The International Transport Game

[Springs Branch]

An unusual feature of Boston's transit system is the Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line (a light rail route using elderly PCC streetcars in everyday knockabout public service). Even at this late hour on a Sunday, it seems we could still potentially enjoy a ride.....

We take the 2345 departure of MBTA bus service 28 from Dudley Station to Mattapan Station (South Busway), arriving at 0007 Monday morning.

Source: mbta.com

 

[Bodie]

That vintage trolley service looks great. Excellent find.
I want to go to Boston now just to ride that line.

Our ride begins at 0030 and is over at 0038 having reached the end of this great little line at Ashmount / Peabody Square On Monday morning.

Source: Google Maps

 

[Springs Branch]

To my regret, I lived & worked just west of Boston for a good few years, and never bothered to seek out and ride the Mattapan High Speed Line!

Even at this late hour we only have five minutes to wait for our next departure on the 0043 MBTA bus service 23 to Ruggles Station arriving at 0102 Monday morning.

Source: mbta.com

 

[johnnychips]

We take the MBTA 0113 47 service to Broadway Station, arriving at 0124 on Monday morning.

MBTA.com

 

[Bodie]

Red line and bus services have finished for the night and so are we.

Resuming at 0515 we journey on another MBTA 47 bus to Fenway Station. Arrival time is 0540 on Monday morning.

Source: Google Maps

 

[johnnychips]

We take the 0552 Green D subway to Boston North station arriving 0611 on Monday morning.

Google Maps

 

[Springs Branch]

We enter North Station and decide to give MBTA's Commuter Rail system a try.

We board Newburyport Line train #153, departing at 0626 to its first stop at Salem arriving at 0652 Monday morning.

Source: mbta.com

 

[johnnychips]

No time for the Witch Museum, we take the MBTA 451 bus service at 0710 to North Beverly, Enon St (near the station), arriving 0754 on Monday morning.

mbta.com

 

[Bodie]

Back onto the Newburyport line we take train 155 to that station. Departure at 0817 sees us reach the end of the line at 0840 on Monday morning.

Source: Google Maps

 

[johnnychips]

We take the 0852 MVRTA service 54/51* to Haverhill, Washington Square Transportation Center, arriving at 1003 on Monday morning.

* The MVRTA's buses are operated by First, and in a very British way, this bus is a through service that changes its number in Amesbury

I was hoping to head north, but most routeplanners send you back to Boston to do this. Haverhill seems to be on a main line.

www.mvrta.com

 

[Bodie]

Yes the Downeaster. Not one due for over three hours alas.

So we continue with route number changing Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority buses.

We start out on a 1 at 1030 and after calling at Buckley Transportation Center we are now a 41 and remain thus until journeys end, which is Robert B. Kennedy Bus Transfer Center, Lowell, MA The time now is 1210 on Monday afternoon.

Source: Google Maps

Google says it will cost us $1.25, which if accurate is remarkably good value for so lengthy a bus ride.

 

[johnnychips]

We take the MBTA commuter Lowell Line, train 322 at 1215, to Woburn MA station, arriving 1236 on Monday afternoon.

The bus terminal in Lowell is next to the station.

Google Maps

 

[Bodie]

Yes, this has worked out nicely.

Less than an hour till a Downeaster.
We spend this hour at the nearby GerrityStone. Slowly making our way down each aisle with a puzzled look on our face as to why someone would need, let alone want a melon peeler.
How can they spend money on anything other then tickets for riding on public transportation?!

With pots and pans still lodged in our mind we find ourselves standing looking at the approaching Amtrak Downeaster 683.
Leaving 1323 we go inter state and alight in this states largest city. That city is Portland, Maine [Portland Transportation Center] at 1530 on Monday afternoon.

Source: Google Maps

 

[johnnychips]

We take the 1545 number 1 bus, operated by Greater Portland Metro Bus to Congress/Franklin, arriving 1558 on Monday afternoon.

We are very near the Maine Narrow Gauge Railway which runs along the Casco Bay shore. Unfortunately, it's closed, and Monday is the one day next week there isn't a Polar Express Santa special - mind you that's $40 saved. It is near the attractive city center and ferry terminals.

Sources:
Google Maps
www.mainenarrowgauge.org

 

[Bodie]

We're not having too much luck. The CAT to Nova Scotia is Summer months only.

With Santa Specials, catamarans to Canada and Narrow gauge railways out of the question we plump for...

The 1630 ferry run by Casco Bay Lines to Peaks Island a twenty minute journey. Time now is 1650 on Monday afternoon.

Source: www.cascobaylines.com

 

[johnnychips]

Unfortunately there is no public transport on Peaks Island, but I couldn't resist posting this:


The Peaks Island Taxi meets boats from 7:45 AM till 8:45 PM 7 days a week and is on call at other times. The Taxi is available for all your transportation needs. We do pick up and drop off at the ferry, pick up and delivery of groceries, freight, flowers, luggage, pizza and food from the mainland. The Taxi is perfect for wedding party transportation and for pictures on the back shore. We offer island tours and a quick sightseeing trip around the island. We’ve even been known to rescue a cat, put a dog in to avoid the rain, put the chicken soup in the fridge, and turn off the stove that was left on. Call us at (207) 518-0000 for service and we’ll be right there.

It seems such a lovely place, we don't get the ferry straight back, but instead take the 1800 Casco Bay Lines car ferry to Portland (Maine) Ferry Terminal, arriving 1820 on Monday evening.

www.peaksisland.info/islandorgs.html
www.cascobaylines.com

 

[Springs Branch]

We walk ¼ mile (7 mins) from the Ferry Terminal to the bus stop at Congress & Franklin. We board a Greater Portland Metro Bus Route 1 at 1917, basically retracing our steps to Portland Transportation Center, arriving at 1940 Monday evening.

Source: Google Maps

 

[johnnychips]

Having spent a nice afternoon in Portland, we take the 2055 Downeaster train 687 to Brunswick, Maine, arriving 2140 on Monday night.

http://www.amtrakdowneaster.com/schedules

 

[Springs Branch]

There don't appear to be any onward connections, so we spend the night in Brunswick, ME.

The following morning we could take the southbound Downeaster departure at 0725, but we instead we decide to order an extra serve of pancakes and more coffee in the Brunswick Diner (4 stars on TripAdvisor) and change our transport mode.

At 0805 we board the Greyhound schedule 3521 bus on Maine (with an 'e') Street and travel to Boston South Station Transportation Center, arriving at 1110 Tuesday morning.

Source: greyhound.com

 

[johnnychips]

We take the 1210 Amtrak Acela Express train 2165 to Washington D C Union Station, arriving at 1855 on Tuesday evening.

www.amtrak.com

 

[Bodie]

Where a great connection lies in wait.

1925 and we are under way aboard Amtrak's 97 - The Silver Meteor.
It being December we stay on board as far South as possible, and it is quite far South that this train goes.
Miami Station, Florida in fact. Arrival is 1839 on Wednesday evening.

Source: amtrak.com

 

[johnnychips]

We walk half a mile to Tri-Rail station and take the 1900 Miami-Dade Metrorail Green Line to Government Center arriving 1921 on Wednesday evening.

Near the sea, connections with Metromover.

Google Maps
www.miamidade.gov

 

[Bodie]

We take in the night time skyline of downtown Miami from an elevated position.

This is done by getting an outer loop car of the Miami Metromover (Thanks for the pointer johnnychips, didn't know about this form of transport in Miami) at 1929 due to the three minutes frequency in the off peak. We alight at Brickell Metromover Station at 1937 on Wednesday evening.

Source: Google Maps

 

[johnnychips]

Wanting to get another view of the skyline, this time from offshore, we take the 2009 Metrobus 102 to Key Biscayne, Crandon Blvd/Heather Drive arriving 2029 on Wednesday evening.

Google Maps

 

[Bodie]

Returning to the mainland aboard another 102 we leave the bus stop across the road from where we arrived. That's Crandon Blvd @ Sonesta Drive at 2104 arriving back at Brickell Station (West side) at 2120 on Wednesday night.

Source: Google Maps

 

[johnnychips]

We take the 2132 Metrorail Orange Line to Miami International Airport Station arriving 2148 on Wednesday night.

Although you could get the shuttle from here to the airport, it is also near the Greyhound bus station, or of course you could further explore Miami.

Google Maps

 

[Bodie]

Hmm, looks like our best option is to head to the airport. This does afford us the chance to ride the MIA Mover.

Don't know if there will be any flights around at this hour of the day.
If not we can always hang around till midnight and then we can "summon" a train on the MIA Mover. Not many places you can do that!

No summoning being needed we board the MIA Mover at 2153 and travel the one and a quarter mile to Miami International Airport (Central Terminal) arriving 2156 on Wednesday night.

Source: Wikipedia

 

[johnnychips]

We take American Airlines AA905 from Miami International Airport (MIA) at 2230 to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil (GIG) arriving 1000 on Thursday morning.

www.opodo.co.uk

 

[Bodie]

Into the Amazon...

GOL 2104 pushing back at 1145 and landing at Eduardo Gomes Intl (MAO) at 1355 on Thursday afternoon.

Source: flightstats.com

 

[johnnychips]

We take the 1454 SMTU 306 bus from the airport to Terminal Praca Matriz, four minutes walk from the Port of Manaus and thus the Amazon, arriving 1551 on Thursday afternoon.

Amazing where you get to in this game!

Google Maps