Boston University’s stretch of Commonwealth Avenue is a great place to live, study, and hang out, but there’s more to Boston than just our campus. To get out and explore the city, the T is a great start, but what other ways exist to get around?
Commuter Rail
Everyone’s familiar with the T that runs down Comm Ave and takes you all over the city, but what if you want to go a little further from Boston? The Commuter Rail is the T’s big sibling, and has 12 lines that radiate out from downtown and across Eastern Massachusetts. In just over an hour on the train, you can spend the day in Providence, visit the coast in Rockport, or take a hike at the Blue Hills Reservation outside of Readville. Even better is the fact that the Commuter Rail offers unlimited rides with $10 weekend passes.
Bluebikes
With more than 550 stations around the city and surrounding neighborhoods, the Bluebikes network is an extensive collection of bikes and e-bikes that makes short trips and exploratory rides a breeze. The Bluebikes app offers everything from single-rides to annual memberships, and BU students can get discounted annual memberships through BU Transportation Services.
Car Rentals
Though more expensive than other choices, car rentals are a good option to keep in mind if you need to carry a lot of items or want to go further than train lines will take you. Zipcar is a service that allows you to rent cars around the clock and has vehicles available throughout Boston, including at a number of on-campus stations. Enterprise also has an office near West Campus, and especially when split with a number of friends, these car rental services make day trips around New England easy.
Walking
If the weather allows or all else fails, don’t overlook walking as a great way to cover ground and see the area up close. For a major city, Boston is incredibly walkable and small enough that you can cover big distances in a short time. Going from campus to Boston Common downtown only takes about 40 minutes, and there are beautiful areas in Cambridge and Brookline within easy walking distance.
No matter how you do it, get out there to explore and enjoy Boston!