I have lived in MA for nearly all of my 35 years but until now I have blissfully avoided transporting myself to and around the city (with one unpleasant experience last November driving to the State House and then to Malden - never want to do that again).
On Wednesday I have to be at Mass General Hospital for what is very likely going to be the most important 45 minutes of my life and I can’t figure out how to get there.
I live in Southbridge. I’m thinking that the commuter train from Worcester is the right place to start and if I’m reading the map correctly, I need to transfer to the red line. Is this right? Would it be better for me to drive to a farther station than Worcester to make the train trip shorter? What time should I expect to leave Worcester (or wherever) to make sure I’m at the hospital by 10:30? Would I be better off just driving all the way to Boston and parking somewhere nearby? I am totally willing to leave my house at 5am to make sure I’m there with time to spare.
I know we have some people here who live in and around Boston so please help me*! I’m better able to drive from here to Virginia than I am from here to Boston.
*step by step idiot proof directions from the Mass Pike in Southbridge to the E elevators at the Hospital would be much appreciated
It’s 60 miles from Southbridge to Alewife, if you can’t average 30 mph, adjust times. It also shouldn’t take 30 mins from Alewife to Charles/MGH, but I’m being cautious.
I can’t do step-by-step instructions, but commuter rail to the subway (Red Line) to the hospital is quite doable. The commuter rail, what little I’ve used it, seems to keep to the schedule pretty well. I don’t know if the subway even has a schedule, but the trains seem to be about ten minutes apart, so you’re never waiting too long.
I’ve no idea where the train station is in Worcester, or what the parking is like nearby. I also found a campus map for Mass. General, but nothing about E elevators. You might want to find out which building you’ll be looking for.
This page might be helpful. There’s a 7:35 train out of Worcester that gets to South Station at 9:08. Walk across the station lobby and down the escalator to the Red Line. Look for the platform to catch a train toward Alewife, it’ll probably be labeled “inbound”. Ride three stops to the Charles/MGH station. From there I can’t help you.
When it’s absolutely vital I be somewhere, I hate to rely on any single points of failure. There’s a 7:00 train from Worcester that gets in at 8:28, and if anything goes wrong with that train you’ve still got the 7:35.
You might want to try a mapping app, either on your computer or smart phone (if you have one). Mine has an option to plan a route using transit, and it’s been pretty effective the times I’ve used it.
Traffic is gonna be nasty that time of day. If the OP doesn’t like driving in the city, getting to Alewife isn’t much better. It’s not right off the Pike, either. And I can’t always find a parking space there (haven’t tried for some time, though).
Robot Arm Unless they’ve moved it, the commuter train leaves from Union Station, right smack dab in the most irritating part of Worcester. It’s a nightmare in the morning (east) and afternoon (west) and it’s ALWAYS under construction. You are correct about Alewife though. I had never even heard of it until today. I’ll check it out and see if will make me completely or only partially miserable.
Well, so you think commuter rail from Worcester? There’s also the Pike to 495 N, then Rt 2 into Boston, which does go right to Alewife. I just hate commuter rail, but it’s probably easiest. I’ve always gotten a parking spot at Alewife, not sure what to do if it’s full. That would be a nightmare.
One benefit to the commuter rail is being able to spend the time reading. One benefit to Alewife is not having to take the commuter rail. Hmm. Hard decision.
The commuter train is more comfortable than the subway by far. They’re not going to sell you a ticket if there isn’t a seat, but in the subway you may very well end up standing. I don’t have as much experience with the red line as green or orange (or silver, but that’s a different critter), but regardless of which line I’ve been on, I’ve stood more than 50% of the time considering how crowded the subway cars tend to be.
You don’t have to get on in Worcester. The trains stop in Grafton, Westborough, etc. It looks like there’s some parking at the Grafton station; haven’t checked any of the others.
I don’t mind the commuter rail, although I’ve never taken it from that far out, either. The AC worked the last time I used it. And you’ll be getting on near the beginning of the run so there should be seats available.
Well, depending on where you start you’re supposed to buy your ticket before you get on. That is, you can buy tickets on the train, but if you board at a stop that has a ticket office they’ll charge you extra if you wait to buy the ticket on board. At least, I think that’s the way it’s supposed to work.
Decades ago I had to read a book for an urban planning class that explained how the roads of Boston came to be. I forget the details, but basically the problem was that footpaths and horse trails came first, when the entire community was small and simple. Those trails followed topologically convenient routes, and gradually more houses and business sprung up and so more paths which made sense at the time were developed … and eventually these all became the paved roads we know and love today.
I haven’t heard many good things about the Worcester arm of the Commuter Rail, ranging from not enough trains running to the station itself. Driving the Pike to Alewife may be a PITA at that time of the morning but at least the Red Line runs more frequent than the Commuter Rail.
I drive past Alewife every morning around that time and it’s not that bad. At 7:00 you’ll have to wait maybe 15 minutes in traffic and there will be parking available. The steps that Grotonian are probably the best option.
If you have a smartphone, you can download one of several T apps. Put in the arrival time you need to meet at Mass Gen, then work backwards.
You can use an app to buy the ticket for the rail portion of the travel, and pay cash on board for the bus. Exact change is good. Or just leave time to buy a Charlie Card at the T station, it only takes a moment.
This isn’t bad. Step 2) leaves a few things out, but I assume you can get directions on-line.
This is a bit crazy; 495 is way out of the way. I-95/128 might look easier (fewer turns to get to Alewife) but 128 is always slow at rush hour. Going as far as possible on the Pike would be better.
This seems like a good idea if you’re commuter railing.
