Day Trips Out of Boston by Rail

October 20, 2026

Boston is the hub of the MBTA Commuter Rail, and rail is the sensible way to leave town for a day. Salem, Concord, Plymouth and the Cape Ann harbor towns all have stations, so you skip parking and traffic. Fares depend on the zone you cross, from $2.40 in Zone 1A to $13.25 in Zone 10. Tap-to-pay does not work on commuter trains, so buy a ticket or use the $10 Weekend Pass, and see the MBTA commuter rail page for the options.

Salem: the easiest day out

Trains from North Station reach Salem in about 30 minutes for $8.00 each way (Zone 3). From late spring through October a ferry also links Long Wharf to Salem Wharf in about 50 minutes, and its fares change by date, so look at the operator before you book.

Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex St: open Thursday to Monday 10 to 5, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Adult $25, senior 65 and over $23, student $15, under 16 free. The Yin Yu Tang house comes with the ticket but needs its own timed slot. See pem.org .
Salem Witch Museum, 19 1/2 Washington Sq N: adult $19, senior 62 and over $17.50, child 6 to 14 $16. Daily from 10 to 5, with later closing in summer and October. See salemwitchmuseum.com .
House of the Seven Gables, 115 Derby St: open daily 10 to 6, with a mansion tour at $26 for adults ($31 in October). Parking at the site cannot be counted on. See 7gables.org .
Salem Witch Trials Memorial and the Charter Street Cemetery remember the 20 people put to death in 1692. Visit them quietly.

October is Salem’s peak month, with huge crowds and non-resident parking gone by mid-morning on the busiest Saturdays. Come by train or ferry, and reserve museum entry ahead.

Concord and Lexington: Revolution and literature

The Fitchburg Line runs to Concord (Zone 5, $9.75 each way). Minute Man National Historical Park is free to walk from sunrise to sunset every day. Orchard House at 399 Lexington Rd, the Alcott family home, charges $15 for adults, $12 for ages 62 and over and college students, and $8 for ages 6 to 17. Weekday hours shorten from November, and timed entry is the safe choice. See louisamayalcott.org .

Walden Pond State Reservation takes card payments only at the gate: parking is $8 with Massachusetts plates and $30 with others, and cars are turned away once it fills. The pond sits outside the village center, so work out the connection from the station before you leave. Fees are listed on mass.gov .

Plymouth: the Pilgrim story

Plymouth is a Plymouth Line train ride from South Station (Zone 8, $12.25 each way), or roughly an hour by road. The Plimoth Patuxet Museums open daily 9 to 5 until the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Adult prices: $35 for Patuxet on its own, $19 for Mayflower II, $11 for the Grist Mill. The two-day Combination Pass is $44 and the two-day Heritage Pass is $46. Look at plimoth.org for the current status of Mayflower II.

Gloucester and Rockport on Cape Ann

The Newburyport/Rockport Line serves both: Gloucester is Zone 7 ($11.00) and Rockport is Zone 8 ($12.25). Gloucester has a whale watch operator that sails in the warmer months, roughly mid-April to mid-October, with fares set by the company.

Provincetown is a long day

Ferries to MacMillan Pier take about 90 minutes each way and carry no cars. Boston Harbor City Cruises sails from Long Wharf and Bay State Cruise Company from 200 Seaport Blvd. Both are seasonal, and the Bay State schedule thins out to weekends later in the year, so read the timetable on baystatecruisecompany.com . With three hours of sailing, most visitors stay the night. Cape Cod’s beaches, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are overnight trips too.

When the weather turns

Between about December and March, nor’easters can stop trains and ferries and close smaller museums for the day. Check the forecast and the MBTA alerts before you set out.

To browse organised excursions, search GetYourGuide .

Read more: multi-day trips from Boston , attraction tours and the 2-day itinerary .