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Death Wish: Driving from Logan to Downtown Boston

Death Wish: Driving from Logan to Downtown Boston

Old Aug 29th, 2001, 06:10 PM
  #1  
carla
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Death Wish: Driving from Logan to Downtown Boston

We are planning a trip to Boston, Cape Cod and RI for 10/6-10/14 and have a question regarding logistics. Since the general consensus is not to drive into Boston, my thought was to take some form of airport transportation (any suggestions) to downtown, where we will be staying on Saturday and Sunday nights. Then, pick up a rental car downtown for our drive out to the cape on Monday morning. Anything comments from Boston experts?

My other thought was that, since rental car companies have better rates by the week, maybe I should pickup the car at the airport and drive into town. We arrive at 3:30pm on Saturday, so I thought that the traffic might not be as bad as on weekdays. We are staying at the Swissotel, in case the has an impact on your advice.

Thanks for your help.
 
Old Aug 29th, 2001, 06:30 PM
  #2  
Christine
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Do yourself a favor and take a cab to the hotel in Boston. You can do all of Boston on the subway and walking - and you can't use the car at all. Then...pick up the car the day you head to the Cape or RI. Traffic is always bad in the city - even on Saturday (and during foliage season)......you will spend alot of time being lost and frustrated. I drive it every day - trust me - the BIG DIG is a big bummer!
 
Old Aug 29th, 2001, 06:39 PM
  #3  
Beth
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If it's cheaper to rent starting Saturday, and if your hotel offers parking, just get the car at the airport and leave it parked all weekend! In my opinion, that would be less hassle than getting a cab Monday morning to go get the car so you can get going to the Cape. Saturday afternoon traffic won't be quite as bad as rush hours.
 
Old Aug 29th, 2001, 06:44 PM
  #4  
carla
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Message received. Thanks!
 
Old Aug 29th, 2001, 07:03 PM
  #5  
paul
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I have driven in many cities and let me tell you, the area in Boston that you are considering has to rank among the worst. I was just there in July and drove a rental car out of Logan and back a week later and it was not fun. Given a choice and the short distance, public transportation would be my choice.
 
Old Aug 29th, 2001, 08:57 PM
  #6  
Les
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Another consideration: It's usually more expensive to rent a car at an airport than elsewhere, simply because of the "tourist tax" tacked on. I don't know for sure that this is the case in Boston, but it certainly is here in Denver and other places I've rented (including Europe).
 
Old Aug 30th, 2001, 04:34 AM
  #7  
Penny
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I'm wondering if there's a place outside the city, not the airport, where you might be able to pick up a rental car--say, somewhere south of the city like Quincy. If there's a car rental place near the subway, you could take the subway to Quincy, rent a car, and then get right on the highway without dealing w/Boston traffic. Perhaps another poster knows of another possibility south of downtown.
 
Old Aug 30th, 2001, 05:19 AM
  #8  
geth
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I also have a question about renting a car in Boston.

We're flying into Boston around 2 pm on a Sunday afternoon. We are staying in a B&B in Salem. I asked the owner of the B&B about transportation to Salem, and she said that taxi drivers always seem to get lost, and my best bet is to rent a car.

My question, after reading all these posts about the horrid traffic in Boston, are we going to be starting our honeymoon in fear and frustration by trying to drive from Logan to Salem? What are other options? Please don't just refer mt to the mbta page, I am not very familiar with public transportation, and unless someone tells me exactly what to take, when and where it leaves, it won't do me a bit of good to look (tried to actually).

Thanks.
 
Old Aug 30th, 2001, 05:23 AM
  #9  
bm
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geth,
Since you are going to Salem, you won't be dealing with the traffic situation that the previous posters are talking about. The traffic problem is if you area heading into the city-for Salem, you'll be going in the opposite direction, and grid-lock traffic will not be a problem (unless there is an accident of course!). Just take 1A north out of the airport and follow it to Salem!
 
Old Aug 30th, 2001, 05:24 AM
  #10  
peace
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The real trouble spots are the airport and downtown. Once you are out of this area, it is not too bad. I know that Hertz has alot of locations in Boston but when I checked in July,we found that the rental car prices were either the same as the airport or more expensive.
 
Old Aug 30th, 2001, 06:05 AM
  #11  
kwl
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Driving in Boston is not as bad as everyone lets on. It is worse than other areas of the country, but it's not so bad as to avoid it at all costs. Living in DC and traveling to Boston several times a year, the traffic is not much different. Just allow yourself extra time to get where you are going, and drive defensively. I would recommend, for the convenience and less hassle, that you rent the car when you arrive at the airport. Getting into the city Sat. with the car, or getting by the city Mon. won't be any different. And, then you won't have to do the trip to the airport 4 times instead of 2. You want to maximize the time you have on your vacation. I would never waste my precious vacation time going back & forth to the airport, via taxi or the T or not. Just get the car first, and enjoy your vacation!

Have a wonderful time.

 
Old Aug 30th, 2001, 06:12 AM
  #12  
geth
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Thanks bm!! I will lay my fears to rest .
 
Old Aug 30th, 2001, 07:03 AM
  #13  
another thought
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There are some downtown rental offices, I suspect, but there are also some rental offices in Cambridge, not too far from both the "T" and the entrance to the interstate -- e.g. on Mass. Ave. near MIT (Kendall "T").
 
Old Aug 30th, 2001, 07:29 AM
  #14  
sktraveler
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What my mother and I did was fly into Boston, take the "T" into downtown (to our hotel), stay there for a few days, then take the "T" BACK to the airport, where we rented a car. (I checked and at that time, it was significantly cheaper to rent at the airport than in downton Boston), then we drove to the Cape with NO problems at all, stayed there for a few days, drove back (straight to the airport), returned our car, and hopped on our plane home. It worked without a hitch and I think it saved us some $$. And don't worry about driving...my mother drove the whole time and we didn't have any problems finding our way or with horrible traffic. (And she's from a town of 2000 people).
 

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