Taking local bus from cruise port to Park Station in Boston

[bren61]

I'm not sure how far the cruise port is from Park Station.  We plan on doing the Freedom Trail and I heard that it saves some walking, if you take the Silver Line #2 then switch to the Red Line & get off at Park Station.  Is it really worth doing the bus changing or is it not that far that we should just walk it?

 

[1025cruise]

Yes, you can take the Silver Line to South Station and then transfer to the Red Line two stops to Park Street. 

[bren61]

6 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

Yes, you can take the Silver Line to South Station and then transfer to the Red Line two stops to Park Street. 

So if we were to just walk it, how far is it or how long will it take?

[1025cruise]

I'd only walk it from South Station. Not from the port.

It's not that far, but I'm lazy and usually take the train.

[138east]

It’s about a 2 mile walk from the port to Park Street Station.  The whole Freedom Trail is only 2.4 miles one way and you end up about 3 miles from the port out in Charlestown.

 

There is nothing sacred about the Freedom Trail itself.  Basically it’s a marked walking route through old Boston so that tourists don’t miss the historic sites that are tucked away among the more modern buildings.  Is there anything in particular that you want to see along the trail?

 

Unfortunately it looks like you will be there on a Monday when the Constitution ship is closed (Museum will be open at 9 am).  If you want to see the Constitution area what I usually suggest is to take a cab or Uber to the Constitution first, then take the MBTA water taxi back to Long wharf ($3.70/pp) for a mini upper harbor cruise, and walk through Christopher Columbus Park into the North End to pick up the Freedom Trail to walk backwards to Faneuil Hall and on to Boston Common, which is the beginning of the trail.  Park Street station is right there and you can take the Red Line direction Ashmont or Braintree to South Station for a free transfer inside the station to the Silver Line SL2 bus back to the port.

 

IMO the walk between the port and Boston Common and between the Constitution and the North End is not really interesting.  If you’re trying to keep costs down, it is possible to take the Silver Line/Red Line/Orange Line to Community College, walk over to the Bunker Hill Monument, and then down to the Constitution.  More details can be provided - the transfers are all inside the T station.  The Silver Line bus runs on its own right of way from World Trade to the South Station T Station for an indoor transfer to the Red Line.

 

https://www.thefreedomtrail.org/sites/default/files/content/PDFs/freedom_trail_2018_official_brochure.pdf

[bren61]

4 hours ago, 138east said:

It’s about a 2 mile walk from the port to Park Street Station.  The whole Freedom Trail is only 2.4 miles one way and you end up about 3 miles from the port out in Charlestown.

 

There is nothing sacred about the Freedom Trail itself.  Basically it’s a marked walking route through old Boston so that tourists don’t miss the historic sites that are tucked away among the more modern buildings.  Is there anything in particular that you want to see along the trail?

 

Unfortunately it looks like you will be there on a Monday when the Constitution ship is closed (Museum will be open at 9 am).  If you want to see the Constitution area what I usually suggest is to take a cab or Uber to the Constitution first, then take the MBTA water taxi back to Long wharf ($3.70/pp) for a mini upper harbor cruise, and walk through Christopher Columbus Park into the North End to pick up the Freedom Trail to walk backwards to Faneuil Hall and on to Boston Common, which is the beginning of the trail.  Park Street station is right there and you can take the Red Line direction Ashmont or Braintree to South Station for a free transfer inside the station to the Silver Line SL2 bus back to the port.

 

IMO the walk between the port and Boston Common and between the Constitution and the North End is not really interesting.  If you’re trying to keep costs down, it is possible to take the Silver Line/Red Line/Orange Line to Community College, walk over to the Bunker Hill Monument, and then down to the Constitution.  More details can be provided - the transfers are all inside the T station.  The Silver Line bus runs on its own right of way from World Trade to the South Station T Station for an indoor transfer to the Red Line.

 

https://www.thefreedomtrail.org/sites/default/files/content/PDFs/freedom_trail_2018_official_brochure.pdf

 Thanks for the heads up about the Constitution no being open, how did you find that out? 

 

I get a little nervous trying to navigate public transportation, especially when you have to switch back and forth, we aren't used to the big cities.

 

Maybe we will just do the Boston Tea Party near the Port and just look around locally. If you have any other ideas to do locally I'd be grateful for more input.  We also thought about going to Luke's Lobster for a Lobster Roll, is it anywhere near the Tea Party?

[Nitemare]

15 hours ago, bren61 said:

 Thanks for the heads up about the Constitution no being open, how did you find that out? 

 

I get a little nervous trying to navigate public transportation, especially when you have to switch back and forth, we aren't used to the big cities.

 

Maybe we will just do the Boston Tea Party near the Port and just look around locally. If you have any other ideas to do locally I'd be grateful for more input.  We also thought about going to Luke's Lobster for a Lobster Roll, is it anywhere near the Tea Party?

If you go to the ship's website it has the hours listed.  Luke's is a decent chain lobster, but James Hook's is a local treasure right near the Tea Party ship

[ladysail2]

On 2/17/2020 at 10:50 AM, 138east said:

It’s about a 2 mile walk from the port to Park Street Station.  The whole Freedom Trail is only 2.4 miles one way and you end up about 3 miles from the port out in Charlestown.

 

There is nothing sacred about the Freedom Trail itself.  Basically it’s a marked walking route through old Boston so that tourists don’t miss the historic sites that are tucked away among the more modern buildings.  Is there anything in particular that you want to see along the trail?

 

Unfortunately it looks like you will be there on a Monday when the Constitution ship is closed (Museum will be open at 9 am).  If you want to see the Constitution area what I usually suggest is to take a cab or Uber to the Constitution first, then take the MBTA water taxi back to Long wharf ($3.70/pp) for a mini upper harbor cruise, and walk through Christopher Columbus Park into the North End to pick up the Freedom Trail to walk backwards to Faneuil Hall and on to Boston Common, which is the beginning of the trail.  Park Street station is right there and you can take the Red Line direction Ashmont or Braintree to South Station for a free transfer inside the station to the Silver Line SL2 bus back to the port.

 

IMO the walk between the port and Boston Common and between the Constitution and the North End is not really interesting.  If you’re trying to keep costs down, it is possible to take the Silver Line/Red Line/Orange Line to Community College, walk over to the Bunker Hill Monument, and then down to the Constitution.  More details can be provided - the transfers are all inside the T station.  The Silver Line bus runs on its own right of way from World Trade to the South Station T Station for an indoor transfer to the Red Line.

 

https://www.thefreedomtrail.org/sites/default/files/content/PDFs/freedom_trail_2018_official_brochure.pdf

Hi Carol......I'm trying to email those shirt tags and can't find your email address. If you could shoot me an email I will try to get them to you...thanks.   Joyce

[bren61]

16 hours ago, Nitemare said:

If you go to the ship's website it has the hours listed.  Luke's is a decent chain lobster, but James Hook's is a local treasure right near the Tea Party ship

 

Thanks for the tip on James Hook's, I think we will just go there instead to try the lobster roll there since it is near the Tea Party Ship! 

 

We were originally supposed to be in Boston on a Saturday, and when I looked at the website when I was doing my planning, they were to be open. When they switched our itinerary, I didn't even think to go back and recheck to see their schedule, especially on a Monday when most places are open, so I was sort of shocked when another poster said they would be closed, but I'm sure glad she did, so I can plan other things.  

[138east]

You could take the SL2 bus to South Station, walk to the Tea party, and walk to James Hook.  From there you could take the harbor walk north a bit (http://www.audisseyguides.com/walkingmaps/Bostonharborwalk.pdf) and return to South Station via the Rose Kennedy Greenway to get the SL2 back to the port.

 

Since you dock at 7 am and the Tea Party opens at 10, you could do your walking first, swing back to the Tea Party, eat at James Hook and make your way back to the ship.

 

Don’t be intimidated by public transit.  The SL2 is easy to use and well worth it since IMO the walk from the pier to South Station is not interesting (almost all new office buildings, apartments, and hotels)  The Cruiseport is the end of the line, so you should get seats if you get off early before the bulk of the cruisers.

[bren61]

On 2/19/2020 at 8:32 AM, 138east said:

You could take the SL2 bus to South Station, walk to the Tea party, and walk to James Hook.  From there you could take the harbor walk north a bit (http://www.audisseyguides.com/walkingmaps/Bostonharborwalk.pdf) and return to South Station via the Rose Kennedy Greenway to get the SL2 back to the port.

 

Since you dock at 7 am and the Tea Party opens at 10, you could do your walking first, swing back to the Tea Party, eat at James Hook and make your way back to the ship.

 

Don’t be intimidated by public transit.  The SL2 is easy to use and well worth it since IMO the walk from the pier to South Station is not interesting (almost all new office buildings, apartments, and hotels)  The Cruiseport is the end of the line, so you should get seats if you get off early before the bulk of the cruisers.

Thanks Carol!!  So is the Harbor walk better than the Freedom Trail walk?

 

Edited February 24, 2020 by bren61
Omitted something

[Nitemare]

One is pretty harbor views, the other is historic city sites.  Both are great, you just have to pick which you are more interested in