Public transportation from BOS to at/near Framingham
 

Arriving BOS mid-afternoon in May. Need to get to or near Framingham. What are my easiest options?

Probably the easiest is the Logan Express Bus to Framingham, $12 from the airport: http://www.massport.com/logan-airpor...ss/framingham/ . Runs every 30 min on weekdays and every hour on weekends. The "Logan Express Bus" service is very well signed landside in the ground transportation area.

There are other options if you are adventurous; for example you can take the Silver Line bus service to South Station (free) then take the commuter rail to Framingham Station ($8.50) or similarly you could take the Back Bay Shuttle (free if you display a CharlieCard, $5 otherwise) and catch the same commuter rail line there; but this is much slower and the rail service is infrequent during many parts of the day.

The first option does sound the easiest. Two questions: Can you bring luggage onboard (e.g., rollaboard and briefcase) and am I reading correctly that tickets are purchased on-board the bus?

Thank you!

Yes and yes

There's ample luggage storage space under the seating area. The driver will put your bag there when you board; you'll retrieve it in Framingham. You can bring your briefcase (or a daypack-size backpack) on board, but that's about it. The overhead racks and underseat spaces are too small for a rollaboard; the aisle is too narrow to put it there without obstructing everyone, and (unless you board at Terminal E, the last stop) they won't want you to take up a seat with it; and you probably don't want to travel for 45 minutes with a suitcase on your lap.

You buy your ticket in Framingham as you leave the bus. An agent from the ticket office there will board for that purpose. They usually try to let people who already have tickets (most of them people who bought round-trip tickets when they left home and are now on their way back) off first, then deal with people who don't already have them, but there are always a few people who refuse to honor this request.

The Logan Express bus is almost certainly the better option, but the silver line bus to the commuter rail train also is straightforward and takes you to a different part of Framingham. So it is at least theoretically possible that that would be a better option for you.

Agreed with Blumie, I guess it depends on what you're doing and what your final destination is after you arrive. The commuter rail is closer to the "downtown" area of Framingham, the Logan Express stop is right by the mall, and they're nowhere near each other.

The Silver Line takes about 15-25 minutes (depending on traffic and the terminal your board from) to take you from BOS to South Station. (At BOS, there are signs that will tell you with a fair bit of accuracy when the next Silver Line bus will arrive.) You then need to give yourself about 10 minutes to walk from the Silver Line bus to the commuter rail station to buy a ticket (there are kiosks that take credit cards) and board the train. Here is the train schedule from South Station to Framingham:

http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_ma...ER&direction=O

If you take the Logan Express bus, a local taxi can take you from the bus station to anywhere else. You cab ask the bus driver to call a taxi for you so it will be waiting when you arrive. If you don't do that, a couple of cabs usually meet the bus anyhow on the (good) chance that someone without a reservation will want one.

Are Uber/Lyft available too?

Yes, but there are many restrictions (only those with livery license can pick up, I think). Also, there are surcharges (looking at my Uber bill, there are separate $8.75 and $5.25 fees added on, in addition to fare).

You could go to the South Station to pick up Uber/Lyft.

Of course, I'm talking about airport pick up. At Framingham, they should be available.

I don't know for sure, but the question might be if Uber/Lyft are available from the Framingham Logan Express terminal.

I've never used them, Tommy's Taxi works for me, but Uber (at least) and probably Lyft are available in Framingham, and there's nothing to keep them from driving up to the terminal building to pick you up. So, I'm fairly sure the answer would be "yes."

Uber is available in Framingham but there aren't a whole lot of drivers. You may be waiting 20 minutes or not have anyone available at all when you arrive at Logan Express. That said, I'd still try that route; arrive at Logan Express, check Uber, and if one isn't reasonably close, take a taxi instead.