Getting Around in Boston
Boston is a smaller city than you may think. From campus to downtown Boston is only 3.5 miles or a 25 minute T ride. You have a few options for getting around but the most effecient would be to take the T. If you would prefer to travel by car, using Uber or Lyft will be cheaper than paying for parking. When traveling to Boston for an immersive weekend or a campus visit, it is actually better to not rent a car. You will save time and money using ride-share apps or public transportation.
Owning a Car
You will hear this from most Boston residents, but if you are moving here leave your car behind. Forbes ranks Boston as the worst traffic in the country. Resident Parking Stickers are a hassle and parking in the city or near campus is expensive. Be prepared to pay $25 a day in Harvard Square or $40 a day downtown. Besides, it is often much easier and less expensive to use the T (subway), walk, or call an Uber.
The T
"The T" is what locals call the Boston subway system. It drops you off directly at campus and brings you anywhere in the city. Getting a one-way pass will cost you $2.75 each time and will get you as far as you want to go with free transfers. You can get a weekly pass for $21.25 or a monthly pass for $84.50. Even if you are coming for a few days, the weekly pass may be your best option. Because once you use it 5 times, it pays itself off. The monthly pass will go until the end of that calandar month. So if you purchase it on the 30th, you have 1 day until it expires.
View the map of the T, here. You can also use your IPhone Maps or Google Maps and it will tell you the route to take via metro. It is extremely useful and it is easier to use that trying to decipher the maps.