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cofonseca t1_j89fx48 wrote

I did the commute every day for 8 years, and still do at least once a month.

Amtrak is the fastest way into the city with the fewest stops, and is often less crowded, but there are fewer times to choose from and I believe it's a little more expensive than the MBTA commuter rail.

The commuter rail takes longer because there are more stops, but you have far more trains to choose from on the schedule which is helpful for aligning your train schedule with your work schedule, leaving early, or getting home late if you wanted to stay late for an event or drinks with coworkers.

I took the MBTA because it aligned better with my schedule, made stops at TF Green (I lived in Warwick at the time), and was less expensive, which reminds me... most employers in Boston will pay for a monthly commuter pass for the MBTA, but not for Amtrak. Something to consider. The commuter rail isn't the most reliable (can often be 10-15 mins late, sometimes more, though this is rare in my experience), and is much busier, but for the most part it was fine.

Talk to your employer about working your start/stop time around the train schedule. It really sucks leaving work and having to sit around for 45 minutes waiting for the next train home, then sitting around on the train for another hour. This type of commute is already exhausting, so anything you can do to minimize the amount of time commuting will really help.

Where exactly do you live? Parking at Providence can be expensive. If you're open to taking the MBTA commuter rail, look into taking the train from Wickford Junction, TF Green, or the new Pawtucket station. All three would be much cheaper for parking and would probably reduce your drive time.

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mindful_intervention OP t1_j89h3ac wrote

Wow this is really helpful, thank you. I believe they are offering some money to assist with the commute, but it would probably equate to 1 week of the Amtrak (still better than nothing). I honestly think their flexibility with my time in/out of the office will be the deal breaker. I'm in Northern RI - definitely open to both trains and if this comes to an offer, will likely take 2 days off and try the commute in both ways before making a decision to really get a feel for it. We've thought about moving to the south county area which would put me close to Amtrak out of Kingston, or the Wickford Jnc if we're closer to NK.

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cofonseca t1_j89lu8l wrote

Happy to help! I think trying the commute out for real on a normal workday is a great idea. I did the commute on my way to my interview to make it as realistic as possible. It’ll help you get a sense of how busy it is, how long everything will take, and what your overall morning routine will be like.

Moving further south definitely puts you closer to a train station, but also increases your commuting time. There’s a lot to consider and it can be overwhelming. If you’re not sure, I’d say go with MBTA - there’s a reason a majority of commuters go that route over Amtrak. The flexibility is really nice to have.

If you have any specific questions about the commuter rail, let me know, happy to help.

Good luck!

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