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In New England-speak “Downeast” means you are heading in or into the northeast coastal section of the United States, so on this train line you will be headed north. Lovely scenery, great shopping and bustling Portland are all offered on this service.

Dover, New Hampshire: At the station, the connecting COAST bus service takes you to the small city of Portsmouth, an historic — and lively — seaport.

Wells, Maine: in season, the Shoreline Explorer provides connecting services from this station to the southern beach towns of Ogunquit, Wells, York, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport.

Stop in Old Orchard Beach, Maine where the station is within walking distance of this popular beach and boardwalk.
Spend time in Portland, Maine, in the Old Port area with its waterfront, museums, shopping and restaurants. This city also makes a great base; take day trips using the Metro bus service, ride bikes or take Casco Bay Ferries to visit some of the islands just offshore.

Freeport, Maine, is famous for shopping, with 170 upscale outlets and regular stores, including the legendary L.L. Bean. Stay in one of the hotels and you can shop for even longer!
Brunswick, Maine is a pretty college town — and the end of the Downeaster line.

Maine Eastern Railroad: in season, this regional train line offers trips further up the coast to Bath (home to the Maine Maritime Museum), Wiscasset and Rockland with its famous Maine Lobster Festival in August. For a treat: enjoy Downeast cuisine in the dining car as you follow the 50-mile scenic route.

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Discover New England markets specifically to the United Kingdom

This service suits those on a budget (learn about the high-speed Acela below), but it still makes the trip from Boston to New York in under four hours. Headed south from Boston, you can get off and explore historic Providence, the capital of Rhode Island, with its trendy restaurants — there’s even a trolley to give you a narrated tour of the city. From here, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority serves many communities, such as Newport, famous for its Gilded Age mansions, summer music festivals and more. Or, stop for a stay at a romantic inn in Westerly to explore the coastline.

Further south, stop off at Mystic, Connecticut, with Mystic Seaport and the popular Mystic Aquarium; and New Haven, Connecticut, home of Yale University with its interesting museums, art galleries and architecture.


ISLAND CONNECTIONS
Also south of Boston are Amtrak train stops where you can easily hop a ferry for an island adventure:

New London, Connecticut: the station is a 10-minute walk from the Block Island Express Ferry port, with crossings to tiny but spectacularly beautiful Block Island (Rhode Island).
West Kingston, Rhode Island: connect to the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. In season, the Amtrak shuttle service takes you from the station to the Vineyard Fast Ferry.

In New England’s gateway city of Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, there’s much to see. As well as Amtrak services, it is also the hub of an excellent local and regional public transport network. So, stay here and take easy day trips to nearby historic destinations, such as Salem, Concord and Lexington in Massachusetts, as well as Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

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