On Foot-- If you can manage a fair amount of walking, this is the way to go. You can best appreciate Boston at street level, and walking the narrow, picturesque streets takes you past many gridlocked cars.
Even more than in a typical large city, be alert. Look both ways before crossing, even on one-way streets, where many bicyclists and some drivers blithely go against the flow. The "walk" cycle of many downtown traffic signals lasts only 7 seconds, and a small but significant part of the driving population considers red lights optional anyway. Keep a close eye on the kids, especially in crosswalks.
By Public Transportation-- The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, or MBTA (tel. 800/392-6100 outside Mass. or 617/222-3200; www.mbta.com), is known as the T, and its logo is the letter in a circle. It runs subways, trolleys, buses, and ferries in Boston and many suburbs, as well as the commuter rail, which extends as far as Providence, Rhode Island.
Late-Night Transit-- After decades of complaints about the T's early closing time, the MBTA introduced "Night Owl" bus service in September 2001. It operates Friday and Saturday nights until 2:30am on popular bus routes and on supplemental bus routes that parallel the subway lines. Originally a 1-year experimental program, it proved so successful that it should (budget permitting) still be operating when you visit. The fare is $1 in coins or a token. For more information and schedules, contact the MBTA (tel. 800/392-6100 outside Mass. or 617/222-3200; www.mbta.com).
By Subway-- Subways and trolleys take you around Boston faster than any other mode of transportation except walking. The oldest system in the country, locally referred to as the T, dates to 1897, and recent and ongoing improvements have made it generally reliable. The trolleys on the ancient Green Line are the most unpredictable -- leave extra time if you're taking them to a vital appointment. The system is generally safe, but always watch out for pickpockets, especially during the holiday shopping season. And remember, downtown stops are so close together that it's often faster to walk.
The subways are color-coded and are called the Red, Green, Blue, and Orange lines. (The commuter rail to the suburbs is purple on system maps and is sometimes called the Purple Line.) The local fare is $1 -- you'll need a token -- and can be as much as $2.50 for some surface-line extensions on the Green and Red lines. Transfers are free. Route and fare information and timetables are available through the website (www.mbta.com) and at centrally located stations.
Service begins at around 5:15am and ends around 12:30am. The exception is New Year's Eve, or First Night, when closing time is 2am and service is free after 8pm. A sign in every station gives the time of the last train in either direction.
By Bus-- The MBTA runs buses and "trackless trolleys" (buses with electric antennae) that provide service around town and to and around the suburbs. The local routes that you'll most likely need are no. 1, along Mass. Ave. from Dudley Square in Roxbury through the Back Bay and Cambridge to Harvard Square; no. 92 and no. 93, which connect Haymarket and Charlestown; and no. 77, along Mass. Ave. north of Harvard Square to Porter Square, North Cambridge, and Arlington.
The local bus fare is 75¢; express bus fares are $1.50 and up. Exact change is required. You can use a token, but you won't get change back.
Ride & Save-- The MBTA's Boston Visitor Pass (tel. 877/927-7277 or 617/222-5218; www.mbta.com) can be a great deal. You get unlimited travel on subway lines and local buses, in commuter rail zones 1A and 1B, and on two ferries. The cost is $6 for 1 day, $11 for 3 consecutive days, and $22 for 7 consecutive days. If the timing works, the $13 weekly combo pass might be a better deal. It covers subways and buses but not ferries, and is good from Sunday to Saturday only.
You can order passes in advance over the phone or the Web (there's a fee for shipping), or buy them when you arrive at the Airport T stop, South Station, Back Bay Station, or North Station. They're also for sale at the Government Center and Harvard T stations; the Boston Common, Prudential Center, and Faneuil Hall Marketplace information centers; and some hotels.
By Ferry-- Two popular and useful routes (both included in the MBTA visitor pass) run on the Inner Harbor. The first connects Long Wharf (near the New England Aquarium) with the Charlestown Navy Yard -- it's a good way to get back downtown from "Old Ironsides" and the Bunker Hill Monument. The other runs between Lovejoy Wharf, off Causeway Street behind North Station and the FleetCenter, and the World Trade Center, on Northern Avenue in South Boston near the Fish Pier and the Seaport Hotel, with a stop at the Moakley Federal Courthouse. The fare is $1.25. Call tel. 617/227-4321 for more information.
By Water Taxi-- From April to mid-October, City Water Taxi (tel. 617/422-0392; www.citywatertaxi.com) offers on-call service in small boats that connect a dozen stops on the Inner Harbor, including the airport. It operates daily from 7am to 7pm. The flat fare is $10, free for kids under 13. Call ahead from the dock for service.
By Taxi-- Taxis are expensive and not always easy to find -- seek out a cabstand or call a dispatcher. Always ask for a receipt in case you have a complaint or lose something and need to call the company.
Cabstands are usually near hotels. There are also busy ones at Faneuil Hall Marketplace (on North St.), South Station, and Back Bay Station, and on either side of Mass. Ave. in Harvard Square, near the Harvard Coop bookstore and Au Bon Pain.
To call ahead for a cab, try the Independent Taxi Operators Association, or ITOA (tel. 617/426-8700); Boston Cab (tel. 617/536-5010 or 617/262-2227); Town Taxi (tel. 617/536-5000); or Metro Cab (tel. 617/242-8000). In Cambridge, call Ambassador Brattle (tel. 617/492-1100) or Yellow Cab (tel. 617/547-3000). Boston Cab will dispatch a wheelchair-accessible vehicle upon request; advance notice is recommended.
The fare structure: The first 1/4 mile (when the flag drops) costs $1.75, and each additional 1/8 mile is 30¢. Wait time is extra, and the passenger pays all tolls, as well as a total of $6 in fees on trips leaving Logan Airport. Charging a flat rate is not allowed within the city; the police department publishes a list (available on the Logan website, www.massport.com/logan) of distances to the suburbs that establishes the flat rate for those trips. If you want to report a problem or have lost something in a cab, call the police department's Hackney Hotline (tel. 617/536-8294).
By Bicycle-- This is not a good option unless you're a real pro or plan to visit Cambridge, which has bike lanes. The streets of Boston proper, with their bloodthirsty drivers and oblivious pedestrians, are notoriously inhospitable to two-wheelers.
If you bring or rent a bike, be sure to lock it securely when leaving it unattended, even for a short time.
