Day trips · Day trip

7 Day Trips From Boston You Can Take by Train (Leave the Car, Keep Your Sanity)

Witches, minutemen, lobster shacks and a river on fire: seven towns you can reach from North or South Station, with fares, travel times and a tip for each.

By Fun Boston Published 6 min read

You don't need a car to get out of Boston for the day. The Commuter Rail reaches the coast, Revolutionary battlefields and even Rhode Island, and Amtrak will take you to Maine. The single best tip: go on a Saturday or Sunday and buy the $10 Weekend Pass, which covers unlimited Commuter Rail rides on every line and zone (MBTA, as of Sept. 2026).

First, the fare basics

Commuter Rail fares go by zone. A one-way trip costs $2.40 in Zone 1A up to $13.25 in Zone 10 (MBTA fare zones, as of Sept. 2026). Every trip below is Zone 3 or farther, so on a weekend the $10 pass beats a round-trip ticket basically every time.

You can buy the Weekend Pass in the mTicket app, at the ticket windows at North, South and Back Bay stations, or on board. It isn't sold at fare machines, and it doesn't cover special event trains (MBTA).

Got a monthly pass? Through Nov. 30, 2026, you can bring one friend on weekend trips for $1 each way, bought in mTicket (MBTA promotions). Cheapest date you'll ever plan.

The North Shore run: Salem, Gloucester and Rockport

All three sit on the Newburyport/Rockport Line out of North Station, so you can stack them if you're ambitious.

1. Salem

Why go: it's October in the Witch City, and the whole town is in costume whether you are or not.

Zone 3, $8 one-way · Newburyport/Rockport Line to Salem · About 35 minutes from North Station

The ride is a little over half an hour (MBTA timetable). Once you're there, the Peabody Essex Museum is the big-ticket art stop: $25 for adults, free under 16, open Thursday to Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (as of Sept. 2026). Destination Salem points you toward the Salem Witch Museum, the House of the Seven Gables, walking tours and a lot of witchy shops.

Tip: Haunted Happenings runs all October, with the parade on Oct. 1 (Haunted Happenings). On October weekends the line runs a special schedule with extra trains between Beverly and North Station, and no bikes are allowed on weekend trains that month (MBTA timetable). Check the PDF schedule before you go.

Prefer a boat? The Salem Ferry leaves from Long Wharf, takes about 50 to 60 minutes and runs seasonally from spring through Halloween (Destination Salem). We couldn't confirm 2026 dates or fares, so check with the operator before you go.

2. Gloucester

Why go: America's oldest seaport, and it still smells like it (compliment).

Zone 7, $11 one-way · Newburyport/Rockport Line to Gloucester · About 1 hour

Gloucester is about an hour out on Rockport-bound trains (MBTA timetable). Discover Gloucester points to the downtown Harbortown Cultural District, where galleries and landmarks are within walking distance. The Cape Ann Museum downtown campus has the largest collection of Fitz Henry Lane's maritime paintings, open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (as of Sept. 2026).

Tip: whale watches run from late April to mid-October, per Discover Gloucester, so this is your last call for the year.

3. Rockport

Why go: the end of the line, and it looks like a painting because half of it has been painted.

Zone 8, $12.25 one-way · Newburyport/Rockport Line to Rockport · About 1 hour 15 minutes

It's about 75 minutes to the last stop (MBTA timetable). The Rockport tourism site steers you to Bearskin Neck for shopping, Motif No. 1, more than 30 galleries and the Rockport Art Association and Museum.

Tip: for granite ledges and big ocean views, Halibut Point State Park is open 8 a.m. to sunset year-round. On a clear day you can see Maine. Map the walk from the station before you commit your legs.

4. Concord

Why go: the shot heard round the world, and a pond one guy wrote a whole book about.

Zone 5, $9.75 one-way · Fitchburg Line to Concord · About 40 minutes from North Station

Trains take about 40 minutes (MBTA timetable). Minute Man National Historical Park has the North Bridge, the Minute Man statue and the Battle Road Trail. You don't need a pass to get in (NPS), and the grounds are open sunrise to sunset.

For Thoreau fans, Walden Pond State Reservation is open 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and has trails and a replica of his cabin (as of Sept. 2026). It's no dogs, no bikes on trails and no alcohol, so leave all three at home.

Tip: the NPS says the North Bridge is a 1.5-mile walk from Concord Depot (NPS directions). Visit Concord puts Walden about a mile and a half from Concord Center. Wear real shoes.

5. Newburyport

Why go: a brick downtown on the Merrimack River, with a trail that starts right at the train.

Zone 8, $12.25 one-way · Newburyport/Rockport Line to Newburyport · About 70 to 80 minutes

Most trains take a little over an hour, though some take longer, so check your trip (MBTA timetable). The city's Clipper City Rail Trail is a paved 3.35-mile loop around downtown that links the station to the waterfront, with sculptures, murals and gardens along the way. The city site also points to the Custom House Maritime Museum and Maudslay State Park.

Tip: take the trail in from the station instead of hunting for a ride. It's the scenic route and the practical one.

6. Providence, R.I.

Why go: a whole other state's food scene, for Commuter Rail money.

Zone 8, $12.25 one-way · Providence/Stoughton Line from South Station to Providence · About 1 hour 10 minutes

Yes, the T goes to Rhode Island, and it runs on weekends too (MBTA timetable). Amtrak's Acela and Northeast Regional also stop at Providence (Amtrak) if the schedule suits you better. Go Providence points you to Federal Hill on Atwells Avenue, Benefit Street and College Hill, and the RiverWalk.

Tip: WaterFire has full lightings on Oct. 17, Oct. 24 and Nov. 7, 2026, starting around sunset. Look up the last inbound train before you get hypnotized by the flames.

7. Portland, Maine

Why go: cobblestone streets, a working waterfront and a serious food scene, and you can nap on the way.

Amtrak fare varies · Amtrak Downeaster from North Station to Portland · About 2 hours 35 minutes

This one's Amtrak, not the T, so the Weekend Pass won't help. The Downeaster leaves from North Station, and reservations are required (Amtrak Downeaster). On the posted schedule, a morning train gets you into Portland in about two and a half hours, and there are afternoon and evening trains back. Seniors 65+ get 50% off regular coach fares (Downeaster fares).

Visit Portland sends you to the Old Port's working waterfront, the Eastern Prom and the Casco Bay Islands ferries.

Tip: the train stops at the Portland Transportation Center at Thompson's Point, which has a brewery, a winery, a distillery and a museum (Amtrak). It's not in the Old Port, so plan how you'll get downtown.

What about Plymouth?

It didn't make the list. The current Kingston Line outbound timetable doesn't show Plymouth station at all, and trains end at Kingston (MBTA timetable). The Rock will have to wait.

The short version

  • Closest: Salem, about 35 minutes. Just expect Halloween crowds all October.
  • Best for history: Concord. Minute Man is free, and the North Bridge is 1.5 miles from the station.
  • Best coast: Rockport or Gloucester, both on the same line. Gloucester whale watches wrap mid-October.
  • Easiest walk from the train: Newburyport's rail trail starts at the station.
  • Different state, T fare: Providence, $12.25 one-way, or free with the Weekend Pass.
  • Big day out: Portland on the Amtrak Downeaster. Book ahead, because reservations are required.

Sources

Prices, hours and schedules change. Tap through to the official source before you go, and if we got something wrong, tell us. We log every fix on our corrections page.

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