Ask me anything -Boston, Massachusetts (Gillette Stadium, Foxborough Massachusetts) travel/local area info

[Nigeyy]

For full disclosure, I'm English and follow England.  However, I've lived in the Boston area (close to the stadium) for 35 years now and am pretty familiar with the area.  I'm more than willing to help out with any questions -I am not here to make money or offer "deals" etc, just advice on good safe areas to stay, how to get the stadium, etc.  I've been to Gillette stadium many times.

A couple of pointers to start:

1. Foxboro is NOT Boston.  It's a town about 21 miles south west of Boston, with no really easy way to get there.  You can drive* or take the commuter rail train (See next point).  I don't know at this time, but I would strongly suspect there will be special buses laid on from Boston, but no news yet on that. Obviously Uber is an option, but I'd guess it would be expensive.

2. Public transportation isn't very good -but there will be a special commuter rail train running from Boston (South Station and Back Bay Station) see https://www.mbta.com/destinations/gillette-stadium   I live in one of the towns on that line.

3. There are places in Boston I personally would not stay at for both crime and easy accessibility purposes. While most places are pretty safe, there is gun crime in certain areas (can't sugar coat it, but please, please don't be alarmed, this really is usually restricted to only certain areas).   For example, the town I live in has had one murder in over 30 years and is pretty close to Boston.  I never feel unsafe walking the streets late at night where I am.  Gun crime is usually restricted to gangs and drug deals in localized areas.

Anyway, please fee free to ask me anything about the area.  Good luck to Scotland and safe travels to everyone coming over.

[Sempre]

Hello, and welcome to the board.

We've been looking at West Quincy/Baintree as a base. Decent area to stay?

[Nigeyy]

Just now, Sempre said:

Hello, and welcome to the board.

We've been looking at West Quincy/Baintree as a base. Decent area to stay?

Yeah, West Quincy/Braintree is OK.  You can catch the redline MBTA (Mass Bay Transit Authority, commonly called "The T") subway from North Quincy, Wollaston, Braintree "T" stops.  I also think the Greenbush commuter rail line has a stop in Quincy too.   Generally speaking the commuter rail is safer and faster than the "T", though I think the red line to the south of Boston is fine.  Of course the commuter rail is a bit more expensive.  Note if you are here at a weekend you can currently get a $10 weekend pass, which allows you to have unlimited use of the *commuter* (NOT Subway) rail for the weekend -that could be a bargain as there is a commuter rail line to Gillette stadium and Salem to the north which can be a fun visit). I'm sure there will also be some MBTA buses as well from Quincy/Braintree, but I'm not familiar with that.   Keep in mind the entire MBTA doesn't run too late (I may be wrong with the buses and T red line but I know usually the last commuter rail trains are usually around 11:30pm.)   I'm also not sure about the safety of the red line late at night, I'd think it would be fine going south of Boston, but I do know as I said, the commuter rail has a generally safer reputation.

I'd say just do your research and make sure you are close to a T stop or commuter rail station.  Even in June it can get to be uncomfortably hot and humid, so you might not want to walk too far.   Oh, and I definitely recommend against hiring a car -Boston driving is notoriously bad, traffic jams on the central artery can be awful and to finish it all off, you may pay a considerable sum for parking.

One other thing:  many people over here have no idea about the World Cup.  This does mean that the usual accommodation sites may have accommodations from people who aren't jacking up prices yet, but will eventually wise up.  I'm guessing the sooner you find accommodation the more likely you are to find a bargain.

Good luck and have fun! Boston is a nice city to visit.  If you want any ideas of things to do, let me know.

 

[Nigeyy]

I suppose I should add, "Where would I stay or where would I recommend?"

If you don't want to be in the centre of Boston, and are willing to take a 35 minute commuter rail ride in to the centre of Boston, I'd recommend the town of Norwood.   Norwood is to the south slightly west of Boston, and the commuter rail line is the same line that serves Gillette Stadium.   Norwood is (in my opinion) a lovely little safe town with a very walkable center with decent restaurants (including Norwood Spice Indian Restaurant which I like) and bars.

However, and this goes for any place you may consider staying at, be careful where you look even if you think the town is a good idea.  For clarity, a town in Massachusetts isn't a town in the traditional UK sense, but the area bounded by the town boundaries so can be quite a large area and quite sparse or out there.  Route 1 for example runs through the town of Norwood to the south and has a Ramada hotel that's pretty cheap, but route 1 is like a dual carriageway and it's very hard (and quite possibly dangerous) to cross from the Ramada hotel and a good 1/2 to 3/4 miles away from Norwood centre and the commuter rail stations.   Public transport and pedestrian access aren't high infrastructure priorities over here.

[Haggis Jack]

Hello myself and a friend are in a Hyatt House hotel in Waltham. Can you tell me anything about transport to Central Boston and whether Waltham would be regarded as safe? Thanks 

[NSIGN]

5 hours ago, Nigeyy said:

For full disclosure, I'm English and follow England.  However, I've lived in the Boston area (close to the stadium) for 35 years now and am pretty familiar with the area.  I'm more than willing to help out with any questions -I am not here to make money or offer "deals" etc, just advice on good safe areas to stay, how to get the stadium, etc.  I've been to Gillette stadium many times.

A couple of pointers to start:

1. Foxboro is NOT Boston.  It's a town about 21 miles south west of Boston, with no really easy way to get there.  You can drive* or take the commuter rail train (See next point).  I don't know at this time, but I would strongly suspect there will be special buses laid on from Boston, but no news yet on that. Obviously Uber is an option, but I'd guess it would be expensive.

2. Public transportation isn't very good -but there will be a special commuter rail train running from Boston (South Station and Back Bay Station) see https://www.mbta.com/destinations/gillette-stadium   I live in one of the towns on that line.

3. There are places in Boston I personally would not stay at for both crime and easy accessibility purposes. While most places are pretty safe, there is gun crime in certain areas (can't sugar coat it, but please, please don't be alarmed, this really is usually restricted to only certain areas).   For example, the town I live in has had one murder in over 30 years and is pretty close to Boston.  I never feel unsafe walking the streets late at night where I am.  Gun crime is usually restricted to gangs and drug deals in localized areas.

Anyway, please fee free to ask me anything about the area.  Good luck to Scotland and safe travels to everyone coming over.

Really appreciate you taking the time to do this Nige. 
 

Your posts have been very helpful so far. 
 

I’m staying at the Charlesmark hotel on Boylston street. Looks decent and on the Trainline. 

[YesTA]

We're staying in Central Salem. If we do get match tickets, will it be easier to get back to Boston then to Salem? Or go direct to Salem? If late night is taxi the only option? We currently aren't planning to hire a car.

[Souness]

Ronan Park - Dorchester area or Kahler St - Milton?

If both are shite, whats your spare room availability?

[Stubedo]

Nice offer to help with local knowledge ... much appreciated.

I know Gillette's location from following NFL and I'm expecting that at 2330hrs after the stadium pours out it'll be bedlam.

I've got digs reserved in Pawtucket and I was hoping to grab a taxi/Uber from Gillette to Mansfield train station to catch the last scheduled train towards Providence c.0020hrs

I'm aware that there will be specials running in/out of Boston ... not sure about Providence though?

Is Pawtucket OK to stay for a night?

Where is the best place at the stadium to get the taxi/Uber to Mansfield?

All insights welcome 👍

[NE TA in the weeg]

@Nigeyy - how late does The T run, and are there plans to have late trains during the WC?

I've got accommodation in Malden, MA, and was wondering if I'd be able to get back using the Orange Line after the 9pm game at Foxboro? 

Edited December 9, 2025 by NE TA in the weeg

[Nigeyy]

6 hours ago, Haggis Jack said:

Hello myself and a friend are in a Hyatt House hotel in Waltham. Can you tell me anything about transport to Central Boston and whether Waltham would be regarded as safe? Thanks 

The Hyatt house in Waltham is just off what is colloquially known as "128", a major ring road motorway around Boston.  That area is safe, however (and this is just my opinion):

1. you will need to hire a car.  The hotel you are staying at is known for business travellers at the local office blocks in the area.  I personally recommend against a car; the driving here is atrocious, street signs are terrible and parking (at least in Boston) is very expensive. 

2. Further, while you can use your car to get to Gillette stadium, expect traffic jams and I know on New England Patriots game day it's currently $50-60 per car to park at the stadium.  However, if you do hire a car, consider driving to the MBTA commuter rail station close to Brandeis University which is a safe -but underwhelming -area (my daughter went to Brandeis University).  The commuter rail line at Brandeis will get you into central Boston at North Station but will NOT be the same line as a train to the stadium, necessitating a train into Boston, THEN A 20-30 MINUTES WALK FROM NORTH STATION TO SOUTH STATION to catch the Franklin Forge Park local train line that should stop at the stadium on game day* 

3. don't expect easy access to the centre of Waltham (Moody Street) which has a fantastic array of ethnic restaurants). It's not very walkable and is "out there" 

4. getting into Boston, you will have 4 choices: i. hire a car and drive (I think I covered my opinions on this), ii. hire a car and drive to the Brandeis commuter rail station to get to central Boston and North Station, iii. take an uber (got to say I think the prices they charge will go up and it's a good distance to both the centre of Boston and Gillette stadium to the south) and iv. take a bus into Boston (I can't comment on this as I don't know the schedule, frequency, or even if they exist).  I'm about 100% certain there is no bus from Waltham to the stadium though, or even any buses that will go any direction other than towards Boston.

I really don't mean to be negative here as you can make this work without a doubt.  Would I try to get accommodation else where if I could?  Yes.  While safe, the Hyatt at Waltham is a bit out of the way with not much around it and really makes having a car more necessary.

*remember I said the transportation infrastructure for anything other than cars isn't a priority?  They spent billions and billions on a "Big Dig" project depressing a central artery through Boston for cars, but didn't link up North and South train stations. 

[Mushet84]

Do you play at golf or know anyone locally who would be interested in signing a couple of us on to a local course?

[Nigeyy]

4 hours ago, NSIGN said:

Really appreciate you taking the time to do this Nige. 
 

Your posts have been very helpful so far. 
 

I’m staying at the Charlesmark hotel on Boylston street. Looks decent and on the Trainline. 

That's looks like a really nice hotel -in the centre of Boston, easy walk to Back Bay station if you want to take the commuter rail train to the stadium.  You are in the centre with walking distance to the Boston common, public garden, etc.  I think that's a great safe location.

Safety wise, you should be fine -it's a more touristy area, just exercise the usual common sense level of precaution for a city (don't get blind drunk by yourself and walk late at night, don't go down dark alleys by yourself at night, etc, the usual) and you'll have no problems.

[Nigeyy]

4 hours ago, YesTA said:

We're staying in Central Salem. If we do get match tickets, will it be easier to get back to Boston then to Salem? Or go direct to Salem? If late night is taxi the only option? We currently aren't planning to hire a car.

OK, you should be aware that Salem is out there up on the "North Shore".  Lovely place and worth a visit.  However, it's over 30 miles as the crow flies from there to Foxborough where Gillette stadium is.  Now that's as the crow flies, which is very misleading as it's over 50 miles by car and the highway.

It's going to be much easier to get back to Boston rather than Salem.  I'm guessing a taxi or Uber from the stadium to Salem will be extremely expensive (most likely more than an hour and fifteen minutes of driving and that's not accounting for traffic, which you can expect to encounter).

Salem is nice, but you will be paying a transportation penalty -both in cost and time.

 

[Nigeyy]

3 hours ago, Souness said:

Ronan Park - Dorchester area or Kahler St - Milton?

If both are shite, whats your spare room availability?

Ronan Park I'm not sure about, but can tell you parts of Dorchester are OK, some are sketchy.  This is an area I'm just not that familiar with (my wife's friend lives in Dorchester a.k.a. "Dot" so I can ask her.

Milton is a funny one.  It's actually a fairly wealthy area and not strictly a part of Boston but a suburb, but it's so close so many people just think of it as part of Boston.  It borders Mattapan, which is -in my opinion -a very sketchy area. Let me say this: I wouldn't want any of my kids living in Mattapan.  I wouldn't mind them driving through it during the day but wouldn't want them driving through it at night in case they broke down.  I'm guessing if you stayed in Milton it would necessitate taking a bus late at night that drives through Mattapan.  I personally wouldn't want to do that.  You can of course take a taxi or Uber from central Boston, but costs can add up.

Sorry, no spare room! I'm just here to try to help out and not make money.

 

 

[DOUBLE A]

Nigeyy, seen a few folk staying in providence.

Do you know if there will be trains running to and from there to the stadium even though it later kick offs ?

[DesiScotsman]

11 hours ago, Nigeyy said:

For full disclosure, I'm English and follow England.  However, I've lived in the Boston area (close to the stadium) for 35 years now and am pretty familiar with the area.  I'm more than willing to help out with any questions -I am not here to make money or offer "deals" etc, just advice on good safe areas to stay, how to get the stadium, etc.  I've been to Gillette stadium many times.

A couple of pointers to start:

1. Foxboro is NOT Boston.  It's a town about 21 miles south west of Boston, with no really easy way to get there.  You can drive* or take the commuter rail train (See next point).  I don't know at this time, but I would strongly suspect there will be special buses laid on from Boston, but no news yet on that. Obviously Uber is an option, but I'd guess it would be expensive.

2. Public transportation isn't very good -but there will be a special commuter rail train running from Boston (South Station and Back Bay Station) see https://www.mbta.com/destinations/gillette-stadium   I live in one of the towns on that line.

3. There are places in Boston I personally would not stay at for both crime and easy accessibility purposes. While most places are pretty safe, there is gun crime in certain areas (can't sugar coat it, but please, please don't be alarmed, this really is usually restricted to only certain areas).   For example, the town I live in has had one murder in over 30 years and is pretty close to Boston.  I never feel unsafe walking the streets late at night where I am.  Gun crime is usually restricted to gangs and drug deals in localized areas.

Anyway, please fee free to ask me anything about the area.  Good luck to Scotland and safe travels to everyone coming over.

Welcome aboard.

One of my mates is booked in a Holiday Inn Express in Randolph. What is that area like? Will it be easy enough to get to Gillette before & after the game? Also is it a safe area too? He's got free cancellation on the hotel so if it is gonna prove very difficult to get to the stadium & back and also unsafe in the area too, he'll probably just cancel and make the trip to Miami instead from UK after the two games in Boston

Edited December 9, 2025 by DesiScotsman

[stocky]

Hi Nige,

Do you have any recommendations for a camp site nearby....

or one near a train line that would go into/near the stadium.

Somewhere you can park up a RV.

 

Cheers

any info would be useful

 

 

[Nigeyy]

I think this may be helpful to comment on public transportation:

• There is a subway in Boston called the "T" (https://www.mbta.com/schedules/subway).  Subway trains aren't as frequent as you'd think for a city like Boston (nothing like the tube in London for example) and you may have to easily wait 10 minutes or more for a subway train.
• There is a subway or "T" connection from North to South station, but it involves a change, so if you are fit, it usually is almost as fast just to walk it.  However, there is a direct subway connection from Back Bay station to South station using the Orange line.
• "T" subway services can run until 1:00am, though for some lines I'd say exercise some caution at that time of night
• There is a train service called the commuter rail (https://www.mbta.com/schedules/commuter-rail). The main commuter rail stations in Boston are Back Bay and South Station which serve the south and some parts of the west (and for big events at Gillette stadium they have a train stop for the stadium on the Franklin Forge Park local line, BUT the Franklin Forge Park local DOES NOT NECESSARILY STOP AT THE STADIUM, so check! I would imagine on a game day they would definitely stop there though).  The other main commuter rail station is North Station which serves the north and west of Boston.  The two stations are about 20-30 minutes walk apart and are not linked by a rail, though you can use the "T" subway (see above).
• Commuter rail services usually run until around 11:30pm, so not that late
• for the Commuter rail service, get the MBTA mTicket app, it alllows you to buy tickets on line and view schedules, it's very useful.
• There is a public bus network.  This is the service I'm least familiar with, and the last time I was on a Boston bus was over 30 years ago!

I'm more familiar with the commuter rail as I use it relatively frequently.  It's usually fast, relatively affordable and safe, but...   trains are usually scheduled on average hourly, with 30 minute intervals at rush hour. At quieter parts of the day, some lines have trains every 2 hours.  Unfortunately my experience has been when I've used the commuter rail at North station, the train schedule at South station is just so you can't make a connection in time or vice versa.  I really don't know why they do this.  Costs depend on where you get on (they have zones, and yes, you have to pay to get to North Station, get to South Station, and then pay again, and vice versa).  One great feature they have is a $10 weekend pass which allows you to use any commuter rail train unlimited for the weekend (and that means trains from both North and South station for that flat $10 fee).

As I mentioned above, I've found the "T" subway to get around the centre of Boston to be frustrating -don't get me wrong, they run frequently but just not frequently enough to make it worth your while if you can walk somewhere.

For public bus service, as I said, I'm the least familiar but I see them around Boston all the time.  As far as I know there is no public bus service from Boston to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, though the 34E bus (https://www.mbta.com/schedules/34E/line) can get you from Forest Hills to Walpole (town over from Foxborough) which is relatively close but you'd then need a taxi or Uber for the rest of the journey. You'd still need to get to Forest Hills "T" station to get this bus though (and parts of the Orange line from the centre of Boston to Forest Hills can be sketchy, particularly late at night), and I'm not sure I'd recommend this as my brother in law was attempted to be jumped in broad daylight at Forest Hills station with a couple of guys with handguns -admittedly quite a few years ago -but then again I'm pretty sure the area hasn't improved since then either.  I'm not trying to scaremonger here, but that's what happened so I'm just relating it.

Lastly just a little curious cultural observation about public transport.  They don't queue here. When you get on a bus it's like a swarm of bees to the bus door.  Nor do people necessarily stand back to let people off the subway first either.

All of the above post is a generalization, and I'd encourage you to checkout the MBTA web site for accurate details and schedules. 

Edited December 9, 2025 by Nigeyy

[Nigeyy]

1 hour ago, Mushet84 said:

Do you play at golf or know anyone locally who would be interested in signing a couple of us on to a local course?

Alas, I'm not a golfer! But one of my best friends is.  I can ask him -are you bringing golf clubs with you?  And where are you planning on staying?

[daasovic]

Hi there. Many thanks for all your help. I've got accomodation booked in Somerville for a few days and then Arlington for a few days. Would you say these areas are safe enough and easy enough to get to by public transport?  Thanks. 

[Nigeyy]

27 minutes ago, stocky said:

Hi Nige,

Do you have any recommendations for a camp site nearby....

or one near a train line that would go into/near the stadium.

Somewhere you can park up a RV.

 

Cheers

any info would be useful

 

 

Why yes, Wompatuck State Park (https://www.mass.gov/locations/wompatuck-state-park), I think it's in Weymouth but I always get it wrong.  I've been there many times for walking including camping, and for staying (relatively) close to Boston it's an absolute bargain.  If you are fit, you can walk from the campground in the state park to the Cohasset commuter rail station on the Greenbush Line that goes into South Station in Boston.  It's safe, but use common sense and lock things up when you leave your campsite, though I've never experienced a problem.

The downsides? Check the commuter rail schedule as they may not be terribly frequent and it is a good walk to get to the station from the campsite. Secondly, be aware that alcohol isn't allowed at the Park.  Now this isn't as bad as it sounds, as I've been to many state parks and have seen "other people" (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) drinking alcohol with no problem. Don't quote me on this, but the trick is to use common sense:  don't drink from a beer bottle or labelled can so people can see you, and don't get blind drunk, play loud music and don't get loud and put alcohol away if you see a ranger.  If you follow those rules, chances are you will be fine (can't guarantee it obviously, but I've seen "other people" do this and not have a problem, jus' sayin').  

Edit: I was thinking you wanted a campsite close to Boston... There is a private campsite relatively close to the stadium called Normandy Farms but it's expensive and you'd need a car (no sidewalk to walk from that campground to the stadium, an no close by walkable amenities such as restaurants or bars.  And yes, I've camped there! It's fairly luxurious for a campground.   I also think there is a campground in Mansfield (Three River Campground or something like that? Google is your friend) but never stayed there and that's even more remote from stuff and the stadium.

Edited December 9, 2025 by Nigeyy

[daasovic]

Hi there. I've booked accomodation in Somerville for a few days and then Arlington for a few days. Would you say these areas are safe enough and OK for public transport into Boston?  Many thanks for your help.

[ScottFindlay22]

Hi Nigel,

 

what do you think about staying in revere 

[biffer]

Thanks for doing this, appreciate it. 

We've got an AirBnB booked in Everett. Looks nice enough on streetview, houses in good condition and decent cars parked on the street. 15 minutes in an uber to downtown or about 40-45 minutes via a bus to the MBTA station on the Orange line. 

Will we survive? 😄