elisabet

My 17 year old son and a few of his friends have tickets to a concert at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, MA--formerly Tweeter, originally Great Woods. We live in Maine. My hope was that the kids could take public transportaion--Downeaster to Boston and MBTA round trip. I would prefer that they not drive that distance after the concert. But I think that the train station in Mansfield is not close to Comcast, nor does the train stop at that station late at night. Any suggestions? Thanks.

wyatt92

There is a bus that goes from South Station to Foxboro. They could probably take a cab from the station to the concert.

peterpanbus.com

elisabet

Thanks for the suggestion. Any idea about the bus line, so I can find the schedule?

elisabet

Oops, didn't see the link to peterpanbus.com. Too bad the concert is on Friday, when the last bus to South Station is at 7:40 PM. But it's great to know about since my son is applying to Wheaton College nearby. Thanks again.

milemarker0

Depending on the show, there might be a RockBus going...

http://www.rockbus.net/boston/

wyatt92

Yes, unfortunately, it's not a convenient place for public transit. I also have a 17 year old son (we live in Boston) who's gone to a concert there and we've not found a good way to get there via transit either.

Good luck with the concert and the college app process, it's definitely a busy time!

elisabet

Wyatt92, Thanks for confirming what I suspected; now I won't get too nutty about trying to make a plan that can't work. It is busy and the crazy thing is that there is an event he needs to attend an event at Wheaton on Sunday, so I have booked a hotel for Saturday night. He would travel home then turn around and go back. I may cancel my plans and go on Friday to get a hotel that night.
I will check out rockbus--Thanks for another idea.

gail

Although you are in Maine, many of us in Massachusetts have sought the same sort of thing you are. We live about 90 minutes away, and I still cringe when my 19 year old dtr attends a concert there.

Some additional info. First, the venue is quite safe - security is around and even if it is the type of concert where crowds might get a little wild, they maintain safety. It is virtually impossible to buy alcohol underage there.

I do not know about Maine, but MA has various "junior operator" drivers' restrictions that add to the problem - in MA one can not drive after midnight if under age 18 - but rules associated with his Maine license would prevail, I believe. He will not make it out of the parking lot and to any part of Maine before midnight.

As I understand, the concert is on a Friday and you will be returning to area on Saturday. I think staying overnight in a hotel alone on Friday night might be safer than driving back in the early AM hours after a concert. There is a hideous amount of traffic leaving parking lot and it may take him longer than you think to get home. Problem with hotel is you may have difficulty finding a hotel to take a group of young men under age 18 (or even 21).

Not a terrible thing for you to go Friday night to hotel - are there other colleges in MA/RI he wants to look at - that would make Saturday a useful day.

elisabet

Thanks, gail, for your thoughts. I'm still working on this and wondering if there is any chance that rockbus could arrive in Woburn in time for the 11:38 northbound train. I doubt it!
Buses seem to run later than trains.
Also, I'd like to think that Saturday would be good for college visiting or checking out Providence, RI, near Wheaton.
I appreciate all help!

gail

Unlikely - and if there was a problem, what would your kid do - stay in Woburn for the night?

While kids hate it, there is an organized pick-up option if you end up driving. When you enter they direct you to a parent parking lot, you walk to a flagpole to meet kids, they pretend they have never met you before and walk together to car.