Boston Silver Line airport to pier?

Will be embarking on Sat. June 15th, on HAL's Veendam. We are staying near airport and have free shuttle back/fro airport, and wondering the practicality of using the Silver Line from Airport to the Pier for embarkation (with luggages on rollers)?

Thanks,

Dan

If you can manage your luggage, the silver line to the pier is easy. Take the silver line from the airport to the World Trade Center station. Go upstairs and go to the other side. You want to go outbound back toward the airport. There is an escalator and elevator. Don't leave the station or will you need to pay. The bus from the airport is free. Take the silver line 2 bus to the pier. Silver line 1 goes to the airport.

Read post 11 on this thread - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1845001

thank you both for the reply. I also found the Silver Line route map, which help me to make the visual sense.

http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/lines/?route=SILVER

So I don't have to pay to get on the bus at the airport? how about when I transfer to SL2 bus? if so how much (need to prepare for exact change)? Thanks

The bus from the airport is free. When you transfer at the World Trade Center station, all you need to do is cross over to the other side. As long as don't leave the station. you don't pay anything. If you are planning to take the silver line from the port, the fare is $2.50. On your return, you can get off at the World Trade Center station, cross over and take the silver line 1 bus to Logan. The bus stops at each terminal. You can also purchase a charlie card at the airport and the fare will be $2.00. But for one trip, it is easier just to pay $5.00 on the bus. (I'm assuming this is for 2 people.)

thanks Weldon, do you know why airport outbound is free? Not that I am complaining:)

Originally it was to build traffic on it and reduce car traffic to/from the airport.

When the silver line first opened, departing the airport, there was a fare that was the same as the subway. For the past couple of years, it is free from the airport. There is a fare going to the airport no matter what station or stop you board. That is why if you board at the port and want to go to the airport, you get off at World Trade Center station, go up and around and don't go out. Otherwise, if you enter the station, you pay.

I think they got rid of the fare from the airport because the Silver Line was chaotic at times. The Silver Line makes a stop at terminal A, two stops at terminal B, one between terminal B and C, one at terminal C, and one at terminal E. The bus has a front door and a back door. So folks would get off and then folks would get on, but if you got on the back there was no way to pay. So the driver would yell at these folks and they would try to get to the front to pay or pass money up. If you got on the front with luggage and the bus was crowded, it was almost impossible to move to the back with luggage. People coming in from out of town were often clueless - no Charlie ticket, no exact change.

So the time the bus was at each stop could be excessive and it could take forever to get around the airport. I think they decided to make the airport free just to speed it up and move people better.

If you use the Silver Line with luggage, you should get on the rear door.

From what I remember, the decision to make the Silver Line free at the airport was supposed to be a temporary thing. It was a promotion to push mass transit from the airport to South Station. In fact, someone actually paid a "fee" to cover the lost fares. It is my understanding that it worked out so well, they decided to leave it like that. But, that doesn't mean there won't be an announcement tomorrow stating that you will need to pay a fare again.

It was a good decision and I hope they keep it. I once got on at terminal B at a busy time and the bus took forever to go to the other terminals and on to South Station. Folks got on the back without paying and the driver couldn't collect fares. Folks got on without correct change and that took more time.

But that's not a normal situation any more. Everyone now just gets off and on the bus like all the other shuttle buses running around the airport and the bus can move on around the airport. My family thinks I'm crazy, but I love the Silver Line. I'd rather take it to South Station and go to Alewife to be picked up than have folks drive all the way to the airport to pick me up.

Well, if they reinstitute the fares, what will happen is that only the front doors will open unless there is someone else there to collect fares....

Reminds me of the time I was on a green line train last year on my way to Riverside. I started at North Station, but ended up taking the Orange line to Downtown Crossing to get to Park Street (more Orange trains than Green trains). When there was finally a Riverside train (that must have just been switched to Riverside), it was a single car, that by the time we got past Fenway was packed to the gills. Then the driver announces that he was only opening the front door. A lot of screaming to hold the door while someone shoved their way back.

The night was after the Neil Diamond concert, and a Sox home game....

Check with your hotel - our hotel will take us to the pier for $10 which beats traveling back to the airport, transferring to a bus, etc with luggage

Which hotel offers that? Is it the Holiday Inn on Boston Street? It sounds like the OP is trying at one of the airport hotels northeast of the city. If any of those hotels offer to take you to the pier for $10, then that's a great deal. The tunnel toll is $3.50.

Our hotel is 4 point sheraton, about 4 miles N of airport (all the closer ones to airport were booked). I will check with our hotel. I understand Taxi from airport to pier is about $25 + tip? From our hotel likely close to $40?

That sounds like a good guess. If you call the hotel they can probably give you an estimated price. There are extra fees for cabs to pick up and drop off at Logan which is why the price is so high to basically go through the Ted Williams Tunnel. If you can manage your luggage (I.e. could you take it on a rental car shuttle and roll it a bit), it's free to use your hotel shuttle and the Silver Line and not a lot of extra time.

the silver line is free to south station. we are arriving on the 20th at Logan and need to go to the Wyndham Beacon Hill so we need to take silver line 2 to south station then take T to we get on red line to Charles MGH. is this correct and if it is, how much will it cost? thanks

Technically, the fare is $2.50.

However, once you get to South Station on the Silver Line bus, there won't be a fare gate as you cross over to the Red Line.....

It's free!!

You get on the Silver Line at the airport (get on the rear door with luggage) where there is no charge to board. Ride to South Station. When you get off the bus go to your right to the end of the platform following the signs to the Red line direction Alewife. There is an elevator to take you down one level to the Red Line or you can hump your luggage down the stairs. Take any train three stops to Charles MGH. This station is elevated and is supposed to be "accessible".

It's free!!

 

You get on the Silver Line at the airport (get on the rear door with luggage) where there is no charge to board. Ride to South Station. When you get off the bus go to your right to the end of the platform following the signs to the Red line direction Alewife. There is an elevator to take you down one level to the Red Line or you can hump your luggage down the stairs. Take any train three stops to Charles MGH. This station is elevated and is supposed to be "accessible".

so the next day from the Wyndham we just get on the Tline and go to south station and then catch the Silver line to Black Flacon cruise port, what is that cost?

I believe regular fare is $2.50 a person. I have a CharlieCard which has a fare of $2.00.

I believe regular fare is $2.50 a person. I have a CharlieCard which has a fare of $2.00.

so how much is Charlie Card to purchase? or just pay cash? thanks

Charlie cards are free, but you need to find someone to get one. Unless you are going to be a frequent T traveler, just pay for a Charlie Ticket (regular fare). The Charliecard is a proximity card that stores fares.

We've spent a week in Boston each of the past 4 years and buy a 7-day T-pass at the airport for $18 (was $15). Anyway, wanted to mention that the information you're getting on this thread is impressively reliable.