Amtrak Boston to Mystic CT Nov. 2013

[NETrainfan]

My sister and I returned yesterday from a three day trip to Mystic CT with

a side trip to Newport RI.

Every year we try to get down to Mystic to visit CT friends and enjoy the CT

Coast. This year we chose early November for the trip. Per usual, we hopped

onto the Concord Coach bus in Portland ME. This bus goes directly to South Station.

As we live in a fairly quiet rural state (ME), Boston is a fun change and as many of you know, South Station is a busy, busy place. There are also usually quite a few characters there. This time, we were there when a young woman decided to sing every song on her iPOD very loudly- to the discomfort of many. Oh well.

My sister and I were excited to board the Northeast Regional, as we had not been on a train vacation trip together for a year. (Last November we did a cross-country Amtrak Boston to Riverside and Palm Springs, CA.) The train ride to Mystic was comfortable and interesting, as train folks can be quite chatty and friendly (as you all well know.)

We got to Mystic just after sunset. The station was closed- so we did have a coolish wait

for a taxi to the Holiday Inn Express up near the Aquaruim. There were no taxis waiting around the station- we had the number of a Yellow Cab guy-so that was fine. However, we didn’t see any posted taxi ads on the station bulletin board, so a newbie would need to research cabs in Mystic prior to arrival.

The Mystic Holiday Inn Express is reasonably priced, attractive, and well located for walking to the Aquarium, Mystic Village, and the Mystic Seaport. It is right next to the Boathouse Restaurant where we had super seafood (warm lobster roll, scallops, and crab cakes.)

There are restaurants and lodging places within walking distance of the Amtrak station.

However, we wanted to be near the sites mentioned above.

We had a side trip planned for this Mystic vacation. A family friend invited us to drive to Newport RI with her. (Yes, we could have gotten off at the West Kingston station and taken a reserved van to Newport-but we’ll do that another time.) So- we spent part of a day driving to Newport, around Newport, dining in Newport (The Brick Alley Pub), and touring The (opulent) Breakers mansion. Maybe I should say an eye-boggling mansion full of varied colors and designs-somewhat overdone perhaps. Guess the Vanderbilts had a desire to replicate the palace arts (and pretensions?) of Europe- especially Italy.

We returned to Mystic to have dinner (at the Boathouse again) and relax and prepare for our trip back to Boston and Portland ME. The next day, the Mystic train station was OPEN- so we were warm enough waiting until we had to cross the street to the other side of the tracks for our Boston bound train. Good train ride back. The bus ride not as good- too crowded compared to the train. All in all a fine trip. Next year, West Kingston Amtrak Station and more Newport.

 

[Blackwolf]

Sounds like a nice little trip!

Out of curiosity (being a West-Coaster and not familiar,) what is the reason for choosing Concord Coach to Boston verses the Downeaster? I know that the Downeaster stops at North Station and you need to make a cross-town transfer to South Station, but is that transfer so bad as to take a bus over the train?

 

[guest]

When I travel from Portland to Boston to board an Amtrak train, I take the bus well - for two main reasons: The Downeaster runs a much more limited schedule (the bus goes every hour, right to South Station) so in addition to having to get from North Station to South Station, you usually have a lot longer wait for your train than if you take the bus.

And while, as the OP noted, the bus is sometimes crowded, it is only two hours and is always clean and the drivers are polite and efficient. They give you a bottle of water and there is always a movie (which I usually ignore).

If I'm going to Boston but not beyond, I'll try to take the Downeaster because I do like that train. It uses the same station in Portland that the Concord Coach does.

 

[the_traveler]

If you do come to Kingston, as noted you can take the van to Newport. Or you can take RIPTA (the city bus) route #64, which starts right at the KIN station and goes to Newport.

Also, the "station" building in Mystic is not a train station building anymore. While it was built as a train station (by the NHRR I believe), when they stopped service, the station became the chamber of commerce. Thus technically, there is no "station" in Mystic, only a platform. And did you contact the hotel beforehand. They may have offered pickup from the train or provided cab fare

 

[NETrainfan]

Hi Traveler- Thanks for the info. Will look at the bus schedule to Newport.

Do you have suggestions for mid-range priced lodging in Newport?

The old Mystic Station is indeed the Welcome Center for the C.of Commerce. However, we hope there are ads for taxis on the outdoor bulletin board.

Our hotel did not offer transport, but did call us a cab for our return trip, as one would expect. The Yellow Cab service was quite good.

The old Mystic Station serves as a waiting area when they are open. (That's what we observed the other day before our return trip.)

We enjoy the coast of CT and RI and hope to return often.

 

[the_traveler]

To be honest, I don't know about hotels in Newport but they can be on the higher side. Another option is to take either Amtrak or MBTA to PVD and stay there and take the route #60 to Newport. Or take MBTA (not Amtrak) to the TF Green Airport stop (also departs South Station), stay there and there are a couple of bus routes to Providence where you can catch bus #60 to Newport. (The TF Green airport stop is only 1/4 mile from the terminal, and is connected to it by a covered moving sidewalk!)

 

[NETrainfan]

Thanks again, Traveler, for the information.

Graywolf- Guest guest answered your question as I would have. We usually have a time crunch, so take Concord Coach to be certain of

making our Boston trains. The train is so much more comfortable than the bus, but we use Concord Coach for direct service to South Station.

If we had plenty of time to spare-we'd take the train.

 

[NETrainfan]

Hi- Just want to add. I read that the Mystic Welcome Center at the old station is open from 10:00 am - 4pm daily.

It is used as a waiting area by train travelers, even though Mystic is technically a Platform Station.

We felt very welcomed by the Welcome Center, at the station, last week. I also read that the Mystic Chamber leases space in

the station from Amtrak. Sounds like a good marriage of companies!