Commute from Providence RI to Medford MA (Boston, Worcester: apartment, transfer)

[paul JB]

Hi -

I just excepted a job in Medford located on Cabot Road.

From my understanding I can catch the commuter rail in Providence to South Station - then take the red line to Alewife / Downtown Crossing.

Once arriving to Downtown Crossing hop the orange line Oakgrove and arrive at Wellington Station.

Any help that can be provided or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated! I have not road the T since 1987

[DreamworksSKG]

Why not just get a place in Medford? or nearby? Its pretty reasonable? Medford or Arlington would do -

Providence - Medford commute would be insane! Even via Commuter rail -

you'd be looking at like an hour and 20 min via train on Providence rail then have to wait for the subway - and then you might have to wait 10-15-20 min for a subway depending on how quickly the train comes - and then another 20-30 min via orange line from Downtown Crossing to Oak Grove -

I would highly recommend looking for an apartment in Melrose, Wakefield, Stoneham, Woburn, Malden, Davis Square, Arlington, or even Medford itself. It will save you time and hassle.

yoiu're looking at over a 2 hour commute whether you take commuter rail or car -

from Providence

Also there are less Providence-Boston trains especially after rush hour

[goyguy]

Save yourself a transfer and hop off the commuter rail (or Amtrak) at Back Bay Station. You can connect right to the Orange Line there. And the fare's no different whether you stay on the train to South Station or leave at Back Bay.
DSKG has a point about the train service, particularly after evening rush hours and during the middle of the day. It's sporadic at best. But for times when a commuter-rail run is "just missed" and a two-hour wait is in the offing, there are Peter Pan buses out of the adjoining terminal at South Station which cost about the same for a one-way trip. Their "station" in Providence is now a big building that looks like a shed - on the North Side opposite a cemetery north of Hope High School - but the buses do still go to Kennedy Plaza.
The cost of living in Providence is so much lower that a fair number of people make that long-haul commute every day. It's not at all unusual for folks to live as far out as the Cape, NH, Worcester, etc and spend hours every day going to and from work. There's even a contingent that uses the Amtrak "Northeaster;" they live in the NH Seacoast towns and in some cases beyond Portland, Maine! To me that makes no sense at all, but that's just me. At least when you're on a bus or train, or killing time in a waiting room, you can catch up on work, reading, and/or sleep.
If the TO was looking to move closer to work and pay double or triple the rent, he would've asked. But we're of course happy to freely dispense wisdom and advice if that's a possibility.