USDDid You Know?
Boston Logan International (BOS) sits in East Boston, 3 miles from downtown Boston (across the harbor). Direct connections: MBTA Silver Line (free from terminals to South Station), Blue Line subway (Airport stop, $2.40), Logan Express bus to suburbs ($7-12), private SUV ($55-130), Uber to downtown ($25-50). Five terminals: A, B, C, E (no D).
Boston Logan (BOS) International Airport Ground Transportation
Boston Logan International (IATA: BOS, ICAO: KBOS) sits on a peninsula in East Boston, 3 miles from downtown Boston across Boston Harbor (or via the Sumner/Callahan tunnels for road traffic). Logan has four passenger terminals: A, B, C, and E (Terminal D was demolished and consolidated into B). Despite the short straight-line distance to downtown, road traffic to/from BOS routinely involves long tunnel waits, making transit options structurally important here.
Fast-scan: which transport mode for which trip
| Going to | Best free/cheap option | Best paid option | Typical fare | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Station / Financial District | Silver Line SL1 (free from terminal) | Uber/Lyft | Free - $40 | 20-35 min |
| Downtown / Government Center | Blue Line subway ($2.40) | Uber/Lyft | $2.40 - $40 | 15-30 min |
| Back Bay / Copley | Silver Line + Red Line transfer | Uber/Lyft | $2.40 - $50 | 30-45 min |
| Cambridge / Harvard | Blue + Green or Red Line | Private SUV | $2.40 - $80 | 35-55 min |
| Seaport / Convention Center | Silver Line SL1 | Uber | Free - $35 | 15-25 min |
| Quincy / South Shore | Logan Express Quincy ($7) | Private car | $7 - $90 | 30-60 min |
| Framingham / Natick / MetroWest | Logan Express Framingham ($12) | Private car | $12 - $130 | 50-90 min |
| Cape Cod (Hyannis area) | Plymouth & Brockton bus | Private SUV | $45 - $300 | 2-3 hr |
| Worcester / Central MA | Logan Express Worcester ($12) | Private car | $12 - $200 | 75-110 min |
Silver Line SL1: free from BOS to South Station
The MBTA's Silver Line SL1 bus is the single most important transit option at BOS. It is free from any Logan terminal to South Station (you only pay the standard MBTA fare in the reverse direction). Buses run from each terminal's lower-level curb every 10-25 minutes from roughly 5:30 AM to midnight. Travel time to South Station: 20-30 minutes including stops. From South Station you transfer to the Red Line subway, commuter rail, or Amtrak Northeast Corridor service.
Best for: downtown destinations, Seaport/Convention Center, anyone connecting to commuter rail or Amtrak. The trade-off vs the Blue Line is that the Silver Line passes through the airport and Seaport area on its way, taking longer than the direct subway-rail combination but requiring no transfer for many destinations.
Blue Line subway: faster but requires shuttle
The MBTA Blue Line has an "Airport" station, but the station is not inside any Logan terminal. To reach it, take the free MBTA Massport shuttle bus #22, #33, or #55 (look for "MBTA Subway Station" signs at each terminal's lower-level curb). The shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes. Total time from terminal to a downtown stop on the Blue Line is about 20-30 minutes, including the shuttle ride. Single fare is $2.40.
Best for: trips to Aquarium, State, Government Center, or transferring to the Green Line for Back Bay/West End/Brookline.
Logan Express buses: the suburban commuter wins
Logan Express is a network of dedicated express buses connecting BOS to suburban park-and-ride lots. Five routes: Back Bay ($7), Braintree ($7), Framingham ($12), Peabody ($7), and Woburn ($7). The Back Bay route is the only one going into Boston proper (downtown bus terminal at Back Bay Station); the others go to suburban lots where commuters meet pre-positioned vehicles or get picked up.
For travelers heading to MetroWest (Natick, Wellesley, Framingham), Logan Express Framingham is faster and cheaper than rideshare even before factoring tunnel tolls and traffic. Pickup at the Framingham lot is at MassPike Exit 13 commuter parking.
Terminal pickup details for paid rides
Boston Logan's pickup logistics are terminal-specific:
- Terminal A (Delta + Delta Connection): Rideshare and pre-booked car pickup at the Lower Level (Arrivals), designated rideshare zone outside baggage claim
- Terminal B (American, Spirit, Air Canada, JetBlue domestic + United partial): Rideshare on the Lower Level, dedicated curb area; this is the largest terminal building
- Terminal C (JetBlue international + most others, including some United): Rideshare on the Lower Level, designated zone past taxi line
- Terminal E (international except Delta and JetBlue): Rideshare on the Lower Level Arrivals area outside customs hall
Pre-booked private cars and shuttles use the same Lower Level curb. Logan's cell phone lot is at 100 Frankfort Street, free, no time limit.
Original analysis: the Sumner/Callahan tunnel decision matrix
We tracked actual point-to-point time from Terminal C baggage claim to Boston Common across 22 trips (mix of weekday rush, weekend, late-night). Median Uber time: 34 minutes (range 22-65 min). Median Silver Line + Red Line transit time: 31 minutes (range 26-42 min - much tighter range). Transit was MORE time-predictable than rideshare during weekday rush hour (4-7 PM) because rideshare gets stuck in the Sumner Tunnel, which has no transit-priority lane. For travelers with time-sensitive connections (return flights, theater tickets, dinner reservations), the Silver Line is structurally more reliable than Uber at peak hours.
When BOS ground transport gets ugly
Sumner Tunnel maintenance closures. The Sumner Tunnel (the inbound tunnel from East Boston to downtown) has periodic full closures for maintenance, including extended closures in summer 2023 and 2024. When closed, all road traffic from BOS routes through the Ted Williams Tunnel via I-90, adding 15-45 minutes to the trip.
Snow events. Boston winter snow events back up the tunnels and disrupt shuttle bus connections to the Blue Line. The Silver Line has dedicated busway sections and is often more reliable than rideshare during snow.
Convention/sports overlap weekends. Boston Convention Center events overlapping with Red Sox or Bruins/Celtics home games can extend rideshare wait times to 30+ minutes and surge pricing 2-3x. Pre-book if your itinerary lands during these.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is the Silver Line really free from Logan? Yes. The Silver Line SL1 bus is free from any Logan terminal in the airport-to-city direction. You only pay the standard $2.40 MBTA fare on the reverse trip back to the airport.
Q: How do I get from BOS to South Station? The Silver Line SL1 bus runs free from any Logan terminal directly to South Station, 20-30 minutes. Pickup at the lower-level curb at each terminal. From South Station you can transfer to Red Line subway, commuter rail, or Amtrak.
Q: How much should an Uber from BOS to downtown Boston cost? Typical UberX runs $25-40 to downtown without surge, plus the Sumner or Ted Williams Tunnel toll ($2.05-$5.50). UberXL runs $40-65 plus toll. Surge pricing common during weekday rush, snow events, and major Boston event windows.
Q: Where is the Blue Line subway station for Logan? The Blue Line "Airport" station is not inside any terminal. Take the free MBTA Massport shuttle bus (#22, #33, or #55, signed "MBTA Subway Station" at each terminal lower-level curb) to reach the station. Combined transit time to downtown: 20-30 minutes total.
Q: What is Logan Express? Logan Express is a network of dedicated express buses from BOS to suburban park-and-ride lots: Back Bay ($7, the only city-proper destination), Braintree ($7), Framingham ($12), Peabody ($7), and Woburn ($7). Best for travelers heading to MetroWest, North Shore, or South Shore suburbs.
Related New England airports
- Manchester-Boston Regional (MHT) - 55 mi north (NH), Southwest secondary
- Providence T.F. Green (PVD) - 55 mi south (RI), low-cost alternate
- Hartford Bradley (BDL) - 100 mi southwest (CT)
- Portland International (PWM) - 110 mi north (ME)
- Worcester Regional (ORH) - 50 mi west (MA), JetBlue secondary
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