Getting To Boston
Boston is a great place to visit, but how do you get here? It's quite simple and convenient, because there are many airlines, bus companies, trains, and interstate highways that connect Boston to the rest of the world.
Boston's geographical location makes it an ideal and easy gateway for both national and international access. No city delivers faster travel times between its airport and its convention centers.
By Air
Boston Logan International Airport is New England’s largest transportation center and welcomes tens of millions of passengers each year. It houses 94 gates with contact jet bridges and nine regional jet gates. More than 40 airlines fly nonstop in and out of Boston Logan to more than 100 domestic and international destinations.
Other airline options include the Manchester Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire, and T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island. Both are approximately 90 minutes by car to the Convention Center.
Massport offers a GetUThere App designed to help you find the information you need to get to or from a Massport facility, including Boston Logan International Airport, Cruiseport Boston, Hanscom Field, Worcester Regional Airport, Conley Container Terminal, and other properties such as parks and open space areas in East Boston and South Boston. Try it today.
By Car
There are three main routes into Boston:
- I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) from the west
- I-95 from the north and south
- I-93 from the north and south
By Subway and Bus (Local)
The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority offers an online trip-planner, which is useful for figuring out how to get to Boston by subway, local bus, or train.
By Bus (Regional)
Nationwide bus companies such as Greyhound and Peter Pan stop downtown at South Station. Several regional bus companies offer scheduled service from Boston to New Hampshire, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York City.
By Train
Amtrak has scheduled train service to Boston from New York and other points in the Northeast Corridor.
Immigration
Please visit the USA Customs and Border Protection’s website regarding admission into the United States for international visitors. It includes frequently asked questions about the admission process for entering into the United States.
Alternatively, browse www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/ and click on “Admission into United States.” Other helpful sites include www.travel.state.gov, www.usembassy.gov, and www.discoveramerica.com/ca/entry.html.
Getting Around Boston
Boston is a compact city, and it's easy to get around by public transportation, on foot, tour bus, or taxi. If there are some specific destinations outside the city that you want to visit, you may consider renting a car to get there, although most notable attractions can be accessed via some form of public transit.
Subways, Trains, and Buses Fit You to a “T”
The first thing you should know about getting around Boston is that the public transportation system is excellent—use it! Thousands of residents and visitors use the extensive Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) system of subways, trains, and buses (locally known as the "T") to travel in and around Boston. Public transportation via bus, subway, and commuter train serves as a vital link between downtown and surrounding neighborhoods and the greater metro-Boston area.
A CharlieCard or CharlieTicket is needed to ride the T, which can be purchased at any subway station. A seven-day “T’s” Week LinkPass will allow unlimited travel on any of the T’s commuter systems.
Color coding subway stops make traveling easy: Red Line, Green Line, Blue Line, Orange Line, or Silver Line. Boston’s commuter rail service and bus service provide inner city travel.
Click here for fare and pass information.
Enter an address, intersection, station or landmark below and the MBTA will supply the best travel routes for you
Walking
Chances are you’ve heard Boston referred to as “the walking city.” Once you're in town, Bostonians' best advice is to get a map, some good walking shoes, and walk it!
Boston is not a large city, and the entire main tourist attractions are within walking distance of one another. Distances are so short between destinations within central Boston that it is often faster to walk than to take the T. Plus, if you're spending all your time underground on the subway, you'll miss some of the natural beauty of Boston.
A local non-profit organization, Walk Boston, offers great maps and walking routes of the city's various neighborhoods.
Amtrak and Coach Bus Services
Amtrak and coach bus services provide alternative modes of transportation for traveling longer distances in and out of Boston. Amtrak runs trains out of Boston's North Station, South Station, and Back Bay Station, while Greyhound, Peter Pan, BoltBus, Megabus and Plymouth & Brockton companies run buses out of Boston's South Station to destinations across the United States.
Taxi
There are seven authorized cab associations in Boston. Taxi rates per mile average: First 1/7 mile $2.60 USD, each 1/7 mile thereafter $0.40 USD with tolls additional. Passengers pay $2.75 USD toll for all trips from Boston proper to Logan Airport and North Shore Communities. Passengers pay no toll from Boston to East Boston, not including Logan Airport. Tally your fare before you travel.
Boat
Boston's Harbor helps connect residents and visitors to neighborhoods such as Charlestown and East Boston via water taxis. The Harbor is always buzzing with a variety of sea-faring vessels ferrying passengers to and from locations along the water. Traveling by water is a great way to see the city skyline and some of Boston's famous buildings. Learn more about MBTA commuter boats.