Think of the opportunities for shopping and entertainment in Boston, or the convenience of getting to Logan Airport without trying to find (or having to pay for) airport parking.
Amenities on Amtrak's Downeaster train include comfortable reclining seats with fold-down trays and electrical outlets, overhead reading lights, conveniently located restrooms, and luggage racks above the seats. The seats are comfortably wide and there's plenty of leg room. Use your laptop or cell phone as you travel the tracks.
In the Downeaster Cafe Car, you'll find snacks and light meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner items as well as beverages.
The service operates within a 114-mile corridor between Boston and Portland and includes stops in Haverhill, MA; Exeter, Durham, and Dover, New Hampshire; and Wells, Saco and, in the summer, Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Later expansion is planned for Freeport, Brunswick, and Lewiston/Auburn.
The train runs four trips a day between Boston and Portland, 365 days a year, stopping at eight communities along the way. The trip takes two hours and 45 minutes and costs $22 one way or $36 round trip (same day). Special fares and discounts are available to frequent travelers. The Old Orchard Beach stop is only in service from late April through October.
For reservations, you can book on-line at www.amtrak.com, call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL, visit Downeaster Ticket Offices at Portland and Boston's North Station, contact your local travel agent, or use Amtrak Quik-Trak ticket vending machines.