Where to park our car and hop on transit? (Boston: train, suburbs)

[beachcomber381]

My wife and I plan on visiting Boston early May. We will be staying near South Yarmouth (Cape Cod) and we will have a car. We were wondering what would be a good plan to go to and back from Boston, like driving to some place in the suburbs, park our car for the day (free lot or free street parking) and take the transit to go to Boston. The goal is obviously to avoid paying for parking in Boston.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[NotAPrincess]

If you're doing this on a weekend, then parking at the Alewife T station would be easy (it fills up during the week, I believe) and cheap (I think it's less than $10 for the day).

You could try your luck at parking in Brookline along Beacon Street (Green Line C Branch) or one of the side streets a block off Beacon, though technically the Brookline side streets are 2 hour parking, unless you leave your car there overnight, you're very very unlikely to get a ticket.

I'm sure there are other good options too, but those two came to mind first.

[holden125]

Coming from the Cape I'd not go to Alewife. I'd look at the other end of the Red Line, at Braintree or Quincy Adams. Braintree is right off Exit 17 of Route 3, Quincy Adams is just off Exit 19 on Burgin Pkwy. Both have large parking facilities for $7/day ($8 overnight) and they're closer to the Cape than Alewife. Quincy Adams in particular has ample parking available even on the average weekday.

If you park at either, be sure to take a Braintree-bound train coming back. The Red Line to Ashmont is a different branch altogether.

[NotAPrincess]

oops! Good point holden125. I missed the part about coming from the Cape!

[beachcomber381]

Thanks for the info. Just what I wanted to know.

[HenryAlan]

Agree with Holden on Braintree. Alternatively, you can try the Plymouth or Middleborough commuter rail lines, both of which are fairly close to Cape Cod. It would mean less driving, and cheaper parking, but a higher fare.