Recently I decided to make a Saturday overnight trip to Boston by train to avoid the hassle of driving and parking in that city. Using mass transit should be the economical and "green" thing to do.

With advance planning, the round trip train ticket is $56 person. This is not as cheap as a commuter train to New York City, but it is reasonable.

What seems unreasonable is the weekend garage parking fee at the train station. If you park overnight Saturday (regardless of the hours) the parking fee is $30. A $30 parking fee added to the train ticket is excessive. The parking garage management and the city leadership seemed to ensure no options except the garage.

Free parking at Old Saybrook, Mystic and Westerly brings in other business to their city. Why is New London so unfriendly to the commuter? This is a business model which needs a review to better serve the community, the city and garage management.

I plan to take trains to NYC and Boston in the future and will find better options. I do not plan to park at a garage that has prices which are out of line with the community it serves.