Getting it right...

One challenge in preparing for this kind of trip, actually any kind of trip from Provincetown, is getting to and from the starting point. Provincetown is not really convenient to anyplace except Truro so there is always the hassle of how do we get to the Terminal. Driving isn't a great idea since we would have to pay for long-term parking for 20 days. Last time we did that we returned to find a snow plow had backed into our car. We'd like to avoid that.

So, we did some investigating and found there is 'T' commuter Rail service from Plymouth and Kingston to South Station in Boston and that is where the first leg of our adventure begins. Friday we had a change in our plans for the day and decided to try the commuter rail to Boston. Details were straight forward on the MBTA web site. MBTA Commuter Rail System. The Kingston/Plymouth line was well described and the timetable was convenient. Kingston/Plymouth Old Colony Line Timetable

The drive from P'Town to Exit 8 on Rte 3 took about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The street map on the MBTA is correct but the road to the train station was not as clearly marked as we would have liked and we got way-lost.  But folks in Plymouth were very helpful in pointing us in the right direction and we found the station with 15 minutes to spare. We didn't tell them we were from Provincetown. Blush...

Train station found, we grabbed a parking spot and paid the $4.00 parking fee (stuff the money in a slot for your numbered space). Long term parking would need special arrangements or small money!

Well, that shouldn't be a problem...

Problem! The famous 'Coffee T and The'...shut and seems to have been shut for a while...a long while. Hmm, there was that 'Vining Tire' place on the sign. But we've already paid for parking and we have 12 minutes till the train leaves. So, Gary stands in the parking space looking cold and menacing and Bob races off to find Vining Tire. Just for the record Vining Tire DOES NOT SELL 'T' tickets and they don't seem to be aware  the MBTA thinks they do. Anyway, the signs is wrong. It doesn't seem that it would be too hard to have a new sign printed that says "Purchase tickets on the train"... It's not a very big sign and wouldn't cost much, but maybe I'm being to critical. NOT!

Other than the lonely nature and shuttered look of the place, the Kingston 'T' station gets a LOT of traffic. The station parking lot was full. The train was right on time and 45 minutes later we were in South Station, no traffic, no parking hassle, no problem. We may never drive to Boston ever again!

A train trip is made up of segments 'The Lake Shore Limited' is one segment and 'The Empire Builder' is another. We had reserved all of our segments on-line at the Amtrak webSite, but we needed to pick-up the tickets in person. It does take a while so it was a good thing we did this ahead of time. There is a ticket for your basic fare, 'the AmeriPass' then,  for each of us there is a separate ticket for the rooms on each segment. The room on each segment has to be checked and double checked. The Ticket Agents gave us LOTS of warnings about making sure you give the Conductors the right tickets for each segment. "The Conductors don't even look at the tickets, they just punch them and stick them in their pockets." OHhhhh, that's good to know...  "So, if he takes the wrong ticket, somewhere along the way you won't have a ticket for a room and then things get very complicated." Got it! Read the ticket you give to the conductor and make sure it is the right one otherwise somewhere down the track you'll be sleeping in 'Steerage'!

Taking the 'T' to Boston was a great discovery. It made the day so much more pleasant than driving. Getting the extra details and having the tickets taken care of was one major concern we no longer have to worry about.

Now all we have to do is find someone to take us to Kingston on the 28th and pick us up at the end of our trip. Hope we got it right... Ohh, Bob who owes us money or a favor????