From Miami to Portland Maine

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troo troo tcrane

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In Boston I will have to change station, is that true?  How about luggage?  
 
Yes, you will need to change train stations.  I am not sure if you can check luggage all the way through to Portland, ME from Miami.  However, you will need to bring your carryon luggage with you when changing stations.  When I did the trip a while ago, I changed between Boston South and Boston North.  I understand it is possible (and possibly easier on the T) to change between Back Bay and Boston North.
 
Yes, you will need to change train stations.  I am not sure if you can check luggage all the way through to Portland, ME from Miami.  However, you will need to bring your carryon luggage with you when changing stations.  When I did the trip a while ago, I changed between Boston South and Boston North.  I understand it is possible (and possibly easier on the T) to change between Back Bay and Boston North.
Thank you!  I will check out the map and the T schedule.  

Too bad there is no Red Sox games or I would just stay a day or two.  Always wanted to attend a Fenway game. 
 
Well even putting aside the station change, the Downeaster doesn't offer checked baggage, so you really won't be able to do it. :(
 
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Well even putting aside the station change, the Downeaster doesn't offer checked baggage, so you really won't be able to do it. :(
Oh my!  I had no idea.  Thank you for the info!  

I suppose I will just get a taxi then. 

How come I always have to do a puzzle kind of thing before posting? 
 
I figured out - it's because my account is new.  Lol
 
Well you don't even have an account proper yet. As far as I know, guests always have to do a captcha to make sure you're not a bot.
 
Well you don't even have an account proper yet. As far as I know, guests always have to do a captcha to make sure you're not a bot.
He has registered and is a member and no longer a guest.
 
If you have checked baggage going north, you will need to go to South Station (Back Bay has none) and it is easiest to transfer via taxi/Uber/Lyft. Also be aware that ONLY the overnight train handles checked bags!

If you can easily carry your bags, you can get off at Back Bay and board an Orange Line train of the T. The Orange Line goes directly (with a few stops) between Back Bay and North Station.
 
If you have checked baggage going north, you will need to go to South Station (Back Bay has none) and it is easiest to transfer via taxi/Uber/Lyft. Also be aware that ONLY the overnight train handles checked bags!

If you can easily carry your bags, you can get off at Back Bay and board an Orange Line train of the T. The Orange Line goes directly (with a few stops) between Back Bay and North Station.
I would note that the Orange Line (and Green Line) North Station stop is a good three or four blocks from the actual North Station served by the Downeaster and commuter rail. So there is a significant amount of walking involved in taking the T there.
 
There is a tunnel walkway from the "T" Orange/Green line station to the Boston North Station with escalators and elevators. 
 
And Amtrak, in its infinite wisdom, carries baggage to Boston on only one train per day:  the overnight WAS-BOS train.  You'd either have to be on that train to get your baggage, or wait in South Station until that train arrives early in the AM.  Very poor service.
 
And Amtrak, in its infinite wisdom, carries baggage to Boston on only one train per day:  the overnight WAS-BOS train.  You'd either have to be on that train to get your baggage, or wait in South Station until that train arrives early in the AM.  Very poor service.
These are minor points, but the overnight Regionals actually run all the way from Newport News to Boston. And since the LSL also carries checked baggage, the Regional is not the only train serving Boston with checked bags daily.
 
It’s under 1 block away. You do not even cross the any streets. It is probably a shorter walk than at South Station going from the train to the taxi.
Hmm. Than I guess my phone gave us bad directions and we took the long way around or something. :wacko:
 
If taking Amtrak all the way to Portland is important to you, then by all means do so.  The alternative is the (really) short walk from South Station to the Bus station, which has regular Express busses to Portland.  As a matter of fact, my booking on line from NYP to POR, Amtrak gives more choices for "connecting bus service" than for the Downeaster.  It's not a bad bus trip, and it is faster than the train.   I love a long leisurely train trip.  That said, taking a cab or UBER from South to North Station with luggage in  Boston Traffic is a worse bother for me.  (Have you booked your trip yet?)
 
These are minor points, but the overnight Regionals actually run all the way from Newport News to Boston. And since the LSL also carries checked baggage, the Regional is not the only train serving Boston with checked bags daily.
When you get past the age of 70, see if you're still singing the same tune.  There are LOADS of senior citizens who like to travel by train have dispoable income, and who cannot--for one reason or another--handle their own luggage.  Airlines have realized this decades ago.  Amtrak?
 
When you get past the age of 70, see if you're still singing the same tune.  There are LOADS of senior citizens who like to travel by train have dispoable income, and who cannot--for one reason or another--handle their own luggage.  Airlines have realized this decades ago.  Amtrak?
I'm not making a statement one way or the other about whether checked baggage is necessary or if that's an insufficient number of trains offering it. But it is incorrect to say that the overnight Regional is the only train with checked baggage serving the city.
 
Ok I just re-studied the options given to me on the Amtrak website and the overnight Was to Bos train is best paired with Star, assuming I am reading it correctly.

I will rethink the Boston to Portland leg.
 
Ok I just re-studied the options given to me on the Amtrak website and the overnight Was to Bos train is best paired with Star, assuming I am reading it correctly.

I will rethink the Boston to Portland leg.
I did a similar trip years ago from Orlando.  Train 92 to WAS, then 66 to BOS, then Downeaster to Portland.  If I did it again, I would do something different (but not sure what).  I did not enjoy the overnight trip from WAS to BOS.  
 
I'm not making a statement one way or the other about whether checked baggage is necessary or if that's an insufficient number of trains offering it. But it is incorrect to say that the overnight Regional is the only train with checked baggage serving the city.
I know that; but this discussion is about Florida to Maine, not Syracuse to Boston.
 
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