Such a great way to make day trips from Boston! Went to Portland Maine for the day and it was great! Glean trains, great staff!

Smooth ride quick ride from Boston to Portland, friendly conductors, clean comfortable seats, cafe car was a bonus

myself and 4 of my friends too the train down to watch the Red Sox. On the way back a group of 7 belligerently drunk friends on our returning trip. I all for people having a good time but this was next level. not only did they serve them more alcohol after it was clear that this group could barely stand but after most of the train car left because the yelling and the vulgar obscenities not even one attendant ask them to keep it down or be respectful. I'm not talking normal drunk banter. I'm talking about yelling out that they were going to sodomize each other and other passengers who were walking by amongst other terrible things. Amtrak has to do better. read more

Located in the same transit station as the Concord Coach. I've taken the Amtrak to both OOB and Durham and had good experiences. The train is (mostly) timely, but I have experienced service delays before. I recommend: lining up early, purchasing a Business Class ticket, and being ready to hop off lickity split--they will not wait around for you. The conductors and transit station staff are usually pretty friendly and helpful. It's a nice way to get around without having to worry about parking or traffic. Each one-way trip isn't too expensive, either, if you book early enough. Long live public transit! read more

I've only taken the train once, but... it was a fantastic experience! We took the 7:58am out of Portland to Boston; arrived around 10:30am (it was $32 per person for Coach). We took the 11:25pm out of Boston back to Portland the same day; arrived around 2am (it was $34 per person for Coach). My partner placed a bid for an extra $10 per person to be moved from Coach to Business for our return trip, and it was accepted. So, the final price (after choosing a Flex Ticket [full refund if train was canceled, changes permitted with no fee] and paying tax) was around $160 for two people roundtrip. Was it worth it? I think so! We didn't have to drive, which means we had an undistracted two and a half hours to ourselves to read, nap, catch up on emails, play the NYT crossword, have a little snack, whatever. And we didn't have to worry about parking, which as everyone knows, is an absolute nightmare in Boston. I like my travel as stress-free as possible! The attendant - we had the same man both times; what a long day for him - was so friendly! Especially on the late train, he would gently wake people up when it was their stop so they wouldn't miss it. Coach: no middle seat, plenty of legroom, at-seat lighting, tray table, outlet. Business: extra legroom with footrests, leather seating, complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. Traveling as a couple, I don't know that I absolutely NEED Business Class on the Downeaster. Coach Class was much more spacious than we were expecting already (especially if you're used to UK trains), and we were able to literally lean on each other when we got sleepy. The legroom in Business Class was almost comically enormous, and there was a wide arm rest dividing the large seats, but the seats reclined deliciously far back. Business was also quieter than Coach, especially since we found ourselves traveling back after a playoff Bruins game (... in which they lost; so there were A LOT of drunk dudes yell-talking). I feel like the Downeaster has made Boston more accessible. I'm excited to go back down there soon to check out the Museum of Science, do a little restaurant hopping, etc. read more

Used to love this train, it was so convenient and cheaper than the bus to get to and from Brunswick, but recently , its alway been delayed or it hits someone or something, making my trip back to boston unbearabl. As I write this, the stupid CSX track work has already caused a delay, and we're no t even halfway into the trip. Its almost worth paying the price for the bus. At least you're guaranteed to get home on time! Not sure why Amtrak hasn't realized this relationship with CSX was a bad idea to begin with. No wonder they have a bad reputation . Should be renamed the Down Hill Easter read more

If I could rate lower than a one star I would. I paid for a ticket and stood most of the way from Haverhill to Portland. I tried to uograde to get a seat and couldn't. Finally almost to Portland someone came by and asked if I needed help. Almost 75 Mins into the trip. read more

Easy to book online. Freeport to Boston in 3 hours to North Station. Great for Bruins, Celtics or concerts at TD Garden as it's all in the same building. Easy walking to distance to Hanover Street in North End Boston with all of the yummy Italian restaurants. Don't need First Class as regular seats are spacious. Freeport wifi on board. Little drop down table. Outlets on board but bring your plug in charger for USB cords. Freeport has free parking and is within walking distance to LL Bean and all the shops in Freeport. Cafe on board has Maine beers, liquors, wines and snacks. Mimosas and Bloodys $6. You can check the Downeaster/Amtrak site for certain events in which they adjust the last train out for special events. Dogs are allowed but must be booked ahead of time, under 20 lbs and in a carrier. I think $30 each way. Be aware the time runs on pretty strict schedule and they can depart 1-2 min before est departure time. Staff is always super friendly. read more

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See all the one star reviews?? Wonder why?? I've ridden the Amtrak Downeaster many times. Down to Boston, as a commuter to Portland (even though the departure times are awful). I've often sung their praises as a way to get down to Boston and back, but no more. They ditched us down in Boston for over 2+ hours without a single communication (the train just vanished from the North Station departure board). Tried calling their help line, tried the poor guy working the North Station ticket office who was 100% correct when he said we would get zero help from Amtrak and said he could not reach the train. After waiting for over 2.5 hours with no idea what was going on, it getting late and having to work the next day, we took an Uber to South Station (out of pocket) took a train to Portland (out of pocket) and then an Uber back to Saco (out of pocket) where we had picked up the train. It made for a really awesome birthday for my girlfriend. 3.5 hours after the train was supposed to leave Boston, I get a text saying the train has finally left. Wow, thanks for that helpful update. On top of that customer service will not respond to any emails. Take my advice and take the bus, NEVER take the Downeaster!!! It's gone way down the tubes and no one there could care in the slightest. read more

The Downeaster is good in theory, bad in practice. It's almost the end of summer & the train seemed like a good idea... On the way north, the train initially ran well until they announced there would be an hour delay due to the heat. As a result, I arrived too late & had to scramble to arrive before the hotel front desk closed- or risk sleeping on a park bench. On the return trip, the engine broke down & was stranded sitting on the tracks for about an hour. Was told I'd probably arrive around 6. But no, no that did not even come close. Although I gave myself a two hour gap to make the next connection, the train stopped again! They handed out vouchers for the next trip - but based on this one, doubt it! After missing the connection, I tried to call Amtrak. Was on hold for 5 minutes, got disconnected. Called again, on hold for 10 minutes. Finally, gave up trying. read more

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After a long day at work and still wanting to see a concert in Boston, but not feeling up to driving in traffic..this is a great option! They have later departure times in Boston when there is a concert or a sporting event. the ticket purchasing process online or in person - EASY The parking - a little challenging around the holidays or peak times, but we have always been able to find a spot. And parking is CHEAP I think it was $5? So cheap I don't remember. The waiting area - not great. Uncomfortable and depressing environment. The signage is ok - although some people still get very confused, which can be extremely frustrating when people are cutting in and out of your line. There are a couple of classes of tickets. We opted for business because we wanted to be able to work during the trip and wanted to be able to charge our devices. Unfortunately for the trip down, the outlet near our seat was not working. :( The seats were comfortable, not the cleanest though. The restrooms were not bad, they are much better than on an airplane, so that's a plus. The multiple stops were expected, but was also annoying when we were tired and just wanting to get home. The last train from Boston got us back to Portland around 2am. It was late, but at least I was able to sleep on the way home. I recommend this mode of travel if you really want to go to Boston, don't want to drive and you have a full day/night to spare. read more

Instead of driving to Boston, I find the Amtrak Downeaster the ideal mode of transportation from Portland to North Station. It saves me from having to do all driving, dealing with multi-state traffic and the need to pay for parking in a city that crams every car into a small area. Every time I have rode the Downeaster it was on time, nearly to the minute, from one stop to the next all the way to its final destination. I ALWAYS buy business class seats to sit at the front of the train, next to the food/drink car, for the extra leg space and easy for the free beverage. You also get to board in advance and through your own entrance rather than wait in the long line. The business class seats are more expensive, but well worth it for the leg room, free morning coffee or juice, and for the general comfort of the seats. The service provided by the ticket taker and the food/drink car have always been great. I have never had an issue with them during all my trips. I cannot comment on any other part of the train because Business Class is the true way to go for both comfort and overall experience. It may not be for everyone, but once you go Business Class you will not go back. read more

Missed my flight due to this train and this is not the first time it has happened. They say "system" error and do not communicate or help guests just leave us waiting for over 2 hours stuck in the middle of the woods. This is an unsafe and unreliable way of transport. HIGHLY do not recommend. read more

Amtrak Downeaster - Where we are stuck (going on 2 hours) - Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine

The perfect idea with the poorest implementation. Though, it's not really their fault, they're trying very hard but it's just too slow, too unreliable and too expensive. The New England states need to pour serious money to speed this line up because, sadly, a bus is faster and that's pretty disgraceful when you consider the train is on its own right of way. This service is emblematic of the sad state of rail travel in the US. We have a third world rail system with slow, dirty, outdated carriages that meander along uneven track with rickety bridges that force the speeds to a crawl. Portland is a wonderful city and and Maine has many idyllic towns that should be better served by rail. Until we get our stuff together in this country, best to avoid this service unless you have time to kill. read more

I am surprised to see such low reviews for the downeaster. I have always had good experiences with them. The ride is smooth and comfortable and it can take you all over. It is a great way to ride down to Bruins games because it drops you right off at the TD Garden. It is not very expensive either. I will continue to use the downeaster when i need to head into the city and don't want to bother with driving. read more

recently.. or as of.saturday 11/11/2023 I was denied service.. a service I paid for.. the conductor of the train I was attempting to board said the train was sold out.. which was a lie.. I was only going to wells from saco and they couldn't accommodate me? what kind of business does that? next time this happens I will give the conductors full name and train number. read more

Relatively quick service to Portland from Boston, but the station is illogically far from downtown (aren't most people on. Trains car-free?) with infrequent bus service. This isn't Amtrak's fault, per se, but it is something the City of Portland needs to address if they are trying to draw in tourists. I'm all for public transit, and i'm glad this is doing well, 10 years after the service was ressurected. The coahes were uncrowded on this mid-winter day, and everyone was friendly. 3 complaints: - there needs to be a train in the late afternoon -- the are no trains between 3pm (too early), and 8pm (too late) - if you are up for a day, and not staying for dinner, a 5 or 6pm train back south is needed - When we wanted to change our homeward trip from 8p to 3p, we were charged an additional upcharge since we didn't "buy in advance" (yes we did, we just didn't buy THAT particular slot.) Even AIRLINES who charge for EVERYTHING don't charge to change flights te same day! - WiFi would t work with my iPhone at all. read more

Cramped seating - will take bus from now on. Used to take the train to Boston from Portland exclusively. The extra money over the bus was worth the added legroom and comfort. Well, looks like they've changed the seating to airline standards after the former Delta CEO took the reigns in 2017. Zero benefits over concord coachlines bus and far less departure times. $58 Amtrak vs. $36 Bus for same day round trip. read more

Taken the Downeaster from Boston to Wells at least 5-6 times. Great service....pleasant people !

3/27 - Really horrible staff, I haven't been on the Amtrak in a few years, my mistake not having a mask but horrible attitude when I asked for one. Easy yes or no is easier. On the way back the on same day, the beverage and food cart was closed and I was given horrible attitude for an answer. Employees clearly hate their jobs and people. Save money and take a bus. read more

I'd taken Amtrak before to NYC/Newark from Boston, so I had an idea of what to expect. The train crew (on board and at Portland), were excellent. Train arrived about 20 min late to Boston, but was on time returning to Portland. The "business class" seats were nice, but my single was loose on the way back. I see they just added a dome car....sadly it was not there when we took the train. Definitely will take it again for any Portland/Boston travel. On board wifi is very limited in speed and availability. read more

Lovely train ride and helpful employees!!! The view was spectacular. The food on the train was good! read more

No worries about traffic, weather, distracted drivers, etc. watch the world go past from roomy, comfortable seats. The only way to travel to Boston read more

Im very torn on the Downeaster train. I frequent both Boston and Maine, and I prefer not to drive so I can relax. On the one hand for the extra money, I always prefer business class for the spacious, much quieter ride. Cars are always very clean. However the last two rides ive taken there have been some unfortunate incidents. The first was to Portland from North Station. Not sure what was up with the temperature controls, but many of us passengers noted how uncomfortably warm it was. It was mentioned to one of the conductors who simply said there wasnt much he could do about it. The second ride was portland back to Boston. The cafe car employee clearly just needed a day off. I understand somedays we just dont want to work, but it was noticeable in her demeanor. Again, I love the value the Downeaster brings, and am hopeful these were isolated incidences. read more

I recently took the Amtrak Downeaster train service from Boston to Portland, ME. This service is separate from regular Amtrak in that it is run by the State of Maine, which leases the equipment from Amtrak and operates the trains itself, so there are a few differences from regular Amtrak. Good things about Amtrak Downeaster: - For public transportation between Boston and Portland, ME, you have a choice of Downeaster service or bus service, both of which end up in the same terminal at Portland (the Portland Transportation Connector station or "PTC"). I took Downeaster up and bus back. Downeaster cars were definitely more comfortable, with more space in the seat even when the train is full. You also get a more scenic view from the train, even getting to see the ocean at times. - The train conductors were nicer on the Downeaster than they are on the regular Amtrak. - The food offered on the Downeaster is better than on the regular Amtrak (however, see below for issues with the cafe car). - There is free wi-fi on the Downeaster (however, see below for technical requirements). OK, now on to the questionable and not so great things about Downeaster: - Downeaster runs out of North Station in Boston. This means that if you are coming into Boston on Amtrak from any point south, your train pulls into South Station where you can either connect directly to a bus to Portland, ME or else take the T all the way across town to get to North Station for the Downeaster. If you're looking to buy a ticket from, say, Baltimore to Portland, ME, Amtrak will sell you a ticket that includes the bus from South Station to Portland on their website as part of the regular train fare. So, logistically, it's a bit of a hassle to hie yourself over to the Downeaster if you're not starting your travel in Boston. - Downeaster runs a really limited schedule, only about five times a day, and I have also heard that on days when there's a football game the trains can sell out. I'm sure the State of Maine is happy to run popular trains but it seems like the buses run a lot more often and have seats more reliably. - The Downeaster apparently operates with a skeleton crew, meaning that no cleaning is being done on the trains for the whole train run to Boston and back. With respect to people's individual trash at their seat, the train asks that people take their trash with them when they leave. OK, fine, that's reasonable. But where things get really hairy is the restroom. I do not know how many trips my train had made since that restroom was serviced, but by the time the train got from Boston to Portland, that place was RANK. The waste can was overflowing and the toilet would barely flush. It was just gross. They really need someone to get in there and clean that restroom more frequently, as the train ride takes long enough that people are going to need to use it. - The vaunted wi-fi on the Downeaster requires some sort of a special connection (WAN cellular, I believe) in order to operate. It's not like a normal "hot spot" that my laptop can pick up just fine in coffeeshops and hotels. Because I didn't know about this requirement in advance, and it's really not well publicized, my laptop wasn't configured to work - so no free Wi-Fi for me. Seems like they could make this a bit easier for people to use or at least make sure patrons knew in advance that something different would be required than using the Wi-fi at your local Starbucks. - I would have been more inclined to try some of the Maine-themed food in the cafe if the Downeaster people hadn't also issued a bunch of rules and warnings about not eating your own food in the cafe car and not sitting at tables in the cafe car unless you're going to eat. To the extent the regular Amtrak has cafe cars any more, they're not so fascistic about what you do or don't eat in them and they let you sit there if you need some table space. The Downeaster I rode was not at all crowded so I don't think it would have been a big deal if someone sat at a table without eating, and all the warnings made me so uncomfortable I decided to just skip eating the train food entirely. A volunteer tourist info guy came passing through the train car handing out free brochures and stickers. He spent a lot of time talking to the senior citizens in front of me and checked on people across the aisle (who appeared uninterested), and then walked by me without a single word. I was actually a tourist on my first trip to Maine and had to call him back to give me a Portland brochure. He gave me the brochure but seemed short with me, didn't offer me any more brochures or a sticker, and just acted like he couldn't be bothered. I found that really weird - maybe he didn't think I looked like I needed help? The guy is a volunteer so I don't want to dump on him too hard, but here I am about to go to Maine and spend my tourist dollars and he basically blew me off. Weird. read more

I have taken the Downeaster from Portland to Boston about 12 times in the last two years, and ride "business class." There are frequent cancellations and delays. The worst was when, last year coming back from Boston on a cold night, the train got stuck in NH because of a disabled train up ahead. We were told that the delay would be about an hour. Then they told us that they would be sending buses to take us to our destination so I told my husband not to come and get me. About an hour after that they kicked us off the train with NO buses. That's right. I called my husband and he drove down and gave me and some other passengers I had just met a ride to Portland. Thankfully there was an open restaurant within in walking distance from the train so we didn't freeze while waiting. I did get a $50 credit to use towards my next trip but I haven't taken one since. I think their customer service is terrible. read more

I love the Amtrak Downeaster for its awesome schedule and wonderful seats on the train. The wifi and amenities are well worth the price. I have tried to give this train the benefit of the doubt because of how much I love and appreciate the service. However, On ALL occasions (whether its from Haverhill to north station or vice versa), the train has ALWAYS been delayed at least 1-1.5 hours WITHOUT notification. Why even BOTHER signing up for the delay notification if it doesn't work! As you can imagine, this becomes very frustrating when trying to get to work on time. When I called customer service, they are never helpful in trying to get refunds. They will find EVERY excuse in the book to not award some kind of refund (whether it be transferring the ticket for another day or for credit on Amtrak). No body ever seems to know why the train was delayed. and when you tell them that you love the service but it always fails, they simply make you feel like a bad person for even questioning them! Apparently, its ALWAYS the guests fault with the Downeaster. After doing some research on WHY my train could possibly be late, I find that it has everything to do with a person being struck by one of the trains. Seriously? not once.. but TWICE! I should have known better the first time. I am sad to say, I will NEVER take this service again (not to work, not for pleasure). No one has ever been helpful. They will NEVER alert you to a delay. Nor will they even be apologetic for it. This has truly been the worst service I have ever received. Completely unreliable and apparently now safe either. Keep up the atrocious work Downeaster. read more

This is my preferred way of travel between Boston and Portland. Let me explain. Pros: Beautiful tree & water-lined view. (Sit by the right window going north and the left window going south for best views). Mostly working Internet access. Comfortable seats. Room to stretch and walk around. Pretty good food and plenty of drink. For me, it's been on time for 10 or so roundtrip jaunts except during winter snowstorms (and then I always take it over the bus as I trust it more). Cons: Three of the the six cafe cars are always filled with Amtrak employees so it's hard to sit anywhere but your seat. The Portland amtrak station is away from the town. There aren't many trains a day so if you miss one you're out of luck. This train ends at Boston North, so if you need to go to Boston South or to the airport you got to do some additional navigating. read more

I have taken a train, in one form or another, most of my life. For more than 30 years I had to depend on a train to get me to work and home again. Delays and even cancellations are nothing new to me. The Amtrak Downeaster is a lovely diesel train ride starting at Boston's North Station, through New Hampshire and ending in Maine; Portland and limited service to Brunswick. The ride is relaxing and comfortable. There is a snack car and a business-class car, if you don't mind spending a bit more. The coach trip is a good value and, when running on time, convenient. As an added convenience, Amtrak offers free Wi-Fi and electric outlets. The train crew has always been helpful and friendly. read more

Once we finally lived within reasonable reach of North Station, the Downeaster became tantalizingly close. Man, were we glad we took the plunge. If you're going to Portland and are able-bodied, it's a very walkable city, so a car isn't all that necessary once you're there. It would be great if tracks led downtown (you work with what's left when you inaugurate rail service this long after the age of track-laying) but fortunately they offer free bus passes downtown (Undavertised! You have to ask at the counter in Portland!). The train is Amfleet-style -- the typical silver Amtrak state-of-the-art of the late 1970s -- but they have been rehabbed and are clean and up-to-date inside. The crew is friendly and chatty, and the ride smooth and uneventful. I can't believe the cafe car isn't packed -- this is most of reason to ride the train, if you ask me. We played Yahtzee the whole ride back while enjoying Maine beers, instead of driving two hours and exhausting ourselves at the end of our day trip. I wish the schedules were a little better for us -- you either leave Portland at 3pm or 8pm or tomorrow, no in-between, and we had long waits to make our MBTA commuter rail connections. They could always promote it better, which would mean fuller trains, more revenue, and better service. And the Amtrak cafe car offerings haven't improved in 20 years. For our $19, though, we had a great trip, with really very few complaints, and we would do it again with very little hesitation. read more

If you're looking for a comfortable, quiet ride forget it. Amtrak allows loud, obnoxious, visibly intoxicated passengers to continue drinking on the train and act like COMPLETE idiots. They don't enforce the mask MANDATE. Horrible experience ruined by a group of idiots who can't control their behavior. read more

Worst ride ever. It was supposed to be 2.5 hours from Boston to portland. They did say there was an hour delay due to track repair so when one hour turned to two making for a 4.5 hour train ride for less than 120 miles I am not happy and would never ride this train again. Braving Boston traffic is way better then this. read more

Last Summer my friends and I took a trip on the Downeaster to Old Orchard Beach. This was also my first experience with Amtrak. We arrived at North Station for an early morning trip. If you know North Station, there is a great mix of commuters, tourist and crazy's. My advise is to get there early, but not two early. That way you wont make too many new friends. The train itself was clean and for the most part empty. We went on a Monday. Amtrak has some special seating for parties of 3-4 people who would like to sit face to face. We took advantage of these seats and before you knew it we were at OOB. The on board product from the snack car to the bathrooms were spotless and clean. Prices at the snack bar were somewhat high, but you would expect that. The cafe car has separate seating, and the conductor reminded us it was for snack-car customers only. The return trip was the same. Even though the train was empty, we were asked to leave the snack car when we finished. I have recommended the trip too many people and a few have gone and done it. They like myself enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone. This is why we will be going again next month. read more

Very convenient way to get to Boston without driving but...some issues like not a great schedule if you need to arrive midday instead of early morning or early evening. No real "late" train out so at games or concerts I tend to watch the clock so I'm not late. Decent staff who are all pretty friendly. Cars though are generally old and beat up even in business class. It's not the staffs fault but everything is just old and almost beyond cleanable. I always take the train and even just a few years ago I'd have given it one more star now I only give it 3 based on convenience and staff since there are not only old trains but frequent delays for construction and even accidents. Get new trains Amtrak! read more

I bought one way ticket to Portland Maine at north Amtrak station for the 9:05 departure is almost two hours and half to get there a Amtrak worker provided me information how to spend my day at Portland by giving me the bus map, tour guide, and free bus ticket to get downtown Portland Main Street and shore this was a walking day back to Boston i bought the bus ticket for the 5:00 pm departure which one took less than two hour to the south train station in Boston movie,chips,water were included read more

I would give this zero stars if I could!!! They inexplicably canceled our train home--and offered no refund, only a voucher for another time. Beware!!! They WILL leave you stranded!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Still terrible! LOL I decided to use my "inconvenience voucher" to take the train back from Maine this past Sunday as it was about to expire (which is a joke) and I figured, what the heck, live on the edge, disappoint yourself! Looking at the voucher it mentions there may be black out dates for them, but that they do not accept reservations, you just simply need to fill out the back of the voucher and show up. I checked the website to be sure of any problems using the voucher on a holiday weekend and saw no info, so gleefully I just went for it and showed up. I get on the train in Freeport, which is somehow already packed full of people to the point I have to sit with someone (woof) and when the conductor comes to me, he proceeds to berate me for not calling the reservation line to make sure I could get on the train because they were sold out, so I would have to give up my seat to a paying customer and stand the three hours to Boston. FIRST OF ALL. I'm using a mother fucking inconvenience voucher because you decided to SUCK and take 7 hours to get me home from Boston. The fact that you have to give me this voucher should allow me to use it whenever the fuck I want without so much as a blink of an eye. Also, I continuously checked the amtrak website as we went down the line and every stop had tickets available for purchase. So unless Amtrak is overbooking their trains, which is highly possible, tickets were very much still available and therefore I should have no problem having a seat. I truly do not understand how they can operate such a terrible service. read more

I write this review from onboard the Amtrak Downeaster. My 2 hour train ride is quickly turning into a 3 hour train ride, and I'm not even going as far as Portland. I understand that there are delays and construction delays, etc, but Amtrak apparently knew about this construction would be occurring and could have let everyone know through their text/email alert system. That being said, its typically a pretty great value, and extremely comfortable. Wifi, cafe carts, power outlets. SO much more comfortable than a bus ride (and usually cheaper or the same price than some Megabus/Boltbus routes). read more

I've been using the Downeaster for 15 years. I was onboard the very first train when the service began in 2001. I advocated for the service for several years before that. It's not easy, therefore, for me to post a 2-star review of this service -- but I'd like to be honest about it in hopes that some of the deficiencies can be corrected. Over the past few years, even before the maintenance meltdown that happened last year, the quality of the service seemed to be in decline. Not just on-time performance, but also customer service. I suspect that several of the current conductors are former MBTA Commuter Rail folks who were exiled to Maine. They range from uninterested to downright rude, which is a stark contrast to some of the Downeaster conductors from the early days of the service who were very friendly and helpful. NNEPRA, the quasi-governmental Maine agency that manages the Downeaster, has also gone downhill when it comes to customer service. They don't answer emails, they rarely return phone calls, and when they do it's just the usual "We'll bring this to Amtrak's attention, sorry for the inconvenience." Not good enough. The buck stops with you, NNEPRA. This is your service. It's your responsibility. Five years ago, if a friend or relative asked me "What's the best way to get to Boston?" (or from Boston to Maine), I would've enthusiastically replied "The Downeaster!" without even a split second of hesitation. I'm not able to do that anymore. I despise the bus for trips more than 20 minutes but I now tell people to take the bus, because it's more reliable and the customer service is better. It pains me to do that, but I'm not going to subject people I care about to multi-hour delays and employees who are rude or borderline abusive. Speaking of the bus, I want to comment on some of the complaints I've read here about the location of the Portland train station, which is also where the Concord Coach/MegaBus station is located. Yes, it's a utilitarian station and it's not in the center of downtown, but it really isn't difficult to get to downtown or the Old Port from the station. Portland's public bus service, known locally as The Metro, stops at the train station every 30 minutes or so. I think they'll even give you a free Metro pass on the Downeaster, so that's certainly a great option if you're on a tight budget, and presumably if you're taking the train you're not afraid of public transit. If you can't wait 30 minutes or you don't want to use the bus, there are usually dozens of Uber drivers no more than 5 minutes away who will gladly pick you up and take you to your destination. If Uber's not your thing, you'll generally find at least half a dozen taxi cabs ready and waiting at the station. Many of the local hotels offer a free shuttle; you just have to call and ask. In short, there are numerous ways to get from the station to wherever you're going, and some of them won't even cost you anything. As far as the station building itself, there will be a new one in a few years as part of the Thompson's Point redevelopment, but it will be in the same general location. That's unfortunate for folks who want to step off the train and walk to their destination, but I have to commend NNEPRA for undertaking a comprehensive study to figure out where the new station should be located. Ultimately, for a variety of reasons, Thompson's Point came out as the most feasible location. read more

Amtrak Downeaster - Southbound Downeaster passing through Scarborough - Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine

Great service mostly always on time friendly conductors. The bar car is a plus complimentary beverages in Business Class. The only way to go. I always take business class when on a trip on Amtrak. Leaving Old Orchard Beach for Boston and beyond. read more

Amtrak Downeaster - Old Orchard Beach Maine - Transportation Near Me - Portland, Maine