Given the age of the city, the downtown area of Boston is not organised in the logical grid-pattern that characterises many American cities. The pattern is far more organic with roads and lanes seemingly being created or lost at random as and when they were needed when new Wharves were created or when the city itself was expanded.

Outside of downtown the Back Bay, South End, East Boston and South Boston follow the grid system.The MBTA (Massachussetts Bay Transportation Authority) is the public transportation hub which serves Boston. It was the first underground rapid transport system in the US and is now the fourth busiest. MBTA also operates the bus network, water shuttles and the commuter rail network.

Click here for the MBNA website

Nearly a third of Boston residents use the system for their commute to work. For trains and buses heading farther afield, the main terminus in Greater Boston is South Station. Those looking to travel to Chicago might try the NorthEast Corridor Service run by Amtrak. Fast NorthEast Corridor trains which service New York City and Washington DC also run from here. North Station is the main terminus for the Downeaster service which runs to Maine.Given the relatively compact geography of central Boston, more commuters than in any other major US city walk to work.  

"Approximately 13% commute by foot, earning Boston the nickname, the Walking City, while cycling is also a popular choice."

If you're going by car, there are three main routes into Boston:

  • I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) from the west
  • I-95 from the north and south
  • I-93 from the north and south

If you prefer to travel by bus, click here for more info. Nationwide bus companies including Greyhound and Peter Pan stop downtown at South Station. Several regional bus companies offer scheduled service from Boston to New Hampshire, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York City.

Amtrak has scheduled train service to Boston from New York and other points in the Northeast Corridor. The trip from New York City takes 3 1/2 hours on Acela Express trains, about 4 hours on other trains.

Amtrak has three Boston stops.  

Rte. 128 is about 12 miles from downtown and is a good place to get off if you are visiting the western or southern suburbs. Back Bay Station is in the Back Bay, convenient to hotels in the Back Bay and the South End and the Orange Line subway. The terminus is South Station, near the financial district and on the Red Line subway. It is convenient for the hotels along the waterfront and the theater district.