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Flying time to Boston is one hour from New York, 2 1/4 hours from Chicago, 5 1/2 hours from Los Angeles, 3 3/4 hours from Dallas, 1 1/2 hours from Toronto, 7 1/2 hours from London, and 21-22 hours from Sydney (including connection time).
Carriers
Major Airlines
American (tel. 800/433-7300). Continental (tel. 800/525-0280). Delta (tel. 800/221-1212). Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525). TWA (tel. 800/221-2000). United (tel. 800/241-6522). US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322).
Regional Airlines
Business Express (tel. 800/345-3400). Cape Air (tel. 508/771-6944 or 800/352-0714). Colgan Air (tel. 800/272-5488). Comair (tel. 800/354-9822). Eastwind (tel. 800/644-3592). Jet Train (tel. 800/359-4968).
From the United Kingdom
Three airlines fly direct from the United Kingdom to Boston: British Airways (tel. 0345/222-111) and American Airlines (tel. 0345/789-789), departing from Heathrow; and Virgin Atlantic (tel. 01293/747-747) from Gatwick.
Betweem the Airport and Town
For recorded information about traveling to and from Logan Airport, contact the airport's ground transportation hotline (tel. 800/235-6426 around the clock). This is also your source for details on parking.
By Bus
If you're making bus or train connections at South Station, six bus companies offer nonstop service between Logan Airport and South Station for $6 each way. Buses run daily every 15-30 minutes. Logan Express (tel. 800/235-6426) buses travel to the suburbs of Braintree, Framingham, and Woburn. One-way fares are $8 weekdays and $6 weekends to Braintree or Framingham; Woburn fares are $6 each way.
By Boat
The Airport Water Shuttle (tel. 800/235-6426) makes seven-minute trips across Boston Harbor between Logan Airport and Rowes Wharf downtown (year-round, every 15 minutes weekdays 6 AM-8 PM; every 30 minutes Friday 8 PM-11 PM, Saturday 10 AM-11 PM, Sunday 10 AM-8 PM; ). A free shuttle bus runs between the airport ferry dock and all airline terminals. One-way fare is $10 for adults. Connecting boats are available from Boston to Hingham on the South Shore.
The Harbor Express boat service (tel. 617/376-8417) takes passengers from Logan Airport to Long Wharf downtown (near the Aquarium) and to Quincy on the South Shore. The service makes 24 trips between 5 AM and 10 PM weekdays and 12 trips between 6 AM and 9:15 PM weekends. One-way fares are $8 between the airport and Long Wharf, $10 between the airport and Quincy.
From April 1 though mid-October, the City Water Taxi offers on-call boat service between Logan Airport and several downtown locations. One-way fares to or from the airport are $10, $8 each for parties of two or more.
By Car
If you are driving from Logan to downtown Boston, the most direct route is by way of the Sumner Tunnel ($2 toll inbound; no toll outbound).
When there is a serious traffic delay in the tunnel, one alternative is to take Route 1A north to Route 16 west, then to the Tobin Bridge and into Boston: from the airport, follow 1A north about 2 1/2 mi. At a traffic light, the road will fork, with 1A bearing right toward Revere Beach and Lynn. Stay right as if you were continuing on 1A, but just past the traffic signal, immediately bear left to reverse direction, following the airport signs. As soon as you are back through the intersection, heading south on 1A, exit right at the sign for "16 West, Tobin Bridge/Chelsea." Follow 16 west to the Tobin Bridge ($1 toll) into Boston.
By Subway
The subway's Blue Line runs to downtown Boston in about 20 minutes; free shuttle buses connect the subway station with all airline terminals (5:30 AM-1 AM). Shuttle bus 22 runs between Terminals A and B and the subway; shuttle bus 33 goes to the subway from Terminals C, D, and E.
By Taxi
Taxis can be hired outside each terminal. Fares to and from downtown should average about $15, including tip, via the most direct route, the Sumner Tunnel, assuming no major traffic jams. The new Ted Williams Tunnel, for taxis and commercial use only on weekdays, connects the airport to South Boston. Contact MASSPORT (tel. 617/561-1751) for service.
By Van
US Shuttle (tel. 617/894-3100) provides door-to-door van service 24 hours a day between the airport and many Boston area destinations. Call and request a pickup when your flight arrives. To go to the airport, call for reservations 24-48 hours in advance. Sample one-way fares are $8 to downtown or the Back Bay, $15.50 to Cambridge.
For train information, contact Amtrak (tel. 617/482-3660 or 800/872-7245) or South Station (Atlantic Ave. and Summer St., tel. 617/345-7451).
Holidays
Major national holidays include New Year's Day (Jan. 1); Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (3rd Mon. in Jan.); President's Day (3rd Mon. in Feb.); Memorial Day (last Mon. in May); Independence Day (July 4); Labor Day (1st Mon. in Sept.); Thanksgiving Day (4th Thurs. in Nov.); Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Dec. 24 and 25); and New Year's Eve (Dec. 31).
Non-U.S. residents ages 21 and older may import into the United States 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 2 kilograms of tobacco, 1 liter of alcohol, and gifts worth $100. Meat products, seeds, plants, and fruits are prohibited.
For additional information, contact the U.S. Customs Service (inquiries, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229, 202/927-6724; complaints, Office of Regulations and Rulings, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229; registration of equipment, Resource Management, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229, 202/927-0540).
Hospital Emergency Rooms
Massachusetts General Hospital (tel. 617/726-2000).
Doctors and Dentists
Doctor Physician Referral Service (tel. 617/726-5800), open weekdays 8:30-5. Dental emergency (tel. 508/651-3521).
24-Hour Pharmacies
CVS (Porter Square Shopping Plaza, White St. at Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, tel. 617/876-5519), Osco (8 McGrath Hwy., Somerville, tel. 617/628-2870), or Walgreens (757 Gallivan Blvd., Dorchester, tel. 617/282-5246).
Embassies and Consulates
Australia
Australian Embassy (1601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202/797-3000, 202/797-3040).
Canada
Canadian Embassy (501 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001, 202/682-1740, 202/682-7726).
New Zealand
New Zealand Embassy (37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008, 202/328-4800, 202/667-5227).
United Kingdom
British Embassy (3100 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008, 202/588-7800, 202/588-7850).
Official mailboxes are either the stout, royal blue steel bins on city sidewalks or mail chutes on the walls of post offices or in large office buildings. A schedule posted on mailboxes and mail slots should indicate when the mail is picked up.
Sending Mail Home
First-class letters (under one ounce) sent within the United States cost 33 cents; postcards are 20 cents. A one-ounce letter to Canada takes a 48-cent stamp and a postcard 45 cents; for Mexico, you'll need a 40-cent stamp for a half-ounce letter and 40 cents for a postcard. Airmail letters (under a half ounce) to other overseas destinations cost 60 cents, and postcards are 55 cents. For 60 cents, you can also buy an aerogram -- a pre-stamped sheet of lightweight blue paper that folds into its own envelope.
Receiving Mail
If you wish to receive mail while traveling in the United States, have it sent c/o General Delivery at the city's main post office (be sure to use the right zip code). It will be held there for up to 30 days. You must pick it up in person, and bring identification with you. American Express offices in the United States do not hold mail.
Sample costs: sandwich $4-$7, slice of pizza $1-$1.50, cup of coffee $1-$2, and a bottle of beer $3-$3.50. Typical museum entrance fees range from $7 to $12.50. A taxi ride within the city of Boston starts at $1.50, plus $.25 for the first quarter mile and $.25 for each eighth of a mile thereafter.
Currency
The basic unit of U.S. currency is the dollar, which is subdivided into 100 cents. Coins are the copper penny (1 cent) and four silver coins: the nickel (5 cents), the dime (10 cents), the quarter (25 cents), and the half-dollar (50 cents). Silver $1 coins are rarely seen in circulation; a "golden" dollar coin was introduced in 2000. Paper money comes in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. All these bills are the same size and green in color; they are distinguishable only by the dollar amount indicated on them and by pictures of various famous American people and monuments.
For the most favorable rates, change money through banks. Although fees charged for ATM transactions may be higher abroad than at home, Cirrus and Plus exchange rates are excellent, because they are based on wholesale rates offered only by major banks. You won't do as well at exchange booths in airports or rail and bus stations, in hotels, in restaurants, or in stores, although you may find their hours more convenient. To avoid lines at airport exchange booths, get a bit of local currency before you leave home.
In general, U.S. banks will not cash a personal check for you unless you have an account at that bank (it doesn't have to be at that branch). Only in major cities are large bank branches equipped to exchange foreign currencies. Therefore, it's best to rely on credit cards, cash machines, and traveler's checks to handle expenses while you're traveling.
Exchanging Money
In the United States, it is not as easy to find places to exchange currency as it is in European cities. In major international cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, currency may be exchanged at some bank branches, as well as at currency-exchange booths in airports and at foreign-currency offices such as American Express Travel Service and Thomas Cook (check local directories for addresses and phone numbers). The best strategy is to buy traveler's checks in U.S. dollars before you come to the United States; although the rates may not be as good abroad, the time saved by not having to search constantly for exchange facilities far outweighs any financial loss.
Money Orders, Funds Transfers
Any U.S. bank is equipped to accept transfers of funds from foreign banks. It helps if you can plan dates to pick up money at specific bank branches. Your home bank can supply you with a list of its correspondent banks in the United States.
If you have more time, and you have a U.S. address where you can receive mail, you can have someone send you a certified check, which you can cash at any bank, or a postal money order (for as much as $700, obtained for a fee of up to 85¢ at any U.S. post office and redeemable at any other post office). From overseas, you can have someone go to a bank to send you an international money order (also called a bank draft), which will cost a $15-$20 commission plus airmail postage. Always bring two valid pieces of identification, preferably with photos, to claim your money.
Taxes
Sales tax of 5% is added to restaurant and take-out meals and to all other items except non-restaurant food and clothing valued less than $175. Hotel room charges in Boston and Cambridge are subject to state and local taxes of up to 12.45%.
Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom who plan to stay in the United States for fewer than 90 days do not need entry visas. A valid passport, a return-trip ticket, and proof of financial solvency are required; you'll be asked to fill out the Visa Waiver Form, I-94W, upon entry. Travelers who plan to stay more than 90 days can apply for the appropriate visa at the United States embassy or consulates in their home country. Canadian citizens need valid identification but neither a passport nor a visa to enter the United States.
At Home
If you live in the U.K.: U.S. Embassy Visa Information Line (01891/200290; calls cost 49p per minute, 39p per minute cheap rate) for U.S. visa information. U.S. Embassy Visa Branch (5 Upper Grosvenor Sq., London W1A 1AE) for U.S. visa information; send a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Write the U.S. Consulate General (Queen's House, Queen St., Belfast BTI 6EO) if you live in Northern Ireland. Write the Office of Australia Affairs (59th fl., MLC Centre, 19-29 Martin Pl., Sydney NSW 2000) if you live in Australia. Write the Office of New Zealand Affairs (29 Fitzherbert Terr., Thorndon, Wellington) if you live in New Zealand.
Passport Offices
The best time to apply for a passport or to renew is during the fall and winter. Before any trip, check your passport's expiration date, and, if necessary, renew it as soon as possible.
Australian Citizens
Australian Passport Office (131-232).
Canadian Citizens
Passport Office (819/994-3500 or 800/567-6868).
New Zealand Citizens
New Zealand Passport Office (04/494-0700 for information on how to apply; 04/474-8000; 0800/225-050 in New Zealand for information on applications already submitted).
U.K. Citizens
London Passport Office (0990/210410) for fees and documentation requirements and to request an emergency passport.
Embassies and Consulates
Australia
Australian Embassy (1601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202/797-3000, 202/797-3040).
Canada
Canadian Embassy (501 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001, 202/682-1740, 202/682-7726).
New Zealand
New Zealand Embassy (37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008, 202/328-4800, 202/667-5227).
United Kingdom
British Embassy (3100 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008, 202/588-7800, 202/588-7850).
By Bus
Brush Hill/Gray Line (Transportation Bldg., 14 Charles St. South, tel. 617/236-2148) picks up passengers from hotels for 3 1/2-hour Boston-Cambridge tours with stops at the USS Constitution and the Tea Party Ship, March through November. Other tours are available to Plymouth, Plimoth Plantation, Cape Cod, Salem and Marblehead, New Hampshire, and Newport. Reserve in advance.
By Trolley
Narrated trolley tours last about 1 1/2 hours and make frequent stops near Freedom Trail sites, other attractions, and hotels; you can get on and off as you wish. Hours of service listed are for summer; departures may be more infrequent and end earlier off-season.
Tour operators include the red Beantown Trolleys (Transportation Bldg., 14 Charles St. South, tel. 617/236-2148), with 17 stops for an $18 fee and trolleys that run every 20 minutes from 9 AM until 4 PM; Minuteman Tours (329 W. 2nd St., South Boston, tel. 617/269-7010), which runs their blue trolleys every 20 minutes from 9 AM to 4 PM from May to October for $15, or $18 with a visit to the Tea Party ship; and the orange and green Old Town Trolley (329 W. 2nd St., South Boston, tel. 617/269-7010), where you can travel expediently, as trolleys run every 10 minutes from 9 AM to 4:30 PM, for $20; summer only, tours are also available through Cambridge. Call for details.
Theme Tours
Banking
The Federal Reserve Bank (600 Atlantic Ave., tel. 617/973-3451) schedules free tours of its money-processing operations every other Friday at 10:30 AM; reserve a week ahead. Children must be 12 or older and accompanied by an adult.
Children
Make Way for Ducklings Tours (Historic Neighborhoods Foundation, 99 Bedford St., tel. 617/426-1885) follow the route taken by the ducks in Robert McCloskey's eponymous children's book; designed for youngsters five and older, accompanied by adults, they're offered on Saturday in late spring and on Friday and Saturday from July 4 to Labor Day. Cost is $5 for kids, $7 for adults.
Gardens and Parks
Beacon Hill Garden Club Tours (Box 302, Charles St. Station, 02114, tel. 617/227-4392) are offered one day a year in mid-May. Boston Park Rangers (Parks and Recreation Dept., tel. 617/635-7383) lead free nature walks through many of the city's parks.
History
Bay Colony Historical Tours (Box 9186, JFK Post Office, Boston 02114, tel. 617/523-7303) offers prearranged private tours of the greater Boston area and Cape Cod for corporate clients, groups, and individuals.
Manufacturing
The Boston Globe (135 Wm. T. Morrissey Blvd., tel. 617/929-2653), the city's largest newspaper, gives free hour-long tours, by appointment, Tuesday and Thursday; participants must be at least 12 years old. The tiny Commonwealth Brewing Company (138 Portland St., tel. 617/523-8383), which began making English-style ales and stouts by traditional methods in 1986, has free tours by appointment. The 90-minute tours of the Boston Beer Museum and Samuel Adams brewery (Boston Beer Company, 30 Germania St., Jamaica Plain, tel. 617/368-5080), which end with a tasting, are given on Thursday and Friday at 2 and on Saturday at noon, 1, and 2. In July and August, there's an additional tour Wednesday at 2. A $1 donation is requested; it benefits a local charity.
Walking Tours
African-American
Black Heritage Trail (tel. 617/742-5415 or 617/742-1854), a self-guided walk, explores Boston's 19th-century black community, passing 14 sites of historical importance on Beacon Hill. Brochures are available at the Museum of Afro-American History (46 Joy St.) and the Visitor Information Center on the Boston Common (facing Tremont St.). Rangers lead 90-minute guided walks from April to October at 10, noon, and 2 daily, and in winter by appointment
Beacon Hill
The Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA; 141 Cambridge St., tel. 617/227-3956) conducts a walking tour of Beacon Hill that focuses on the neighborhood as it was in about 1810. Tours are given Saturdays May through October at 3 PM, with an added 10 AM tour in October, and cost $10.
Historic Neighborhoods
The nonprofit Historic Neighborhoods Foundation (99 Bedford St., tel. 617/426-1885) covers the North End, Chinatown, Beacon Hill, the waterfront, and other urban areas on 90-minute guided walks Wednesday through Saturday from April through November. Tours cost $5 to $15.
General-Interest
The 2 1/2-mi Freedom Trail (tel. 617/242-5642) follows a red line past 16 of Boston's most important historic sites. National park rangers give free 90-minute guided tours daily from April to November. The nonprofit Boston by Foot (77 N. Washington St., tel. 617/367-2345; 617/367-3766 for recorded information) offers guided 90-minute walks daily from May to October with specially trained volunteers. Most tours are $8.
Maritime History
Harborwalk, a self-guided tour, traces Boston's maritime history. Maps are available at the information center on Boston Common.
Special-Interest
The Boston Center for Adult Education (5 Commonwealth Ave., tel. 617/267-4430) periodically offers walking tours with themes ranging from contemporary art to Jewish Boston, Back Bay mansions, and the Emerald Necklace. Victorian Society in America/New England Chapter (Gibson House Museum, 137 Beacon St., tel. 617/267-6338) tours specific sites, neighborhoods, and architecture representative of the Victorian era.
Women's History
Women's Heritage Trail (tel. 617/522-2872) celebrates more than 80 accomplished women on four self-guided walks. The Old State House (206 Washington St.) and the National Park Service visitor center (15 State St.) sell maps for $5.
Water Tours
Around the Harbor
Boston Harbor Cruises (1 Long Wharf, tel. 617/227-4321) runs harbor tours from mid-April through October; other trips include sunset and evening entertainment cruises, a $2 lunchtime ride, and trips to the Boston Harbor Islands (Memorial Day-Labor Day). Massachusetts Bay Lines (60 Rowes Wharf, tel. 617/542-8000) offers evening cruises with rock, blues, or reggae music and dancing, concessions, and cash bar, as well as daily harbor tours ($8) and sunset cruises.
Charles River Basin
The Charles Riverboat Co. (100 CambridgeSide Pl., Suite 320, Cambridge, tel. 617/621-3001) offers a 55-minute narrated tour of the Charles River Basin. Tours depart from the CambridgeSide Galleria Mall on the hour from noon to 5 daily from June through August and on weekends in April, May, and September; the fare is $8. Boston Duck Tours (790 Boylston St., Plaza Level, tel. 617/723-3825) has 80-minute city tours that pair major landmarks with a half-hour ride on the Charles River. Tours begin and end at the Huntington Avenue entrance to the Prudential Center (101 Huntington Ave.). From April through November, tours leave every half hour, 9 AM till dark; fare is $19 ($10 for children 3-12). Tickets are sold inside the Prudential Center weekdays and Saturdays 9-8, Sundays 9-6; a limited number of tickets are available for purchase up to two days in advance.
To Gloucester
AC Cruise Company (290 Northern Ave., tel. 617/261-6633 or 800/422-8419) offers daily trips to Gloucester from Memorial Day through Labor Day, departing at 10 AM from its Northern Avenue pier; fare is $18.
Whale-Watching
Most whale-watching cruises run between April and the end of October. Cruises are available from the following operators: AC Cruise Company (290 Northern Ave., tel. 617/261-6633 or 800/422-8419) for $19, Boston Harbor Cruises (1 Long Wharf, tel. 617/227-4321) for $22, Massachusetts Bay Lines (60 Rowes Wharf, tel. 617/542-8000) for $22, and New England Aquarium (Central Wharf, off Atlantic Ave., tel. 617/973-5277) for $24.
All U.S. telephone numbers consist of 10 digits -- the three-digit area code, followed by a seven-digit local number. If you're calling a number from another area-code region, dial "1" then all 10 digits. If you're calling from a distance but within the same area code, dial "1" then the last seven digits. For calls within the same local calling area, just dial the seven-digit number. A map of U.S. area codes is printed in the front of most local telephone directories.
Four special prefixes, "800," "888," "877," and "900," are not area codes but indicators of particular kinds of service. "800," "888," and "877" numbers can be dialed free from anywhere in the country -- usually they are prepaid commercial lines that make it easier for consumers to obtain information, products, or services. The "900" numbers charge you for making the call and generally offer some kind of entertainment, such as horoscope readings, sports scores, or sexually suggestive conversations. These services can be very expensive, so know what you're getting into before you dial a "900" number.
Credit-Card Calls
U.S. telephone credit cards are not like the magnetic cards used in some European countries, which pay for calls in advance; they simply represent an account that lets you charge a call to your home or business phone. On any phone, you can make a credit-card call by punching in your individual account number or by telling the operator that number. Certain specially marked pay phones (usually found in airports, hotel lobbies, and so on) can be used only for credit-card calls. To get a credit card, contact your long-distance telephone carrier, such as AT&T, MCI, or Sprint.
Directory & Operator Information
For assistance from an operator, dial "0". To find out a telephone number within the same area code you're calling from, dial 411; in a few places it is necessary to dial 555-1212. If you want to charge a long-distance call to the person you're calling, call collect by dialing "0" instead of "1" before the 10-digit number, and an operator will come on the line to assist you (the party you're calling, however, has the right to refuse the call).
International Calls
International calls can be direct-dialed from most phones; dial 011, followed by the country code and then the local number (the front pages of many local telephone directories include a list of overseas country codes). To have an operator assist you, dial "0" and ask for the overseas operator. The country code for Australia is 61; New Zealand, 64; and the United Kingdom, 44. To reach Canada, dial 1 + area code + number.
Long-Distance Calls
Competitive long-distance carriers make calling within the United States relatively convenient and let you avoid hotel surcharges. By dialing an 800 number, you can get connected to the long-distance company of your choice.
For details, contact AT&T (800/225-5288), MCI (800/888-8000), or Sprint (800/366-2255).
Public Phones
The most common pay phone in operation today is the coin-operated type. To use one, pick up the receiver, deposit your money (the minimum amount is posted on the machine), and then dial the number. An automated message will alert you to deposit more money, if needed.
Telephone-card phones, so popular elsewhere in the world, are becoming increasingly common. Grocery stores, newsstands, and other establishments sell the disposable phone cards, available in varying amounts from $5 and up. To activate the card, dial the code number and follow the instructions printed on the card.
Tourist Offices
In Boston
Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau (2 Copley Pl., Suite 105, Boston 02116, tel. 617/536-4100 or 800/888-5515). Boston Common Information Kiosk (Tremont St., where the Freedom Trail begins, tel. 617/426-3115), open Monday-Saturday 8:30-5 and Sunday 9-5. Boston Welcome Center (140 Tremont St., Boston 02111, tel. 617/451-2227), open winter, Sunday-Thursday 9-5 and Friday-Saturday 9-6; summer, Monday-Saturday 9-7, Sunday 9-5. The Boston National Historical Park Visitor Center (15 State St., across from Old State House, tel. 617/242-5642), open winter, daily 9-5; summer, daily 9-6. Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (10 Park Plaza, Suite 4510, Boston, MA 02116, tel: 800/447-6277, 617/73-8500, fax: 617/973-8525).
At Home
First Public Relations (Molasses House, Clove Hitch Quay, Plantation Wharf, London SW11 3TN, tel. 0171/978-5233, fax 0171/924-3134).
Each September, Boston and Cambridge welcome thousands of returning students. University life is a big part of the local atmosphere, and it begins to liven considerably as the days grow shorter.
Autumn is a fine time to visit the suburbs. The combination of bright foliage and white church steeples will never become clichéd.
Climate
What follows are average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for Boston: January-February, 20-37°F (-7-3°C); March and November, 28-49°F (-2-9°C); April, 38-54°F (3-12°C); May and October, 46-66°F (8-19°C); June and September, 58-75°F (14-24°C); July-August, 62-80°F (17-27°C).
Commuter boat service operates weekdays between Rowes Wharf and Hewitt's Cove, off Route 3A in Hingham. Schedules change seasonally; call ahead to Mass Bay Lines (60 Rowes Wharf, tel. 617/542-8000) or Boston Harbor Commuter Service (60 Rowes Wharf, tel. 617/439-4755).
For schedule and route information, contact Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA, tel. 617/222-3200) or Smart Traveler (tel. 617/374-1234) for current service updates.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) (125 High St., tel. 617/443-9300 or 800/222-7448) provides good maps of Boston and vicinity, which conveniently indicate one-way streets in the downtown area. In Cambridge, look for the Arrow Map (carried in bookstores, newsstands, and some supermarkets), which combines a detailed street map with useful diagrams of the Harvard and MIT campuses.
Parking on Boston streets is a tricky business. Some neighborhoods have residents-only rules, with just a handful of two-hour visitors' spaces; others have meters (25 cents for 15 minutes, one or two hours maximum). The meter maids are ruthless, and repeat offenders who don't pay fines may find the boot (an immovable steel clamp) secured to one of their wheels upon their return. In other words, pay parking ticket fines if you expect to come back to town.
Major public lots are at Government Center and Quincy Market, beneath Boston Common (entrance on Charles Street), beneath Post Office Square, at the Prudential Center, at Copley Place, and off Clarendon Street near the John Hancock Tower. Smaller lots are scattered throughout downtown. Most are expensive; the few city garages are a bargain at about $6-$10 per day.
Car Rentals
Rates in Boston begin at $31 a day and $149 a week for an economy car with air-conditioning, an automatic transmission, and unlimited mileage. This does not include tax on car rentals, which is 5%.
At Home
Alamo (tel. 800/327-9633; 0800/272-2000 in the United Kingdom). Avis (tel. 800/331-1212; 800/879-2847 in Canada; 008/225-533 in Australia). Budget (tel. 800/527-0700; 0800/181181 in the United Kingdom). Dollar (tel. 800/800-4000; 0990/565656 in the United Kingdom, where it is known as Eurodollar). Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131; 800/263-0600 in Canada; 0345/555888 in the United Kingdom; 039/222-2523 in Australia; 03/358-6777 in New Zealand). National InterRent (tel. 800/227-7368; 0345/222525 in the United Kingdom, where it is known as Europcar InterRent).
Insurance
In Massachusetts the car-rental company must pay for damage to third parties up to a preset legal limit. Once that limit is reached, your personal auto or other liability insurance kicks in. However, make sure you have enough coverage to pay for the car. If you do not have auto insurance or an umbrella policy that covers damage to third parties, purchasing liability insurance and a collision- or loss-damage waiver (CDW or LDW) is highly recommended. The additional coverage should cost about $15 to $20 per day and eliminates your liability for damage to the car; it's always optional and should never be automatically added to your bill.
Requirements
In Boston you must be 21 to rent a car, and rates may be higher if you're under 25. You'll pay extra for child seats (about $3 per day), which are compulsory for children under five, and for additional drivers (about $2 per day). Non-U.S. residents will need a reservation voucher, a passport, a driver's license, and a travel policy that covers each driver, in order to pick up a car.
Gasoline
Gas stations are not plentiful in downtown Boston. Try Cambridge Street (behind Beacon Hill, near Massachusetts General Hospital), near the airport in East Boston, in Allston/Brighton along Commonwealth Avenue or Cambridge Street, or off the Southeast Expressway in Dorchester. Cambridge service stations can be found along Memorial Drive, Massachusetts Avenue, and Broadway. In Brookline, try Beacon Street or Commonwealth Avenue.
Rules of the Road
The speed limit on major highways in Massachusetts is 55 to 65 mph. Within the city of Boston and surrounding communities, speed limits on local streets are 20 to 30 mph. A right turn at a red traffic signal is permitted unless a "No Turn On Red" sign is posted. Rotary intersections are fairly common in Boston. When you are entering a rotary, state law dictates that you yield to any vehicle already in the rotary. Massachusetts state law requires all passengers in private cars to wear seat belts. Children under age 5 or weighing less than 40 pounds are required to ride in a child safety seat.
MBTA dispenses information on bus, subway, and train routes; schedules; fares; and other matters including wheelchair access around the clock (tel. 617/222-3200 or 800/392-6100, TTY 617/722-5146). Free maps are available at the MBTA's Park Street Station information stand, which is open daily 7 AM-10 PM.
Hours & Fares
Trains operate from about 5:30 AM to about 12:30 AM. Current T fares are 85 cents for adults, 40 cents for children ages 5-11. An extra fare is required heading inbound from distant Green and Red Line stops.
Visitor Passes
MBTA visitor passes are available for unlimited travel on city buses and subways for one-, three-, and seven-day periods (fares $5, $9, and $18 respectively). Buy passes at the following MBTA stations: Airport, South Station, North Station, Back Bay, Government Center, and Harvard Square. Passes are also sold at the Boston Common Information Kiosk (Tremont St., where the Freedom Trail begins, tel. 617/426-3115; open Mon.-Sat. 8:30-5, Sun. 9-5) and at some hotels.
Routes
The Red Line originates at Braintree and Mattapan to the south; the routes join near South Boston and proceed to suburban Arlington.
The Green Line, a combined underground and elevated surface line, uses trolleys that operate underground in the central city. It originates at Cambridge's Lechmere, heads south and divides into four routes; these end at Boston College (Commonwealth Avenue), Cleveland Circle (Beacon Street), Riverside, and Heath Street (Huntington Avenue). Buses connect Heath Street to the old Arborway terminus.
The Blue Line runs weekdays from Bowdoin Square and week nights and weekends from Government Center to the Wonderland Racetrack in Revere, north of Boston.
The Orange Line runs from Oak Grove in north suburban Malden to Forest Hills near the Arnold Arboretum. Park Street Station (on the Common) and State Street are the major downtown transfer points.
Boston's cab companies include Boston Cab Association (tel. 617/262-2227), Checker (tel. 617/536-7000), Green Cab Association (tel. 617/628-0600), Independent Taxi Operators Association or ITOA (tel. 617/426-8700), and Town Taxi (tel. 617/536-5000). In Cambridge, try Ambassador Brattle Cab (tel. 617/492-1100) or Cambridge Taxi (tel. 617/547-3000).