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chefsteev t1_jc6pxrr wrote

If you take the Amtrak it can be around 45mins bc it only stops back bay and south station. If the train is mostly empty/you buy way in advance it can be only $8 too which is cheaper than the T.

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laterbacon OP t1_jc6quxy wrote

Amtrak is great if it lines up with your schedule, but I'd rather to be able to hop on a train that comes every half hour without having to plan in advance. Part of the MBTA electrification plan is increasing frequency to 15 minutes peak and 30 minutes off peak which would be huge.

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rocketmonkeys t1_jc9279e wrote

Oh wow. Of that were the case I'd legitimately use this train more. I do amtrak sometimes, mbta sometimes. But the schedule is infrequent, and the 1:45hr trip is a lot.

Heck, at that point I'd train to Boston just to shop.

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BadDesignMakesMeSad t1_jc7hm7q wrote

The MBTA and RIPTA seem to be considering having cross-functional fares with Amtrak. So you could use your MBTA pass to ride the Amtrak which is great because it means that Amtrak would act as an express train between Boston and Providence, while the MBTA can focus on frequent local service. I guess a downside is that there might be days where a lot of people will have to stand on Amtrak trains unless they somehow figure out a system with the seating.

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JasonDJ t1_jc6qoqi wrote

Yeah but you gotta treck down to Providence (and pay Providence Parking, or deal with RIPTA to get to Kennedy Plaza and then get to the train station).

Keep a couple of more northern stops -- maybe Mansfield and Route 128 (both large stops and easily accessible from the highway) and it'd be a damn good park-and-ride though.

Of course Mansfield parking sucks for non-residents though....Attleboro has a ton of parking, but the streets leading up to the stop from the highway have a very limited capacity.

Housing outside the 495 belt has always been significantly cheaper than inside, but that tide is changing. We bought our house (Attleboro/Norton line) just 5 years ago and it's gone up nearly 40% in Zestimate since then.

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