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2 for 1 Amtrak Downeaster deal

Posted by Patricia Harris August 25, 2009 07:33 AM

You’d never know it by the sober front of the Amtrak.com website, or the big-city promotions splashed all over the Amtrakvacations.com site, but there’s a quiet bargain available for traveling between Boston and Portland on the Downeaster: a genuine two-for-one sale. Admittedly, trains are limited to a few of the morning and early evening trains, but if you time it right, you can leave North Station in the morning, get to Portland well before lunch, visit the Museum of Fine Arts, shop, and come home after an early supper. Here’s the URL for that nearly hidden page.

Posted by Patricia Harris, Globe Correspondent


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10 comments so far...

  1. Wow, Portland must be hurting for tourism this year!

    Posted by Mike August 25, 09 03:04 PM

  1. Go to Portland, folks! We were there this past weekend and had a great time. There was an art festival on Saturday (they closed Congress Street); take the ferry to the harbor islands; visit Old Port's restaurants, bars, shops (lots of local stores and not many national chains). Great weather this time of year. Go Downeast and take advantage of a nice easy train ride.

    Posted by Igmeister August 25, 09 03:26 PM

  1. Maine is trying everything to get someone, someone to visit. It's not that fun, stay away!

    Posted by ann smith August 25, 09 04:53 PM

  1. The art museum in Portland is the Portland Museum of Art, not the Museum of Fine Arts. I assume that is the referenced museum if one is leaving North Station in the morning and arriving in Portland before lunch.

    Posted by Bruce August 26, 09 12:18 AM

  1. Ann Smith, you are wrong. Portland is a wonderful city!

    Posted by PBH August 26, 09 12:06 PM

  1. My house in West Newton roundtrip to Portland is 240 miles total or about 7 gallons of gas. $19 or so. Mapquest says the time is 2:11 (I typically do it a bit faster). Amtrak says 2:25 each way (not including the time needed to get to North Sta.) Even with the 2 for 1 discount Amtrak charges $48. This deal really only makes sense for those who hate to drive or live in the city with no car and easy access to North Station.

    Posted by WVW West Newton August 26, 09 12:21 PM

  1. Or... You could just drive and be there in 40-50 minutes.

    Posted by Chaxxy August 26, 09 01:00 PM

  1. I would take Maine over the Cape any day!

    Posted by DC August 26, 09 01:23 PM

  1. People that don't love Maine stay home you obviously do not appreciate
    nature at it's finest .

    Posted by jan c griffin August 26, 09 02:56 PM

  1. I was at the Arts Festival in Portland this past weekend and it was fantastic! 300 Artists, mostly from Maine, NH & Mass, an Antique Auto display, 40,000 people, great seafood and lots of fun. We took the Downeaster from Wells to Portland and it only added to the enjoyment of the day.

    Posted by CBreezemaine August 26, 09 03:05 PM
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