Toronto - Boston late september

[stonesfan]

Hi folks

What is the best way to get from Toronto to Boston by train? I see there is a service called the Maple Leaf which goes from Toronto to New York, and there is also a change somewhere for a bus service to Boston ( no thanks!)

Are there any other ways to get from Toronto to Boston using only trains and not via New York?

thanks

 

[Tony]

Can you go from Toronto to Albany, and then Albany to Boston?

 

[amamba]

Can you go from Toronto to Albany, and then Albany to Boston?

I think they might be doing some bustitution between Albany and Boston in late September - there was a post about that recently.

 

[AlanB]

It's not possible to go from Toronto to Boston by train only without either spending the night in Buffalo or Albany or going via New York City.

The Maple Leaf does not connect with the Lake Shore Limited, the only train that runs to Boston without going to NYC.

 

[Mark]

Hello:

I gave it a good look both ways- Toronto-Albany-Boston and (VIA to Montreal) Montreal-Albany-Boston and neither way looks particularly convienent or quick. I'd rather spend the night in NYC, (there's plenty to do), and take Acela back up to Boston the next day rather than spend the night in Albany if you have the time and money but that's just me.

 

[Anthony]

Not related to trains, but there is a new direct Greyhound bus service called Neon (NYC-Toronto) that runs on a similar schedule to the Maple Leaf. There is also a 12-hour overnight bus option. You could take a cheap bus between Boston and NYC to make it an all-bus itinerary. I think you'd be pretty worn out, though.

Personally, I live in Boston and visit Toronto once or twice a month. I've found that the only really viable ways to do the commute on a regular basis are:

Fly direct on Air Canada or American BOS-YYZ/YYZ-BOS, and pay through the nose;

Drive the whole way on I-90 (Mass Pike / NY State Thruway) and the QEW (in Ontario)... but it takes ~9 hours;

Fly cheaply from Boston to Buffalo, then get a ride, take a bus, or rent a car to drive to Toronto (good compromise - BOS-BUF-BOS round trips are routinely ~$200 on USAir and JetBlue)

I have done the round trip on Amtrak -- once -- and it involved spending many of the small hours in Penn Station to connect to and from the Maple Leaf. Not recommended.