Boston (Logan) to Providence, easiest/quickest

Neilw

H all,

I've to make my way from Boston airport to Providence on Friday affternoon, flight arrives into Boston at 1.30pm.

Has anyone any advice for getting there? I checked some bus/train times and they seem to take an age to do the journey and arrive in late that evening.

Thanks

Hazys

Only way i know would be to get the Silver line at the Airport to South Station and then from South Station get the commuter rail to Providence.

avalon68

Buses run fairly regularly to providence - cant remember exactly - but I think it was called peter pan bus company. Be careful around the bus station if you get in late in the evening. Bit rough. Though the last time I was there the police had opened an office in the station.....still very rough though!

Neilw

avalon68 wrote: »

Buses run fairly regularly to providence - cant remember exactly - but I think it was called peter pan bus company. Be careful around the bus station if you get in late in the evening. Bit rough. Though the last time I was there the police had opened an office in the station.....still very rough though!

I found that bus operator alright, looks like it doesn't leave till 4.30 and gets in at 7. Looong wait and travel time for the 50 or so miles.

Looks like I'm going to rent a car, it's only $36 on our corporate rate.

whitey1

Hazys wrote: »

Only way i know would be to get the Silver line at the Airport to South Station and then from South Station get the commuter rail to Providence.

All depends on how many bags you have,how tight you are for cash and how quickly you need to get there

Easiest way would be cab to South Station, then train to providence (either commuter rail or amtrak will get you there. Amtrak will be more expensive but quicker)

Theres a Peter Pan bus leaving at 1:30, but if you miss that one you will have to wait until 4:15 pm, and then you're going to get hammered with Rush hour traffic. (That could take closer to 3 hours than 2 hours)

https://tds.peterpanbus.com

Neilw

whitey1 wrote: »

All depends on how many bags you have,how tight you are for cash and how quickly you need to get there

Easiest way would be cab to South Station, then train to providence (either commuter rail or amtrak will get you there. Amtrak will be more expensive but quicker)

Theres a Peter Pan bus leaving at 1:30, but if you miss that one you will have to wait until 4:15 pm, and then you're going to get hammered with Rush hour traffic. (That could take closer to 3 hours than 2 hours)

https://tds.peterpanbus.com

My flight only gets in at 1.35. Think the rental car is the best option for me.

whitey1

Neilw wrote: »

My flight only gets in at 1.35. Think the rental car is the best option for me.

I think it is. Public transport to/from Logan is woefully inadequate.

Cab and train is not a bad option either.

i haven't rented a car from Logan in ages, but i think it is still remote...ie you need to wait for the bus to come and pick you and drive you a mile or so from the terminal.

Neilw

whitey1 wrote: »

I think it is. Public transport to/from Logan is woefully inadequate.

Cab and train is not a bad option either.

i haven't rented a car from Logan in ages, but i think it is still remote...ie you need to wait for the bus to come and pick you and drive you a mile or so from the terminal.

Sounds like a similar setup to LAX, did that a few times during the summer.
I've to head back to Boston the following day, so the car would make it a lot easier in the long run.

ProudDUB

whitey1 wrote: »

I think it is. Public transport to/from Logan is woefully inadequate.

Cab and train is not a bad option either.

i haven't rented a car from Logan in ages, but i think it is still remote...ie you need to wait for the bus to come and pick you and drive you a mile or so from the terminal.

It really is terrible, surprisingly so considering that Logan is the main international airport in the region. A couple of years, I wanted to get to up to Portland, Maine & I had no choice but to rent a car, if I didn't want the trip on public transport to take a year and a half.

Anyway yeah, the car rental companies at Logan, are all off site. You get the shuttle bus to them. These days, it's hard to find a major international airport that doesn't have a similar set up. Boston's set up is fine. The shuttle buses are frequent and and the trip doesn't take that long. The drive from Logan to the interstate? Now THAT is a different story ! :eek:

Neilw

ProudDUB wrote: »

It really is terrible, surprisingly so considering that Logan is the main international airport in the region. A couple of years, I wanted to get to up to Portland, Maine & I had no choice but to rent a car, if I didn't want the trip on public transport to take a year and a half.

Anyway yeah, the car rental companies at Logan, are all off site. You get the shuttle bus to them. It's hard to find a major international airport that doesn't have a similar set up these days. Boston's set up is fine. The shuttle buses are frequent and and the trip doesn't take that long. The drive from Logan to the interstate? Now THAT is a different story ! :eek:

Fill me in in the drive, doesn't sound fun lol. I've sat nav I can bring too.

ProudDUB

Oops. I've just realized that Rhode Island is south of the airport. (Geography was never my strong point. ) I've only ever driven north towards New Hampshire/Maine.

Logan isn't anywhere near the interstate highways. To get to the northbound interstates, you have to drive thru about 15 miles of Naas Rd/Newlands Cross on All Ireland Final Day type traffic. It's all very well sign posted, but you really have to have your wits about you. No idea if the southbound route is as bad. Perhaps some other posters can say. Sorry. Hope I haven't alarmed you now.

Dave1442397

Neilw wrote: »

Fill me in in the drive, doesn't sound fun lol. I've sat nav I can bring too.

I don't think the southbound route is too bad. You head out of the airport and get on Rt 1 South - it's also named I-93 once you get down a bit. You eventually run right into I-95, and just remember to head South on 95.

I haven't done the drive from the airport, but I did drive from Needham to Providence and it was an easy run.

.danindudlin

Might be a while since some of you were in Boston ....

There is a new central "Rental Car Center" in the airport for all car rentals. Just grab the central bus loop (#33 or #55) - Given that you're leaving from Terminal E it will only be two stops and under 5 mins.

I'd advise grabbing a toll pass from the rental agency unless you have some cash to hand but the toll pass is quicker (Enterprise charge about $3 a day).

Access to the tunnels and onto Providence is right by the airport and pretty well sign posted. It will bring you to I90 west and then onto I93 south - with quiet traffic it should get you all the way there in under an hour.

braddun

MBTA trains run to Providence Station from Back Bay Station, about every 45 minutes during rush hour, but only every 2 hours the rest of the day.

Bonanza bus South Station in Boston.

whitey1

ProudDUB wrote: »

Oops. I've just realized that Rhode Island is south of the airport. (Geography was never my strong point. ) I've only ever driven north towards New Hampshire/Maine.

Logan isn't anywhere near the interstate highways. To get to the northbound interstates, you have to drive thru about 15 miles of Naas Rd/Newlands Cross on All Ireland Final Day type traffic. It's all very well sign posted, but you really have to have your wits about you. No idea if the southbound route is as bad. Perhaps some other posters can say. Sorry. Hope I haven't alarmed you now.

if you know where you're going its actually pretty easy...north or south..the car rental is the part i don't know...last time i dis it it was about 20 mins between waiting and ferrying to the depot

personally...and i don't know your situation..id take a cab to s station then grab the train...relax...have a couple of brews..take it easy

Neilw

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions guys

I ended up booking a car for 24hrs, forgot I had some hertz reward points and ended up getting a fullsize car for $11 :cool: