Portland, ME

[Chris J.]

While I'm Boston on my upcoming trip, I'm thinking of taking a trip to Portland on the Downeaster.

I'm currently thinking of either the 9.05am from Boston North and the 8.10pm from Portland, or doing it over two 2 days, staying in Portland. The schedule looks geared towards commuters travelling into Boston (and I guess people going for the evening) which doesn't give a whole load of options, and I'd like at least one trip to be in the daylight so I can look out of the window.

I could also look at getting the 8am train from Portland on the day I take the Lake Shore back to Chicago. That should get me into Boston North at 10.25, which gives me just over 1.5hrs to get to Boston South to take the LSL. On paper it would all work fine, but would i more sensible not to risk a missed connection?

Any recomendations of things to do in Portland? I read theres a brewery that one can visit (sounds good to me).

Cheers

Chris

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Amtrak has given me 7 minute connections between them, so I think you could connect in an hour and a half.

 

[DaveKCMO]

While I'm Boston on my upcoming trip, I'm thinking of taking a trip to Portland on the Downeaster.
I'm currently thinking of either the 9.05am from Boston North and the 8.10pm from Portland, or doing it over two 2 days, staying in Portland. The schedule looks geared towards commuters travelling into Boston (and I guess people going for the evening) which doesn't give a whole load of options, and I'd like at least one trip to be in the daylight so I can look out of the window.

I could also look at getting the 8am train from Portland on the day I take the Lake Shore back to Chicago. That should get me into Boston North at 10.25, which gives me just over 1.5hrs to get to Boston South to take the LSL. On paper it would all work fine, but would i more sensible not to risk a missed connection?

Any recomendations of things to do in Portland? I read theres a brewery that one can visit (sounds good to me).

Cheers

Chris

i did a downeaster day trip while in boston, but i had the entire day without worrying about connections so i won't address your scheduling question. portland was freezing cold and rainy in april, no worse than boston but there weren't a lot of places downtown to get out of the cold. the portland station is NOT in the city center. it's walkable, but only if you know exactly where you're going and don't mind crossing a freeway off-ramp. cabs are plentiful or there is bus service that will take you downtown. the shipyard and allagash breweries are worth visiting.

 

[had8ley]

The trip itself is unique since the train crew is leased out by an outside agency. The whole operation is the "train that could" and did. If you go, treat yourself to business class. They will even serve you hot chowder at your seat as it is an outside vendor that provides the food as well as the service personnel in the cafe section. Once in Portland you can catch a cab to the seaport as it is a looong walk to downtown. There used to be an old excursion train at the north end of the piers but I don't know if it even exists anymore. Perhaps someone can fill you in on that. The fish market, passenger ferries and occasional cruise liner make for an interesting day. The station is adequate and fairly new in Portland. Only change I would make is to do all daylight trips as there is a lot of coast line to see in the daytime.

 

[Rafi]

While I'm Boston on my upcoming trip, I'm thinking of taking a trip to Portland on the Downeaster.
I'm currently thinking of either the 9.05am from Boston North and the 8.10pm from Portland, or doing it over two 2 days, staying in Portland. The schedule looks geared towards commuters travelling into Boston (and I guess people going for the evening) which doesn't give a whole load of options, and I'd like at least one trip to be in the daylight so I can look out of the window.

I could also look at getting the 8am train from Portland on the day I take the Lake Shore back to Chicago. That should get me into Boston North at 10.25, which gives me just over 1.5hrs to get to Boston South to take the LSL. On paper it would all work fine, but would i more sensible not to risk a missed connection?

Any recomendations of things to do in Portland? I read theres a brewery that one can visit (sounds good to me).

Cheers

Chris

The 8 AM Downeaster departure from Portland is a guaranteed connection with the westbound LSL out of Boston—just make sure it's all on one reservation so Amtrak knows you're making the connection. If your Downeaster train is running more than an hour late (highly rare), let your conductor know and he'll most likely radio ahead to see if they can hold the LSL for you. If you're traveling sleeper on the LSL out of Albany, consider boarding the Boston stub train at South Station instead of Back Bay, since you'll be able to use the ClubAcela. You'll be ticketed out of Back Bay, but the conductors shouldn't give you any trouble (they didn't when I made the trip last fall).

-Rafi

 

[AlanB]

While I'm Boston on my upcoming trip, I'm thinking of taking a trip to Portland on the Downeaster.
I'm currently thinking of either the 9.05am from Boston North and the 8.10pm from Portland, or doing it over two 2 days, staying in Portland. The schedule looks geared towards commuters travelling into Boston (and I guess people going for the evening) which doesn't give a whole load of options, and I'd like at least one trip to be in the daylight so I can look out of the window.

I could also look at getting the 8am train from Portland on the day I take the Lake Shore back to Chicago. That should get me into Boston North at 10.25, which gives me just over 1.5hrs to get to Boston South to take the LSL. On paper it would all work fine, but would i more sensible not to risk a missed connection?

Any recomendations of things to do in Portland? I read theres a brewery that one can visit (sounds good to me).

Cheers

Chris

The 8 AM Downeaster departure from Portland is a guaranteed connection with the westbound LSL out of Boston—just make sure it's all on one reservation so Amtrak knows you're making the connection. If your Downeaster train is running more than an hour late (highly rare), let your conductor know and he'll most likely radio ahead to see if they can hold the LSL for you. If you're traveling sleeper on the LSL out of Albany, consider boarding the Boston stub train at South Station instead of Back Bay, since you'll be able to use the ClubAcela. You'll be ticketed out of Back Bay, but the conductors shouldn't give you any trouble (they didn't when I made the trip last fall).

-Rafi

Conductors won't care if one boards the train at Back Bay or South Station, regardless of what's on the ticket. The fare is the same, so there is nothing that they can say. It's not like one is cheating Amtrak by boarding the train one stop earlier in this case.

 

[Chris J.]

While I'm Boston on my upcoming trip, I'm thinking of taking a trip to Portland on the Downeaster.
I'm currently thinking of either the 9.05am from Boston North and the 8.10pm from Portland, or doing it over two 2 days, staying in Portland. The schedule looks geared towards commuters travelling into Boston (and I guess people going for the evening) which doesn't give a whole load of options, and I'd like at least one trip to be in the daylight so I can look out of the window.

I could also look at getting the 8am train from Portland on the day I take the Lake Shore back to Chicago. That should get me into Boston North at 10.25, which gives me just over 1.5hrs to get to Boston South to take the LSL. On paper it would all work fine, but would i more sensible not to risk a missed connection?

Any recomendations of things to do in Portland? I read theres a brewery that one can visit (sounds good to me).

Cheers

Chris

i did a downeaster day trip while in boston, but i had the entire day without worrying about connections so i won't address your scheduling question. portland was freezing cold and rainy in april, no worse than boston but there weren't a lot of places downtown to get out of the cold. the portland station is NOT in the city center. it's walkable, but only if you know exactly where you're going and don't mind crossing a freeway off-ramp. cabs are plentiful or there is bus service that will take you downtown. the shipyard and allagash breweries are worth visiting.

The Shipyard was the one I was thinking about, the Allagash looks interesting too - do you know if theres a bus that goes near either or should I just get a cab?

Cheers

Chris

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I figure if I get around to visiting Maine someday, the focus of my visit will likely be the Seashore Trolley Museum; while it appears that the Downeaster has a stop within several miles of the museum, it isn't in Portland. See http://www.trolleymuseum.org/ for details.

 

[The Metropolitan]

I figure if I get around to visiting Maine someday, the focus of my visit will likely be the Seashore Trolley Museum; while it appears that the Downeaster has a stop within several miles of the museum, it isn't in Portland. See http://www.trolleymuseum.org/ for details.

*SIGH* I would hope that in time, Seashore might be able to run a historic bus shuttle from the Saco Station to the Kennebunkport museum timed with a pair of Downeaster trips, even if its only on weekends in summer months. I can and do imagine the insurance on such a thing might be a bit dicey in using public roads, but wow, would that be the difference to me in making a trip back to Seashore. The last time I was there was as a kid in 1983!!!

 

[DaveKCMO]

The Shipyard was the one I was thinking about, the Allagash looks interesting too - do you know if theres a bus that goes near either or should I just get a cab?
Cheers

Chris

portland's not very big, so i'd just get a cab. put some cab company numbers in your phone since they didn't appear plentiful in town (but not a problem at the station).

 

[had8ley]

Amtrak has given me 7 minute connections between them, so I think you could connect in an hour and a half.

Am I reading this correctly? You made it from North Station to South Station in seven minutes? I thought only Superman or the Batmobile (maybe) could accomplish that feat.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I was unclear. Amtrak offered a guaranteed connection from a Regional to Downeaster with 7 minutes as the connection time. This was when I was fantasizing about taking it. I've never made such a connection.

 

[PRR 60]

I was unclear. Amtrak offered a guaranteed connection from a Regional to Downeaster with 7 minutes as the connection time. This was when I was fantasizing about taking it. I've never made such a connection.

Today the tightest connection Amtrak will construct between the Downeaster and the NEC is about 75 minutes.

 

[Chris J.]

I've decided to overnight in Portland (on different day to my LSL connection, so I don't need to worry about missing that) so can anyone here recomend a hotel - it doesn't need to be fancy, but not too far out as I won't have too long in Portland. Ideally downtown I guess, but a short cab ride would be okay. I was planning on taking the 9.05am from Boston, which arrives 11.30 then spending a day in Portland and taking the 8.0am or 12.50pm back to Boston the next day.

Cheers

Chris