New York City <—> Boston

Here's how to decide how to travel between New York City and Boston by travel time, cost, comfort and convenience: Amtrak trains, many intercity bus lines, lots of flights, and driving in your own caror a rental car. More...

Arriving by Car

Boston traffic is intense and confusing, and streets in the city center an unfathomable maze to first-time visitors. Here's all about driving and parking in Boston. More...

Arriving by Plane

Boston is served by four airports, but you're most likely to arrive at Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS). Silver Line SL1 buses will take you into Boston for free (see below), or free airport shuttle buses can take you to the MBTA Blue Line Airport station for a train into the center. Here's all about the airports and how to get into the city.

Arriving by Train or Bus

South Station Transportation Center

All Amtrak trains (except the Downeaster to Portland and Brunswick ME) operate from Boston's South Station Transportation Center, as do most intercity buses. More...

Silver Line Buses

Silver Line SL1 hybrid buses stop at all Logan Airport terminals and will bring you into the city center (South Station Transportation Center) for free. You can transfer directly to the MBTA Red Line subway beneath South Station for free as well. More...

SL2 buses stop near the Flynn Cruiseport for cruise ships and can bring you to South Station. More...

MBTA Red Line Subway Trains

The subway station beneath South Station serves Red Line trains via Park Street Station (change for the Green Line) to Harvard Square and Cambridge.

North Station/TD Garden

North Station, beneath the TD Garden sports arena, serves the Amtrak Downeaster train to New Hampshire and Maine; and MBTA Commuter Rail trains to towns north and northwest of Boston. You can reach North Station on the MBTA Green Line trains heading to Union Square or Medford/Tufts University; or an Orange Line train heading to Oak Grove.

MBTA Public Transit

Greater Boston's public transit system is operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), known as "the T", serving 175 cities and towns in 3,244 square miles (8,402 square km) of eastern Massachusetts. Click here for schedules and maps of the entire system.

MBTA Subways

The T operates five subway lines (Red, Green, Orange, Blue) and the hybrid-bus Silver Line:

Click on the map to access a larger version.

MBTA Buses

The 170-route bus network serves Boston proper and communities in eastern Massachusetts. More...

MBTA Commuter Rail Trains

MBTA Commuter Rail trains take you on suburban excursions to Concord, Salem, Gloucester, Rockport, Plymouth, Worcester, Providence RI, Providence's TF Green Airport, and several other interesting places.

Click on the map to access a larger version.

MBTA Commuter Rail trains from South Station serve communities to the south and west of Boston: Worcester, Quincy, Kingston (for Plymouth), Providence RI and TF Green Airport.

From North Station, trains go to communities north and northwest of Boston: Concord, Lowell, Newburyport, Salem, Gloucester and Rockport.

MBTA Ferries

The "T" runs five ferry routes in and around Boston Harbor which can take you from Long Wharf in the center of Boston to Logan Airport, the Charlestown Navy Yard (to visit the USS Constitution—"Old Ironsides"), and several suburban communities.

Click on the map to access a larger version.

Private companies provide additional ferries to the Boston Harbor Islands and Salem MA. More...

BLUEbikes Shared Bikes

BLUEbikes at a stand in Cambridge MA.

BLUEbikes, Greater Boston's short-trip public bike-sharing system, has over 400 bike stations in Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Newton, Revere, Salem, Somerville, and Watertown, with 4000+ bikes available from mid-March to Thanksgiving (late November). More...

Intercity Buses

Boston's South Station Bus Terminal is the busiest bus station in New England, serving many buses between Boston and New York City and beyond.

Rideshare Apps (Uber & Lyft)

Readily available in Boston. At major traffic points such as North Station/TD Garden, South Station, Logan Airport, etc., look for the designated pick-up point to wait for your ride.

Taxis

If you travel to or from Logan Airport, some special charges may apply, such as airport fees and tunnel tolls. These are explained on signs posted in each taxi.

At the end of your taxi ride, you should request and receive a printed meter receipt showing the taxi's medallion number, date and time of the ride.

Flat rates (ie, fixed fares) apply to some cities and towns farther away from Boston, as published by the Boston Police Department.

If you believe that the driver followed a route longer than necessary in order to increase the fare, you may register your complaint with the Boston Police Department Hackney Carriage Unit.

Remember: these are the rules and regulations for the City of Boston and not necessarily for any adjoining city (Cambridge, Brookline, Somerville, etc.), each of which has its own regulations, which may differ.

Taxi Lost & Found

If you've left something in a taxi, contact the company directly. You may also contact the Boston Police.