Parking in Boston? Help!

If you're new to the city or taking the T in from out of town, this is where you can get advice from people living in The Hub. Please keep discussion limited to things in and around Boston.
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InuMiroLover
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Parking in Boston? Help!

Post by InuMiroLover »

So I need a good local perspective (or anyone who's been to the con long enough to know) on how the heck you park in Boston. Im coming in from central CT, so the ride isn't bad, but I've never parked in Boston for any extended amount of time. I'm staying at the Sheraton, but my group and I are not keen on paying $50+ a night. I know there is this parking app, but I've never used something like that before and I keep thinking we are going to end up parking somewhere far and shady or get towed. Any advice on that would be great.

So what options do I have that arent going to be a huge drain on our wallets and is close to the convention center? Any tips that could come in handy? Thanks!
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Master of NERV
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Re: Parking in Boston? Help!

Post by Master of NERV »

If you're driving in, you may consider parking at a T station (that's the Boston subway). Get off at the Prudential stop on the Green Line E train, which brings you inside the mall complex that connects to both the Hynes and Sheraton. An alternative is the Hynes stop on the Green Line B, C, or D lines, but this means a hike on the street to get to the Sheraton. I don't think I've paid more than $31 total when I park Thursday night through Sunday afternoon.

Seeing how you're coming from central CT, you would likely park at a Green or Red Line station. Also, be mindful of when you're arriving--if during business hours, some stations may be full or near full. Not an issue after rush hour.

Here's the link to the MBTA: https://www.mbta.com
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InuMiroLover
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Re: Parking in Boston? Help!

Post by InuMiroLover »

Master of NERV wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 8:25 pm
Thanks for the info! Ill be doing a little research on this. Now, any best guesstimates on rush hour times? Id prefer not arriving too late in Boston since we'd like some time to get settled and explore a bit. Ideally, we'd like to head out sometime between 12 and 2. But would it be in our best interest to leave later?
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Master of NERV
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Re: Parking in Boston? Help!

Post by Master of NERV »

InuMiroLover wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 11:14 am Thanks for the info! Ill be doing a little research on this. Now, any best guesstimates on rush hour times? Id prefer not arriving too late in Boston since we'd like some time to get settled and explore a bit. Ideally, we'd like to head out sometime between 12 and 2. But would it be in our best interest to leave later?
If you're coming in on a work day, the sooner you leave the better. Rush hour congestion begins around 4:00 pm. Friday night rush can be particularly nasty.

From what I can find, here's the stations that allow overnight parking:

Red Line:
Alewife (never been)
Braintree (usually full during business hours on a work day)
Quincy Adams (my preferred station; even during business hours, I've always found space at the top of the garage)

Green Line D:
Woodland (never been)
Riverside (I've used once)
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Fetch
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Re: Parking in Boston? Help!

Post by Fetch »

Master of NERV wrote: Thu Oct 31, 2019 11:32 am
InuMiroLover wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 11:14 am Thanks for the info! Ill be doing a little research on this. Now, any best guesstimates on rush hour times? Id prefer not arriving too late in Boston since we'd like some time to get settled and explore a bit. Ideally, we'd like to head out sometime between 12 and 2. But would it be in our best interest to leave later?
If you're coming in on a work day, the sooner you leave the better. Rush hour congestion begins around 4:00 pm. Friday night rush can be particularly nasty.

From what I can find, here's the stations that allow overnight parking:

Red Line:
Alewife (never been)
Braintree (usually full during business hours on a work day)
Quincy Adams (my preferred station; even during business hours, I've always found space at the top of the garage)

Green Line D:
Woodland (never been)
Riverside (I've used once)
Here is where you can get the full list of what stations, including commuter rail stations, have overnight parking. https://www.mbta.com/parking/stations-and-rates
It tells you to click on the station to get full info, such as cost and how to pay (some of the stations, but not all, use an app to collect payment for parking)
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Re: Parking in Boston? Help!

Post by leadfootnh »

Agreed that parking in downtown Boston can be a certified pain and heavy hit to the wallet. Another option depending on how much stuff you’re bringing, is to take the bus in to South Station then grab a 7 day LinkPass for the T. That’s about $20 and will get you unlimited rides on all T busses and Subways.
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