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T
The MBTA is the public transport system for the Greater Boston area. Known as ‘the T’, this offers a Boston Visitor Pass, valid for unlimited travel on the subway, local bus and inner harbour ferry. A 1-day pass costs $7.50, 3-day $18, 7-day $35.
(see Bars, Pubs and Taverns)
Tax on clothing, accommodation and meals is added on at the time of paying. The amounts vary from state to state.
State Sales Taxes (general/clothing)
Connecticut: 6%
Massachusetts: 5% (no tax on clothing less than $175)
Maine: 5%
New Hampshire: no tax
Rhode Island: 7% (no tax on some clothing)
Vermont: 6% (no tax on clothing less than $110)
(see cabs)
To make a call from a payphone, you need coins. Even when dialing a toll-free number, payphones require payment (later refunded) to start the process, from a quarter (25 cents) to 50 cents. Toll-free numbers are often referred to as ‘800’ numbers, but they may also be 888, 877 and 866.
Direct dial long distance calls must be prefixed with 1, then the area code.
International calls are prefixed by 011, then the country code. For the UK, for example, that would be 011 44.
Calls made from hotel rooms usually incur a large surcharge. For international calls, use a telephone or calling card instead.
Other useful numbers:
Directory information: 411
Emergency (police, fire, ambulance): 911
Operator: 0
New England is on Eastern Standard Time (EST), five hours behind GMT, Greenwich Mean Time. In summer, clocks go forward on the first Sunday in April and go back on the last Sunday in October.
It is standard practice to leave a 15% - 20% tip for a meal or taxi. Allow a dollar per bag for a helpful bellhop.
There are few public toilets. If in need, buy a coffee or a drink in a café or bar and use the facilities. The major shopping malls usually have public toilets.
(see Smoking)
(see States)
There are tour operators who specialise in New England with packages and tailor-made holidays.
Explore New England in comfort by train. Amtrak has services year-round, but there are also train companies offering special tours in season.
AMTRAK
Their high-speed train, the Acela Express, travels between New York and Boston in just 3 hours 25 minutes. The route goes through New England cities such as New Haven (CT) and Providence (RI).
Amtrak’s Downeaster runs from Boston to Portland (2 hours 30 minutes). Other routes, such as the Vermonter, allow you to explore the region, with stops in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.
TOURIST AND RESTORED RAILROADS
Connecticut:
Railroad Museum of New England/Naugatuck Railroad, Thomaston to Waterbury
Danbury Railway Museum
Essex Steam Train & Riverboat
Maine:
Maine Eastern Railroad, Brunswick to Rockland
Boothbay Railway Village
Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington
Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad, starts in Phillips
Massachusetts:
Berkshire Scenic Railway, Lenox to Stockbridge
Cape Cod Central Railroad, Hyannis to Cape Cod Canal
New Hampshire:
Conway Scenic Railroad, North Conway to Bartlett and Fabyan Station
Hobo Railroad, Lincoln
Mount Washington Cog Railway, the world’s first mountain railway
Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad, Meredith and Weirs Beach
Rhode Island:
Polar Express, Cumberland to the North Pole
Old Colony & Newport Scenic Railroad, from Newport, by Narragansett Bay
Vermont:
Champlain Valley Flyer, Burlington to Shelburne
Green Mountain Flyer, Bellows Falls to Chester
White River Flyer, White River Jct. to Norwich
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