4 ms·

I wonder what the difference is in potentially likely riders? The only time I’ve used Amtrak in the last 5 years was to get to Boston, and I wanted to be in the

I wonder what the difference is in potentially likely riders? The only time I’ve used Amtrak in the last 5 years was to get to Boston, and I wanted to be in the city. I used Acela Express and it worked great. Faster trains for major city to major city, but slower trains to reach the suburbs?

ghaff 5y ago
Route 128 Station is very popular and much more convenient than South Station for anyone from at least the western or southern suburbs. Anecdotally, it feels like about the same number of people get on there as get on in Boston. There is a commuter rail network into Boston. But many of the lines go to a different train station. It definitely wouldn't make sense for me. At that point I might as well just drive to Manhattan (which would actually be faster anyway) or maybe New Haven, where I could pick up a MetroNorth commuter rail. (Have been thinking of trying the latter anyway next time.)
paleotrope 5y ago
I just read this today. https://www.governing.com/now/taking-the-commuter-out-of-americas-rail-systems https://www.governing.com/now/taking-the-commuter-out-of-ame... The primary problem in Boston (from my perspective and I expert alot of other people) is the schedule of the commuter rails is terrible. They just make zero sense. You can take a train into Boston between 6-10am and a train out of Boston between 4 and 7pm, otherwise, you have to wait hours for a train.
- ghaff 5y ago
  Hours is a bit of an exaggeration (probably more like 90 minutes on my line) but that's basically true. And you have to tack on buffer if you need to take the subway to the train station. I'll take commuter rail by preference to go into the city but only if I'm basically going in and out at normal commuting hours. I won't take it if I'm going in for an evening event or even, generally, if I have an evening event following something in the daytime. But they're basically designed for commuters (hence the name) and, in my experience, are pretty empty the rest of the time. To your basic point, I don't think I've ever used commuter rail to connect to another mode of transportation whether train or plane. Just too much overhead.

ghaff 5y ago

Route 128 Station is very popular and much more convenient than South Station for anyone from at least the western or southern suburbs. Anecdotally, it feels like about the same number of people get on there as get on in Boston. There is a commuter rail network into Boston. But many of the lines go to a different train station. It definitely wouldn't make sense for me. At that point I might as well just drive to Manhattan (which would actually be faster anyway) or maybe New Haven, where I could pick up a MetroNorth commuter rail. (Have been thinking of trying the latter anyway next time.)

paleotrope 5y ago

I just read this today. https://www.governing.com/now/taking-the-commuter-out-of-americas-rail-systems https://www.governing.com/now/taking-the-commuter-out-of-ame... The primary problem in Boston (from my perspective and I expert alot of other people) is the schedule of the commuter rails is terrible. They just make zero sense. You can take a train into Boston between 6-10am and a train out of Boston between 4 and 7pm, otherwise, you have to wait hours for a train.

ghaff 5y ago
Hours is a bit of an exaggeration (probably more like 90 minutes on my line) but that's basically true. And you have to tack on buffer if you need to take the subway to the train station. I'll take commuter rail by preference to go into the city but only if I'm basically going in and out at normal commuting hours. I won't take it if I'm going in for an evening event or even, generally, if I have an evening event following something in the daytime. But they're basically designed for commuters (hence the name) and, in my experience, are pretty empty the rest of the time. To your basic point, I don't think I've ever used commuter rail to connect to another mode of transportation whether train or plane. Just too much overhead.