My parents are getting ready for a road trip to New England and are unsure of where to stay outside of Boston. They would really prefer to stay outside of the city and take the train in. Any suggestions on the best areas to stay that are convenient to the train? Thanks.

Why stay outside? And what train are they contemplating - the T or a commuter train. Boston has both. If the T, don't stay west where they can only catch the B or C Green Line - those are slow trolleys.

If your parents only plan to spend one day in Boston, they can expand their choices. There is bus service available along the major highways going into Boston. They could park in Londonderry NH, for example, and take the Concord bus. I usually take a bus that delivers me to South Station. There's a food court and bathrooms and it's walking distance to Chinatown or take the subway to other parts of Boston.

If someone's staying outside the city, I'm assuming the issue is $. Hotel prices in the city are outta sight.

What BigRuss says is true, but if I found a hotel I liked, I don't think the trolley would deter me.

Take a look at the Milton area. There's a good train station with lots of parking, and short ride into the city.

Thank you for the replies. They want to stay just outside of Boston because they do not feel comfortable driving in the city. When they visit Washington DC they usually like to stay in areas just outside the city and take the metro in, like McLean, Alexandria, etc. Are there areas just outside of Boston that would be similar?