Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For information on services and dis-
counts for seniors and travelers with dis-
abilities, see p. 45.
By Subway & Trolley
Subways and trolleys take you around
Boston faster than any other mode of
transportation except walking. The oldest
system in the country, the T dates to
1897, and recent and ongoing improve-
ments have made it generally reliable.
The trolleys on the ancient Green Line
are the most unpredictable—leave extra
time and carry cab fare if you're on the
way to a vital appointment, because you
may need to bail out and jump into a
taxi. The system is generally safe, but
always watch out for pickpockets, espe-
cially during the holiday shopping sea-
son. And remember, downtown stops are
so close together that it's often faster to
walk.
The subways are color-coded: the Red,
Green, Blue, and Orange lines. The com-
muter rail to the suburbs is purple on sys-
tem maps and is sometimes called the
Purple Line. The Silver Line is a fancy
name for a bus line; the Waterfront
branch runs from South Station to the
airport via the South Boston waterfront,
including the convention center and the
World Trade Center. The fare on the sub-
way and the Waterfront Silver Line is
$1.70
if you use a CharlieCard (transfers
to local buses are free),
$2
with a Charli-
eTicket. Children under 12 ride free with
a paying adult. Route and fare informa-
tion and timetables are available through
the website (www.mbta.com) and at cen-
trally located stations.
Service begins at around 5:15am and
ends around 12:30am. (The exception is
New Year's Eve, or First Night, when clos-
ing time is 2am and service is free after
8pm.) A sign in every station gives the
time of the last train in either direction; if
you're planning to be out late and don't
see a sign, ask the attendant in the booth
near the entrance.
By Bus
The MBTA runs buses and “trackless
trolleys” (buses with electric antennae)
that provide service around town and to
and around the suburbs. The local routes
that you'll most likely need are
no. 1,
along Mass. Ave. from Dudley Square in
Roxbury through the Back Bay and Cam-
bridge to Harvard Square;
no. 92
and
no. 93,
which connect Haymarket and
Ride & Save (Maybe)
The MBTA's 1-day and 7-day
LinkPasses
(
&
877/927-7277
or 617/222-4545;
www.mbta.com
) can be a great deal—but only if you plan to use public tran-
sit enough. Passes cover unlimited travel on the subway and local buses, in
commuter rail zone 1A, and on the Inner Harbor ferry. The cost is $9 for 24
hours, which translates to an awful lot of riding before you start to save money.
But the longer pass, which costs $15 for 7 consecutive days, is a bargain. At
press time, passes must be loaded onto CharlieTickets. Check ahead to see
whether you can put yours on a CharlieCard; that should be possible after the
commuter rail and water transportation fare-collection systems are converted
sometime in 2008. You can order passes—long-term visitors may find one of the
numerous commuter passes a better deal than a visitor-oriented LinkPass—in
advance over the phone or the Web (minimum six; at press time, shipping is
free), or buy them when you arrive at any kiosk or retailer that sells Charlie-
Tickets and CharlieCards.
Value
