We had heard good things about Megabus. Everyone we spoke to said they were far better than Flixbus or Greyhound, so we decided to give them a go and use them for a short journey between Boston and Portland. However, when we got to the bus station in Boston, we found out that we were actually going to be using Concord. The title of the blog is probably wrong, but we will go with it! This is how we got on using Megabus (Concord) from Boston to Portland, Maine.
Buying tickets for Megabus from Boston to Portland, Maine.
This was really easy; the Megabus website is actually fantastic. They have a map of their stations, and when you click on one, it shows you all the stations they go to from there. We paid $81.96 for 2 adults and 1 child from Boston South Bus Station to Portland, Maine. There were plenty of buses throughout the day for this route; we just picked this time as it was the cheapest and suited us.
Megabus from Boston to Portland, Maine – Bus arrival.
We were lucky here and got dropped off at South Bus Station, and this is where the Megabus was due to pick us up. The bus station doesn’t have much in it, but the train station has fast food, a bar, and shops, so we spent a bit of time in there.
It was too early for us, but Chinatown was right across the street and had loads of places to eat and drink. However, we spent the majority of our time waiting on Atlantic Wharf, the location of the Boston Tea Party. Lovely place to sit and watch the sun rise and people out doing their exercises.
We arrived at the bus station with plenty of time to spare, or so we thought. 30 minutes before departure, and the majority of the bus passengers were queueing and ready to board.
At this point, I realised we were not going to be on Megabus but would be using Concord instead, which was very disappointing.
Boarding was straightforward; we were slightly different and couldn’t scan our passes as they were Megabus, but we were listed on a sheet, so all was well. We boarded the bus in hopes of finding at least two seats together.
Megabus from Boston to Portland, Maine – The bus.
Myself and Megan were very lucky to get the last 2 seats beside each other, and Nicola was also very lucky to get one just on the other side. Sadly, due to it being so busy, I didn’t get any other photos from inside the bus. You will have to take my word for it; the bus was spotless.
Megabus from Boston to Portland, Maine – The Journey.
The journey was pretty uneventful, we crossed from Massachusetts into New Hampshire, then finishing in Maine. I wonder if this is the quickest 3 state journey on a bus? Anyone know?
We were the first stop on the route, with the bus going up the coast after it dropped us off. It took us 1 hour and 50 minutes to arrive in Portland; that was good going, as the predicted time was over 2 hours.
Once we left the city of Boston, there wasn’t much to see—just a tree-lined highway. We did cross some amazing bridges, and passed some beautiful lakes, pity I’m rubbish at taking photos.
Megabus from Boston to Portland – Arriving at Portland.
After taking 24-hour buses, an under-2-hour bus journey was a breeze, and before we knew it, we arrived at Portland Transport Hub, our destination. It isn’t a very big station, maybe a few portacabins in size, with a ramp to the buses and the train that heads towards Boston. We were being picked up, so we just hung around the station, but if you need to go elsewhere, there were a number of taxis waiting around.
Would we recommend Concord from Boston to Portland, Maine?
Yes. The bus was clean, left on time, and was cheaper than using Amtrak. One thing I would recommend is booking in advance, as the route is very busy, and being in the queue earlier for boarding than just before the bus leaves if travelling in pairs or more so you get seats together.
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The Lewis family.
