The blog that started it all! Check out reviews of every bus route and train station in Boston, as well as ongoing reviews of the regional bus systems in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Recent Posts from Miles on the MBTA
Service Change: Portugal, Part 15 – TST Bus 161 (Costa da Caparica – Lisbon (Pca. do Areeiro) via Alcantara)
You'll remember how on the way to Costa da Caparica, we used the ferry-bus combo, which was pretty long. I will say, however, that that way is useful if you're coming from downtown Lisbon. However, if you're staying further north (like we were), your best option by...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 14 – TST Bus 124 (Cacilhas – Costa da Caparica)
Okay, so it turns out there's a faster bus from Cacilhas to Costa da Caparica, but we ended up on the slow one. That made things more interesting, though, since we got to see a bunch of local neighborhoods. Of course, maps on the TST website are pretty much...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 13 – Lisbon Ferry (Cais do Sodre – Cacilhas)
When we got back to Lisbon, we only had one full day left in Portugal, with one thing we wanted to do: go to the beach. Now, Cascais is the city's main touristy beach, but we found out that the water there can get so polluted that you can't even swim in it! So we...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 12 – The Alfa Pendular High Speed Train
As you know, when we were going from Lisbon to Porto, we took the slightly-fast Intercidades train. That one could go up to about 120 MPH, which is speedy for sure. But if you want a true high-speed experience, the Alfa Pendular is the way to go. Running from Braga in...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 11 – Porto Metro, Lines E and F (plus a funicular!)
Although the independent section of Line E is incredibly short, it's still important, as this line serves Porto's airport. The line splits off from Line B at Verdes Station, which was an interesting one due to its stacked design. Line B had side platforms, while Line...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 10 – Porto Metro, Lines C and D
Continuing on with the Porto Metro, next up is Line C! A note about this one is that it doesn't go all the way to Estadio do Dragao where the other lines terminate - it ends one stop earlier, at Campanha. I guess Estadio de Dragao doesn't have enough capacity for five...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 9 – Porto Metro, Lines A and B
The Porto Metro is actually the biggest metro system in Portugal. Despite being twice as long as the Lisbon Metro, though, it only gets a third of the ridership. Unlike Lisbon, Porto's Metro system is light rail, and is mostly above ground. But hey, that second bit is...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 8 – CP Urban Services (Porto Campanha – Sao Bento)
As I mentioned before, our train from Lisbon arrived at Porto's Campanha Station. Campanha is Porto's main station for long distance and suburban trains, but the problem is that it's not particularly close to the city. One way of getting there is the Metro, but that...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 7 – Intercidades Long-Distance Train (Lisbon – Porto)
On our trip, we also spent a few days in Portugal's second-largest city, Porto. How did we get there? Well, take a guess...yep, the train! There are two classes from Lisbon to Porto - one is the high speed Alfa Pendular, which we didn't take on the way there; the...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 6 – Lisbon to Sintra Suburban Line
Sintra is a village to the west of Lisbon that's considered a must-see if you visit Portugal. And indeed, it's quite a lovely, if touristy village, with multiple palaces and castles. But how do you get to Sintra? Well, your best option is certainly the frequent...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 5 – Lisbon Bus 729 (Alges – B.o Padre Cruz)
Okay, we've steadily been getting less touristy and more local here. The 28 was pretty much entirely for tourists, while the 15 was a mix. Well, now we're on the 729, and this bus route is all locals. Yes, you're not gonna find any tourists on this well-used bus...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 4 – Lisbon’s Tram 15 (Pc. Figueira – Alges (Jardim))
While the 28 runs primarily as a tourist attraction, Lisbon's other main tram line, the 15, gets strong local traffic, too. The 15's only real tourist appeal is that it serves Belem, which has a few attractions - other than that, the line serves local neighborhoods to...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 3 – Lisbon’s Tram 28 (Martim Moniz – Prazeres)
I'll be honest, the 28 is almost entirely meant for tourists. During the summer, all the trams are packed with out-of-towners taking pictures and seeing the sights. That's completely justified, though, since this tram line is incredibly scenic. The line is windy and...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 2 – Lisbon Aerobus
The Metro isn't the only way to get from Lisbon's airport to downtown. Another option is the Aerobus, run by Yellow Bus Tours. While Line 2 runs every half hour to the northwestern part of the city, Line 1 goes every 20 minutes to the center. The advantage of taking...
Portugal or No Portugal?
I realize it took forever to get out that post about the Lisbon Metro, and I'm sorry about that. I'm wondering, though, if you guys want to see more. If I were to continue with Portugal posts, you guys would see some buses, some trams, some trains, another metro...