Getting Around Town

Note: the MBTA will be shutting down parts of the Red and Blue lines between Friday, Sept. 3 and Monday, Sept. 6, and using buses instead of trains. Read all about it. This will affect anyone trying to use the T to get to or from Logan Airport during that period. You will still be able to get to your destination, but it might take longer.

Boston Public Transportation (Subway, Buses, Taxis and Ferries)

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

The MBTA, or T as it's known to the locals, provides a good subway and bus network.

Fares: Adults: $1.25 for subway and $.90 for local buses; Children 5-11: $.60 for subway and $.45 for local buses; Children under 5 ride free. Strollers are allowed on the T, but it’s best if you have one that easily folds. Visitor passes are available for 1 day ($7.50), 3 days ($18) and 7 days ($35).

Subway lines: Red, Orange, Green, and Blue. "Inbound" trains go toward the city. "Outbound" trains go away from the city. The Red, Orange and Green lines intersect at Park Street Station, so inbound usually means in the direction of Park Street Station.

Hours: Please note that the T does not run all night. The last train on all lines leaves between midnight and 1am. The Night Owl Service offers bus service along the Green and Red lines on Friday and Saturday nights until 2:30 am.

A handy Trip Planning page is available on the MBTA website. It will help you find the best route to a particular location or the closest bus or train stops to a location. You can also use the trip planner to plan how much time you need to go from point A to point B.

Taking the T from the Convention Center:

Please note that many stops are on various lines. Check out the MBTA website if you are starting at a point other than the convention center, since there may be a shorter route.

Green line, Outbound: The Green line divides into the B, C, D, and E lines.

To Kenmore Station and B, C, and D lines: Exit via the main door of the Convention Center facing Boylston Street. Take a left and walk 2 blocks to Massachusetts Ave. Take a right on Massachusetts Ave. and walk 1 block to the Hynes T stop, on the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Newbury Street. Follow signs to the outbound platform and take the appropriate train. B, C, and D trains all stop at Kenmore Station.

To E trains: Follow signs from the Convention Center to the Prudential Center station. Take an E train from the outbound platform.

Green line, Inbound: Follow signs from the Convention Center to the Prudential Center station. Take any train from the inbound platform. UPDATE: Please note that due to renovation work on the Green line, all inbound trains end at North Station. For Science Park and Lechmere stations you will need to take a shuttle from Government Center, Haymarket, or North Stations.

Red line: Follow signs from the Convention Center to the Prudential Center station. Take any train from the inbound platform to Park Street.

For Cambridge and Somerville, follow the signs downstairs to the Alewife train. Stops along this route include Charles/MGH, Kendall, Central, Harvard, Porter, Davis, and Alewife.

For Downtown Crossing, South Station and other points south, follow the signs downstairs to the Ashmont/Braintree trains. This line splits further after the JFK/UMass stop.

Orange line: Follow signs from the Convention Center to the Prudential Center station. Take any train from the inbound platform to Park Street. At Park Street, follow the signs to the Orange line platforms (a 5 minute walk from the Green line).

If you don't mind a short walk to start, you can walk 3 blocks from the convention center to Back Bay station where you can take the Orange line.

Blue line: Follow signs from the Convention Center to the Prudential Center station. Take any train from the inbound platform to Government Center (one stop past Park Street). Take the stairs from the Green line platform to the Blue line platforms.

Boston Taxis

Taxis may be flagged on the street and are often found waiting outside hotels downtown. Meter rates are $1.75 for the first 1/8th of a mile and $.30 for each additional 1/8th of a mile.

Side Trips

Buses:

Several bus lines offer trips to surrounding areas like Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Newport, Rhode Island, and points north. Buses leave from the South Station bus terminal (T: Red line).

Southern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and Newport, RI: Bonanza Bus Line and Plymouth & Brockton Bus Lines

Maine and New Hampshire: Concord Trailways

Commuter Rail:

North Station (T: Green line) and South Station (T: Red line)

The commuter rail is excellent for visiting the North Shore to places such as Salem and Rockport.

You can also take a rail line to Lincoln and Concord where there are paths through conservation land and Walden’s Pond. These trains leave from North Station.

Ferries:

Aquarium Station (T: Blue line)

You can take the Bay State Cruise Company ferry to Provincetown, located at the end of Cape Cod.