Logan to Waltham and back

Hi

I arrive into Boston Logan on Saturday 9th May and need to get to the Hilton Garden Inn in Waltham where I will be staying for the week.

A couple of questions:

What is the most cost effective way to get between the airport and the hotel?

If I wanted to visit downtown Boston on Sunday for the day how would I achieve that in the most cost effective way and what are the things I should see?

The choice of hotel was picked for its location to the business I will be visiting all week as I am on a training course

Thanks in advance

Paul

Logan to Waltham and back

Hi, Paul

The most cost effective way would be to take the free shuttle outside your terminal at Logan over to the Airport subway stop. Buy a $2 ticket and take the subway to Bowdoin stop(last stop). From there, you will have to walk about 15 minutes to North Station. At North Station, purchase a $4.75 Commuter Rail ticket for the Fitchburg Line. Take rail to Waltham. From the train station in Waltham, you will either have to take a taxi to the hotel or check with the hotel, as they offer local area transportation. They may be able to pick you up at the train station. The most convienent way to reach North Station is to take a $20 taxi ride from the airport.

Coming into Boston on Sunday, you would rely on the same Commuter Rail. Take the rail from Waltham Station to North Station. But be aware that the Commuter Rail will be running on a Sunday schedule (far fewer trains will be running). I%26#39;ll leave you the MBTA website so you can browse through it and check schedules.

http://www.mbta.com/

Logan to Waltham and back

Thanks Will

Some buses service Waltham; but I%26#39;m not sure if any are close to your hotel.

www.mbta.com has a trip-planning service, so you should give that a try.

The MBTA%26#39;s trip planner suggests taking the Silver Line bus from the airport to South Station, taking the Red Line to Central Square in Cambridge, then taking bus route 70A to the hotel.

This is doable, but will take a while, and it sounds like a hassle if you%26#39;ve got luggage. I%26#39;d consider taking a taxi to the hotel if that%26#39;s within your budget.

The bus might work well for your Sunday day-trip, but be sure to check the schedules since the 70A does not run frequently. A better bet might be to take an inexpensive taxi ride to the commuter rail station (Brandeis/Roberts or downtown Waltham) and take the train into town. From the train terminal at North Station, you can easily walk over into the North End for an Italian meal, walk part of the historic Freedom Trail, or whatever suits you.

For Waltham, you really want a car. It%26#39;s almost impossible to get around the city without taking cabs. That includes dining and almost everything else. By the time you get through, you may as well have rented one. And driving into the city on Sunday is a breeze - straight on the Turnpike (I-90 east) and parking, for instance in the Boston Common Underground Garage, is only $11.

I agree with Alan you are better off renting a car from Logan,Saturday is a slow day and the Commuter Rail runs on the weekend schedule you will spend to much by cab and to much time.