By Air

Flights to Boston’s Logan International Airport (www.massport.com/logan) are available from almost all major cities. From Logan, ground transportation can be arranged from the information desk at baggage claim. The most efficient way to get into the city is via taxi, though expect to pay a minimum of $25 for downtown locations.

A cheaper option is to take shared van service, which runs to hotels downtown and in the Back Bay for $10–12 per person. Water taxis also cross Boston Harbor to downtown and Seaport District locations, as well as Quincy and Hull, year-round, for about $10 per person.

A much cheaper option is to take a $1.70 subway ride; the airport station is on the Blue Line, and accessible by taking the #22 or #33 bus from any terminal. All told, expect it to take 30–45 minutes to get downtown. Even easier is the Silver Line, which runs express bus service to South Station and picks up directly in front of terminals A and E. It takes 15–30 minutes.

By Rail

From most destinations, Amtrak (South Station, Summer St. & Atlantic Ave., 800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com) runs service to both South Station and Back Bay Station. Trains from New York and Washington take about four and seven hours respectively. Note that Amtrak trains from all destinations in Maine run to North Station, not South. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (617/222-5000, www.mbta.com) also runs commuter rail service from locations in Greater Boston for fares of up to $6. Trains from the North Shore, Lowell, and Fitchburg arrive at North Station, while those coming from the South Shore, Providence, and Worcester arrive at South Station.

By Bus

Bus service arrives at South Station. Most U.S. destinations are served by Greyhound (800/231-2222, www.greyhound.com). However, smaller bus companies also run from various locations around the region.

© Michael Blanding and Alexandra Hall from Moon New England, 2nd Edition