecting southeast Massachusetts communities to Boston for the first time in 65 years. The rail — which goes to Taunton, New Bedford,

The MBTA’s South Coast rail begins service Monday, shuttling riders from Boston’s South Station to Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford. Those three communities were the only “major cities” within 50 miles of Boston that were not serviced by the Commuter Rail — until Monday.

TAUNTON — For the first time in more than a half century, on Monday, residents of Massachusetts’ South Coast communities, including Fall River and New Bedford, began hopping on a commuter rail train to be whisked directly into Boston.