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Boston airport stopover 5 hours

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  • 11-10-2016 4:29pm
    #1
    vienne86
    Registered Users Posts: 17,075 ✭✭✭✭


    I am travelling to Nova Scotia via Boston in about two weeks' time and have a stopover in Boston of 5 hours 25 minutes. I had this stopover in once direction before and found Boston airport has damn all in it. Does anyone know if it is feasible to go downtown in Boston for a bite to eat in that timeframe? If so, how is the best way to do it, bearing in mind that Boston traffic can be awful? Our flight out to Nova Scotia is at 1910.


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    #2
    Macstuff
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭Macstuff


    I have not been in Boston airport in about 15 years but agree that there's not a lot to do there.

    However, I don't think that you will have time for a trip downtown.
    Remember you have 5.25 minutes from the time that you land to the time that you take off. In that period you will have to wait for the flight to park at the arrival gate, then pass through immigration and pick up your luggage. Depending on how busy the airport is that could take about 1.5 hours.
    You then have to clear customs and submit your luggage for the next flight. That will take another hour. Transiting via the US is a real pain in the ass - I avoid it whenever I can.
    Even if you get a boarding pass in Dublin/Shannon before leaving Ireland, you cannot tag your luggage to your final destination.
    Once you have done all that you will only have 3 hours which is definitely not enough time to visit downtown Boston.
    I'd just plan everything possible to keep as busy as possible on the lay over ie find a place for a nice meal, connect to the WiFi etc.


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    #3
    vienne86
    Registered Users Posts: 17,075 ✭✭✭✭vienne86


    Macstuff wrote: »
    I have not been in Boston airport in about 15 years but agree that there's not a lot to do there.

    However, I don't think that you will have time for a trip downtown.
    Remember you have 5.25 minutes from the time that you land to the time that you take off. In that period you will have to wait for the flight to park at the arrival gate, then pass through immigration and pick up your luggage. Depending on how busy the airport is that could take about 1.5 hours.
    You then have to clear customs and submit your luggage for the next flight. That will take another hour. Transiting via the US is a real pain in the ass - I avoid it whenever I can.
    Even if you get a boarding pass in Dublin/Shannon before leaving Ireland, you cannot tag your luggage to your final destination.
    Once you have done all that you will only have 3 hours which is definitely not enough time to visit downtown Boston.
    I'd just plan everything possible to keep as busy as possible on the lay over ie find a place for a nice meal, connect to the WiFi etc.

    Thanks for that. We won't have immigration because of the pre-clearance in Dublin, but I'm not sure about the bag - I know when travelling via Toronto you still have to collect your bag, but you drop it again close by - I was hoping for the same in Boston, but maybe it won't be that handy.


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    #4
    January
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,862 ✭✭✭✭January


    Your bag will go straight through to your final destination as you do customs over here too. I still wouldn't chance it.


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    #5
    endofrainbow
    Registered Users Posts: 2,648 ✭✭✭endofrainbow


    are you on one ticket or two, this would determine whether or not you would pick up bags


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    #6
    Fr Tod Umptious
    Registered Users Posts: 15,137 ✭✭✭✭Fr Tod Umptious


    Hi Op
    If you are pre cleared for immigration and customs then its doable
    If not then its not.

    But the quickest way into town would be to take a water shuttle rather than a taxi or train/bus.

    It will drop you around Rowe's Warf or Long Warf and then its a short stroll to Fanuile Hall/Quincy Market where you could eat or pick up a souvenir or something.

    There are a few companies running them so Google it as see which fit your schedule etc.


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    #7
    vienne86
    Registered Users Posts: 17,075 ✭✭✭✭vienne86


    endofrainbow wrote: »
    are you on one ticket or two, this would determine whether or not you would pick up bags
    We booked all the way through on AerLingus.com.


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    #8
    vienne86
    Registered Users Posts: 17,075 ✭✭✭✭vienne86


    Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »
    Hi Op
    If you are pre cleared for immigration and customs then its doable
    If not then its not.

    But the quickest way into town would be to take a water shuttle rather than a taxi or train/bus.

    It will drop you around Rowe's Warf or Long Warf and then its a short stroll to Fanuile Hall/Quincy Market where you could eat or pick up a souvenir or something.

    There are a few companies running them so Google it as see which fit your schedule etc.

    Cool! We should get pre cleared in Dublin, so if we are not delayed, we'll give it a go. Thanks for your help.


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