Party 2002: Updated Costs InformationHaving one would surely expedite you (and your kids) through the fare collection areas. But do you really need one? As you will see by the example below, if you plan on joining the group on Friday or Sunday only, there will not be enough entries into the system to make the Visitor's Pass worthwhile. Transit fares on those days will total $2 and $4 repectively for adults, or $1 and $2 for kids.
If you will participate on Saturday, you definitely should get one. Total adult transit fares for the entire day (assuming a start/end point of Braintree) will total over $12, so you are saving 50% by getting a $6 One Day Pass.
If you will be with us for two or three days, with Saturday included, obviously the $11 Three Day Pass would pay for itself on Saturday alone. On Sunday, the Pass is also accepted for fare on the commuter rail trip between Porter Square and North Station, since it falls within Zone 1B.
For Friday-only and Sunday-only people, obviously you should pay as they go.
As for Saturday, the half fare as they go seems to be the best for them. However, if you will be going from Braintree, which has double fares inbound and an exit fare outbound, and from Riverside which has premium inbound fares, the total children's fare actually comes to more than $6. So a $6 adult One Day Visitor's Pass for the child would save you money in the long run.
If you will not be participating all day, paying as you go might be a better option. It may take time to purchase your tokens or pay your fare, so doing so all at once would be helpful to the group so we can stay on schedule. Tokens are sold at any subway station.
| Entry into system | Adult cost | Half fare (child) cost |
|---|---|---|
| South Station (Red) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Downtown Crossing (Orange) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Entry into system | Adult cost | Half fare (child) cost |
|---|---|---|
| Braintree (Red) | $2.00 | $1.00 |
| Forest Hills (#39 bus) | 75 cents | 35 cents |
| Heath St. (Green E) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Riverside (Green D) | $2.50 | $1.25 |
| Malden Center (Orange) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Boston College (Green B) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Cleveland Circle (Green C) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Lechmere (Green D/E) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Wonderland (Blue) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Braintree exit fare (Red) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Entry into system | Adult cost | Half fare (child) cost |
|---|---|---|
| South Station (Red) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Ashmont-Inbound (Red) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| Alewife (Red) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
| North Station (Orange) | $1.00 | 50 cents |
It is easy to order your Boston Visitor's Pass on the internet.
I ordered my Three-Day Passport on April 16, 2002, and it arrived three days later on April 19th.
The One Day and Three Day Visitors Passes are good on all trolleys and subways we will be riding, the Saturday bus trip from Forest Hills to Heath Street, and the Sunday commuter rail trip from Porter Square to North Station, since it is within Zone 1B. It is not accepted on any other commuter rail trips we will be taking.
Since individual rail tickets are not available over the internet or by advance purchase, you will have to bring some money with you, and take care of the ticket purchases upon arrival in Boston. This can best be accomplished at the AMTRAK ticket windows in South, North, or Back Bay Stations.
Your "shopping list" will be all or some of the following, depending on how long you plan to partipate with the group. Half fare is shown for the senior, handicapped, and children's fares. When you purchase your tickets, you can request them by zone. For example, somebody participating in the entire fest, paying one adult fare (assuming he has a Visitor's Pass), would ask for one Zone 7, two Zone 6, and four Zone 2 tickets. Without a valid Vistor's Pass for Sunday, add a Zone 1B ticket.
Below are the commuter rail fares, based on the current itinerary:
| Train # | Trip | Zone | Adult fare | Half fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 615 | Back Bay to Needham Heights | 2 | $2.75 | $1.35 |
| 616 | Needham Heights to South Station | 2 | $2.75 | $1.35 |
| 715 | South Station to Forge Park/495 | 6 | $4.25 | $2.10 |
| 798 | Forge Park/495 to South Station | 6 | $4.25 | $2.10 |
| 051 | South Station to Braintree | 2 | $2.75 | $1.35 |
| 1212 | Haverhill to Malden Center | 7 | $4.50 | $2.25 |
| 2032 | Braintree to South Station | 2 | $2.75 | $1.35 |
| 2454 | Porter Square to North Station | 1B * | $1.50 | $0.75 |
For those who don't have tickets, you can also pay on the train at outlying stations only. At the downtown stations (South, North, & Back Bay) you are expected to have a ticket, or be surcharged $1 if a ticket office is open (and not crowded) at the time of departure.
The one-way AMTRAK fare is as follows:
| Type | Coach | Business Class |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $7.00 | $15.00 |
| Child (under 16) | $3.50 | $11.50 |
| AAA or NARP Adult | $6.30 | $14.30 |
| AAA or NARP Child | $3.15 | $11.15 |
| Senior Citizen | $5.95 | $13.95 |
You can order this online at http://tickets.amtrak.com, or by calling AMTRAK at 1-(800)-USA-RAIL. If you do this soon enough, they can be mailed to your home. Otherwise, they can be picked up at any AMTRAK station. It would be advisable not to wait until you are in Boston, since the ticket windows at South, North, and Back Bay Stations often have long lines. You can also get your reserved tickets from any Quick-Trak machine, including at the stations above.