Driving into Boston
Okay, honest opinions, please...How dreadful on a scale of 1 - 10 would it be to drive into Boston to South Station to park and catch an 8.15am train on a Wednesday in December?
I know I could drive to Alewife (from Burlington where we will be based) and catch the T from there, but it does seem to add hassle and extra time with transfers etc etc - unless, of course, this is offset by the traffic in Boston?!
1
Huh????????????? Big Dig? Looooong over. Roads are fine, It's the traffic.Traffic at that hour into Boston is ridiculous though !!!!!!!!!!!!! You could not pay me to drive in at that hour. ( I drive around Boston daily.) Bumper to bumper for hours and hours, starting quite early.
Here's a list of some nearby garages in case you decide to do it:
http://www.south-station.net/Station-Information/AreaParking.htm
If you're going to, I'd plan to arrive before 7, leaving sufficient time on the road.
From Burlington, I'd suggest driving into Wellington (plenty of parking at Station Landing, Alewife might be full), take the Orange line and transfer to Red.
2
Or you kidding me, every time I am in Boston for work, rush hour is hell. I hate driving there, now I taxi/train everywhere.4
I wouldn't want to drive into Boston during rush hour. Another alternative is to park at the Woburn/Anderson commuter rail station, which is in the next town over from Burlington, and take the train into Boston. Parking is cheap.5
Driving in from the north, on 1-93, can be brutal at that time of day. Coming in from the west, I-90, isn't any better. I'd probably allow 60-75 minutes...and it is possible to get lost in the last phase of getting to the parking garage.Do you have to go to South Station? Where are you traveling to? If you're heading south (Providence, NYC, etc.), you could drive down to the Amtrak Station on University Ave in Westwood. While driving on Rte 128 (I-95) also isn't a bargain at that time of day, it should be easier than going in to Boston. And parking should be cheaper in Westwood (I believe its 14 per day). Easy drive - get on Rte 128 (I-95) South in Burlington and get off in Westwood. The station is right off the highway.
6
As ever, thank you for all your advice :-)So, I think it is a pretty universal opinion that driving in would be a BAD idea.
We are catching the Amtrak to NYC from South Station. I think we will either drive to Alewife (hopefully will be able to find a parking space there) and get the T straight to S Station. The alternative will be driving to Woburn but that means transferring between North and South Stations on the T and involves a change of lines. My husband thinks the least changes or connections we have to make the better though.
7
If you're heading to xNYC from Burlington, why are you driving to xBoston?Amtrak runs from the north, too.
Are you planning to spend time in xBoston? Dropping off the car?
8
She's coming from Burlington, MA, not Burlington, VT.9
On a dreadfulness scale of 1-10, especially for a first-time driver in Boston, I'd give it 11.If you're going to catch an 8:15 train, the actual Red Line ride is 20-25 min, then you need to come upstairs from the Red Line to Amtrack, etc. so you need to catch the Red Line no later than 7:15. At that time there will be plenty of parking. You take your garage ticket, park your car, get your T tickets and head for South Station. When you get back, you pay your garage ticket (credit cards OK) at the foot of the escalators and put it in the slot as you exit the garage.
You will be all under one roof from garage to T at Alewife, and from T to Amtrack at South Station. Sleep on the train.
Edited by: psw
10
She's coming from Burlington, MA, not Burlington, VT.
Fair enough.
