Travel and Transit Information for Boston

Air

Logan International Airport (BOS) +1 617 568 5000 http://www.massport.com/logan/

BOS is located four miles (6.5 kilometers) from downtown, and services the following airlines:

Aer Lingus (+1 800 474 7424/ http://www.aerlingus.ie/) Air Canada/Air Canada (+1 888 247 2262/ http://www.aircanada.ca/) Air France (+1 800 237 2747/ http://www.airfrance.com/) Air One (+1 888 935 9247/ http://www.flyairone.com/) AirTran Airways (+1 800 247 8726/ http://www.airtran.com/) Alaska Airlines (+1 800 252 7522/ http://www.alaskaair.com/) Alitalia (+1 800 223 5730/ http://www.alitaliausa.com/) American (+1 800 433 7300/ http://www.aa.com/) American Eagle (+1 800 433 7300/ http://www.aa.com/) British Airways (+1 800 247 9297/ http://www.british-airways.com/) Cape Air (+1 800 352 0714/ http://www.flycapeair.com/) Continental (+1 800 525 0280 / http://www.continental.com/) Delta (+1 800 221 1212 / http://www.delta.com/) Finnair (+1 800 950 5000 / http://www.finnair.com/) Iberia (+1 800 772 4642 / http://www.Iberia.com/) Icelandair (+1 800 223 5500 / http://www.icelandair.com/) JetBlue Airways (+1 800 538 2583 / http://www.JetBlue.com/) Lufthansa (+1 800 645 3880 / http://www.lufthansa.com/) Midwest (+1 800 452 2022 / http://www.midwestexpress.com/) Northwest / KLM (+1 800 225 2525 / http://www.nwa.com/) SATA (+1 800 762 9995/ http://www.sata.pt/) Spirit Airlines (+1 800 772 7117/ http://www.spiritair.com/) Swiss International Airlines (+1 877 359 7947/ http://www.swiss.com/) TACV (+1 866 359 8228/ www.caboverde.com/) United Airlines (+1 800 241 6522/ http://www.ual.com.) US Airways (+1 800 428 4322/ http://www.usairways.com/) Virgin Atlantic Airways (+1 800 862 8621/ http://www.virginatlantic.com/)

From the Airport

Public Transit: Ground transportation options abound starting with the wonderfully efficient Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (+1 800 392 6100/ http://www.mbta.com/) train system. Locally known as "the T," it operates daily from 5:30a-12:30a, exiting the airport about every ten minutes. Fares start at $1. For added convenience free Massport shuttles scoot passengers between the terminals and trains.

Taxi: A fleet of taxis can be found outside every terminal. Depending on traffic rides to downtown last 15-20 minutes. Taxis charge a flat rate for all destinations exceeding a 12-mile downtown radius. Should you be traveling beyond 12 miles be sure to agree to an exact rate before entering the cab. The Boston Police Department posts a list of flat rates at: http://www.massport.com/logan/getti_typeo_taxis.html#ratechart. If you opt to rent a car be advised that downtown is not conducive for driving, especially if unfamiliar with Boston's maze of narrow one-way streets.

Shuttle: For a shuttle bus/van, call the reputed Back Bay Coach (+1 617 746 9909) which provides a shared van service to most downtown hotels.

Free bus service from the airport terminals to the Logan Boat Dock on the south side, makes the water shuttle service efficient and conveniently quick. Boats exit at regular intervals for a seven-minute ride to Rowes Wharf.

Bicycle

Bicycling is not recommended for downtown Boston. There are no bike lanes and drivers tend to scoff at the idea of sharing the road. Cambridge, however, is very bike friendly.

Bus

The main bus terminal is located on Atlantic Avenue, adjacent to the train station. Passengers can then access downtown via MBTA's Red Line subway. Greyhound ( http://www.greyhound.com/), Bonanza (http://www.bonanzabus.com/) and Concord Trailways (http://www.concordtrailways.com/) all service Boston.

Ferry

The inner harbor ferries offer a refreshing alternative for city commuters. Long Wharf (New England Aquarium), Lovejoy Wharf (North Station), Rowes Wharf (Boston Harbor Hotel), Courthouse, and World Trade Center Boston are the main drop-off and pick-up points.

Highway

I-90, or as locals call it the "Mass Pike," a state-long toll road, funnels traffic in from all points west. I-93, downtown's main artery, runs north/south. I-93 north combines with US-1 making it the main thoroughfare for traffic approaching from Canada, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. I-93 south joins with Route 3, connecting Boston with Cape Cod. I-95 south connects Boston with Providence and the Connecticut Shoreline.

Getting Around

The T

The MBTA's (+1 617 222 3200/ http://www.mbta.com/) bus system services all of downtown and beyond. Most are wheelchair accessible. Family passes are available. Boston's subway system (+1 617 222 3200/ http://www.mbta.com/), the oldest in the nation, rates as the fastest way to scoot around. The color-coded lines are easy to decipher. The Red Line slices through downtown in a northwest/southeast direction servicing Harvard Square, MIT and South Station. The Green Line wanders in a west/east direction accessing the Boston Common, Copley Square and Fenway Park. The Blue Line juts in a northeast/southwest direction stopping at Logan Airport, Suffolk Downs and the New England Aquarium. And the Orange Line drifts in a north/south direction depositing passengers at such noted stops as North Station, the Fleet Center and Chinatown.

Taxi

Taxis are readily accessible, yet expensive when compared with other forms of public transportation. Cab stands can be found at most major hotels and at busy visitor points such as Faneuil Hall, South Station and Harvard Square. Metro Cab (+1 617 787 5438) and Town Taxi (+1 617 536 5000) are two of Boston's bigger cab companies.

Car Rental

Another attractive ground transportation option is Zipcar, which operates in certain cities in Canada and the U.S. This new breed of rental car allows you to rent on an hourly basis rather than a daily basis. Be sure to register online before your trip. Zipcar (+1 866 404 7227 / http://www.zipcar.com)

Train

South Station on Atlantic Avenue, Back Bay Station on Dartmouth Street, and North Station on Causeway Street make train travel into Boston extremely convenient. All three stations are linked to the MBTA subway allowing for easy downtown access. Amtrak (http://www.amtrak.com) is the chief carrier. The Acela Express links with Washington DC, the Lake Shore Limited with New York City, and the Downeaster with Portland, Maine.

Walking

Walking is Boston's best mode of travel. The downtown area is inordinately compact making it possible for one to walk from North End to Back Bay in less than half a day.

Traffic Information For up-to-date traffic information, go to: http://www.smartraveler.com/scripts/bosmap.asp?city=bos&cityname=Boston/

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