Taking a road trip is probably the cheapest (and most fun!) way to get here. Luckily, Boston is within a day’s drive from most northeast cities! You’ll find that bringing a good set of maps or a GPS unit will help you to navigate Boston’s notoriously tricky streets once you get here.

Here are some approximate trip lengths, from Google Maps:

2h 51m – Albany, NY
6h 56m – Baltimore, MD
7h 20m – Buffalo, NY
10h 16m – Cleveland, OH
1h 43m – Hartford, CT
0h 58m – Manchester, NH
5h 19m – Montreal, QC, Canada
3h 50m – New York City
10h 34m – Norfolk, VA
5h 28m – Philadelphia, PA
9h 47m – Pittsburgh, PA
0h 55m – Providence, RI
1h 55m – Portland, ME
6h 19m – Rochester, NY
5h 05m – Syracuse, NY
8h 55m – Toronto, ON, Canada
7h 40m – Washington, DC

Amtrak provides regular daily service to Boston from New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington DC. This will usually be more expensive than the bus, and sometimes on par with flying, but it is usually smoother and more spacious. Trains also run to Boston from smaller cities in New England and upstate New York. And you can come from anywhere in the USA with enough time. (and transfers!) Check schedules and prices on their website.

Boston’s Commuter Rail, run by the MBTA, reaches out across most of eastern Massachusetts (including Worcester) and even down to Providence, RI which can be handy if you fly into that airport. Maps and schedules can be found at the link above.

Bus options into Boston are plentiful and affordable, with most coming up from New York City. Fares from the big apple can be as low as $15 or less each way! Look for special deals or e-tickets on each bus company’s website.

We don’t know of a site that will compare the prices for you, so here’s a brief list of some of your options. (These links do not imply endorsement of these companies. We just hope that this will help you to be able to join us!) You’ll likely find even more with a quick internet search.

Greyhound / Peter Pan Bus (nationwide)
Bolt Bus: reserved seating, power outlets and free wi-fi. (northeast)
MegaBus (northeast)
Fung Wah Bus (“Chinatown Bus”) (Boston-NYC)
Lucky Star Bus (Boston-NYC)
LimoLiner: pricier, but spacious and with amenities. (Boston-NYC)

A couple of Chinatown buses go all the way down the east coast to Virginia Beach, VA, stopping in a couple cities in CT, NYC, DC, and possibly Philly. Anyone on the eastern seaboard looking for a cheap way to ride should look into it.

Flying into the Boston area can be cheaper than you’d expect, especially if you watch for discounts. Travelers often save some $$ by flying to Providence, RI or Manchester, NH which are a short drive from the Boston area.

Here are a few sites that might help you find deals. (These links do not imply endorsement of these sites. We just hope that this will help you to be able to join us!)

airfarewatchdog.com: A list of current deals on flights that arrive in Boston, MA; in Providence, RI; in Manchester, NH

farecast.com: Searches prices on multiple airlines and gives you historical trends for your route and predicts whether the price will drop in the future. Track airfare by email and get notified when it drops.

kayak.com: Another popular flight search engine that allows you to track routes by email.