alyyyysa t1_ixgivjb wrote on November 23, 2022 at 7:12 AM

Reply to comment by jib-cut-of in Should i bring my car to boston by BirthdayPlayful

I would love it if I didn't disagree with this comment. The world would be a better place.

I don't know where you're getting Zipcar for a day for 50 bucks. Has it gotten cheaper? Before I finally gave in and bought a car, it at least 80 if not more per day. If you live in an actual suburb, they are few and far between (my nearest one now is a 30 minute walk). If you have 7 around you, maybe you live in places like Somerville, JP, etc., in which case you have non-commuter rail public transport already.

Multi-modal commute in Boston? Biking to the commuter rail on presumably semi-suburban roads in the winter? Then, waiting for your too-late commuter rail in the cold?

OP likely won't last long doing this because we don't have the infrastructure, respect for biking, weather, and public transit infrastructure of the European cities you're probably thinking about.

I used to this as a reverse commute - a bus to a train to the commuter rail. I didn't work 9 - 5 hours so I'd have to get there an hour early, because if my on-time train was late I'd be late. How late was unpredictable until the disastrous winter that would make traveling by commuter rail impossible. I honestly gave up and started taking ubers (I didn't work every day, and it was expensive, but it was more reliable than zipcar).

OP, if you are on a subway line, even if you're far out, you're probably okay (though you'd likely appreciate having a car). If you live on the commuter rail, think carefully about your schedule, shut downs, access to groceries, costs, etc. And above all, don't plan to drive to the middle of downtown Boston for work every day - that's honestly the worst option. The car is for the rest of life and weekend trips here.

jib-cut-of t1_ixishrj wrote on November 23, 2022 at 7:24 PM

Zipcar rates depend on the vehicle. If you get say, a Honda Fit, then you can get a pretty reasonable day rate.

And yes, I'm in Camberville so I have a ton of Zipcars near me and little experience with commuter rail. My comment was predicated on the idea that OP would live near a red/orange line stop, not a commuter rail stop.

alyyyysa t1_ixj7pu0 wrote on November 23, 2022 at 9:05 PM

Camberville is definitely not the suburbs in the way that OP seems to mean it, and a red/orange stop here to me is the subway (rail to me means commuter rail). Camberville also isn't a place to save on rent in the greater Boston area. It's basically the best of all worlds - tons of public transit, lots of options, universities and zipcars and buses and walkable. To me, it's preferable to live there than downtown. And I would say you definitely don't need a car there. But it comes at a premium.

I did check on zipcar prices - they start at 83 from what I can tell, for a day. In Camberville, I'd totally still use one and ditch the car. But I think OP would be living further out since that area is not really cheaper.