Logan-bound

December 9, 2010 7:36 AM

Alewife parking garage: how early?

What time does Alewife fill up on a Friday (or usual weekday) morning? I need to get to Logan (with two children! aaahhhhhhhh!) and am leaning toward driving to Alewife, but we don't need to be at Logan until 9:30am or so. The next choice would be the commuter rail to Porter, then Red Line to South Station, then Silver Line. But I need to know about how early we'd need to be at Alewife these days. 7:00am -- still open?

posted by theredpen to Travel & Transportation around West Kennebunk, ME (9 answers total)

According to the MBTA site, "Average Weekday Availability: 10%." The only times I've been to Alewife have been on the weekend, so I can't say first-hand.
posted by Tu13es at 8:06 AM on December 9, 2010

Best answer: You can generally get a spot at 7-- my wife and daughter left our house at seven (I live just a couple miles from Alewife) to take the Red Line for a weekday appointment in Boston recently and had no problems.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:09 AM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]

Though my experience of parking at Alewife in the morning is several years old now (say, 2005-6), I used to get there around 7:30 and have not much trouble finding a spot, though they weren't exactly wide open.
posted by briank at 8:24 AM on December 9, 2010

The commuter rail -- red line -- silver line plan is insane. With two kids? You won't survive. Are you anywhere near Logan express? An airport car service is worth it for the door-to-door service, though you'll have to account for traffic that time of day.
posted by libraryhead at 8:51 AM on December 9, 2010

Response by poster: It's definitely not the simplest, but we've done this before -- just not in the morning. Hm. Maybe we are insane. But the service is $200 or I'd be all over that.
posted by theredpen at 9:03 AM on December 9, 2010

Best answer: Yes, you'll be able to get a spot at 7am! (And your plan doesn't seem insane to me at all.)
posted by rosa at 9:21 AM on December 9, 2010

Response by poster: Thank you all! I think we could actually do the commuter version, but libraryhead is right in that it would be more of a headache. So we're going to chance it with the Alewife parking even though we'll be crazy early. I appreciate all answers, especially the current info.
posted by theredpen at 12:45 PM on December 9, 2010

7 should be fine. You'll be fine.
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:34 PM on December 9, 2010

Seconding Logan Express as a potential other option - probably a good cost compromise between the T and a car service, though parking is more expensive than I feel like it should be. If you're near any of the pickup areas, could be worth a gander. I've taken the silver line to Logan exactly once, and it was more of a hassle than it was worth in dollars saved, and that was by myself...can't say I'd be too excited about rocking the T at rush hour with two kids and luggage.
posted by um_maverick at 5:24 AM on December 10, 2010