Many incoming Boston University students dream of taking in all the views campus has to offer — the city skyline, brownstones on the tree-lined Bay State Road and sailboats on the Charles River.
But once the notorious Boston winter arrives, a frigid walk to class might seem more like a nightmare. Making the 1.9-mile trek from West Campus’ Track and Tennis Center to East Campus’ Danielson Hall, for example, takes about 40 minutes.
Luckily, BU students have many transportation options for getting around campus.
The T
The T is a great way for students to explore Boston’s neighborhoods. BU’s Charles River Campus is located on the B Branch of the Green Line.
There are currently eight stops on this campus, but these will soon be reduced to six, as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority plans to consolidate four stops into two. For returning students, or those familiar with Green Line B, the St. Paul Street and BU West stops will merge, as will the Babcock Street and Pleasant Street stops.
Fares are $2.90 if riders pay with cash or a CharlieTicket and $2.40 with a CharlieCard. At the underground Kenmore station, students can purchase a CharlieTicket or ask an on-site MBTA employee for a CharlieCard and load money onto it at the kiosks.
Riders can also load their CharlieCards at several stores around campus, including the Star Market stores near West Campus and Fenway. Drivers don’t provide change, so students should have exact change if they plan to pay with cash.
Alternatively, students can purchase MBTA Semester Passes from the BU Student Link at a discounted rate. The price has previously been $320 for access to buses and any non-commuter rail train lines. There are also options that exclude buses or the T.
Those who do not ride the T more than twice daily, however, will not have made a fair investment in the Semester Pass.
MBTA Bus
The 57 bus route runs along Commonwealth Ave. The fare is $1.70 with a CharlieCard or $2.00 with cash or a CharlieTicket. BU offers bus-only options for semester passes on the Student Link. Students can purchase their MBTA passes through the University starting July 1 and ending August 10.
The MBTA currently requires all passengers wear masks, and it frequently sanitizes vehicles and high-contact areas at stations. Public transportation is running on a reduced schedule, and it is unclear at this time how these measures will persist come Fall.
BU Shuttle
The BU Shuttle, or BUS, has 15 stops along BU’s campuses. Depending on time of day, the BUS is scheduled at each stop every 10 to 20 minutes. While it’s free, the BUS is known for being unreliable and full of students. If students choose to ride the BUS, they should leave early to arrive to class on time.
It’s important to pay attention to which BUS you get on because some serve strictly the CRC and others go to the Medical Campus. If you’re a first-year who’s managed to make it into Myles Standish Hall, Kilachand or a brownstone closer to Kenmore, this could mean you have to go through all of the Medical Campus stops before reaching the one outside of Myles.
BU Parking and Transportation Services wrote in an email it is currently working on making the BU Mobile app with live BUS information available on Android.
Bluebikes
BU’s strip of Commonwealth Avenue and South Campus is home to nine Bluebike docking stations. Riders can purchase a single-trip at the stations’ kiosks or on the mobile app for $2.50. A $99 option offers a year of unlimited 45-minute rides. Once riders have reached their destinations, they can return their bike to any nearby docking station.
Rideshare Services
Uber and Lyft are highly available on-demand transportation options to and from campus. Prices vary depending on demand, but students can expect to pay around $10 to get from one side of campus to the other.
Rideshare services are definitely not the cheapest way to get around, but are one of the fastest. Many students utilize this method of transportation to get to the eastern or western ends of campus.
Parking Personal Cars on Campus
Personal cars are not ideal for students traveling from one class to another because parking is scarce, but may be more reasonable for commuters.
Both BU parking passes and street parking are expensive with limited availability. BU offers seven types of student parking permits, but only three can be used for overnight parking.
The annual prices for the 2019-2020 academic year ranged from $296 for an evening commuter pass to $2,072 for an overnight parking pass in West Campus.
Zip Car
Zip Car is a car-sharing service with several car pick-up areas around campus. It’s a great option for when public transportation isn’t convenient. Students with a valid driver’s license can apply for the $35 year-long membership using the app. A $11.25 rate is added per hour of driving.
Scooters/Bikes/Skateboards
Many students opt to bring scooters and bikes for getting around campus.
Bikes can be stored on bike racks with a bike lock or in one of BU’s secure bike rooms. BU Parking and Transportation Services offers a bike registration program in which students who register will be notified by the BUPD if their lost or stolen bike is found.
Scooters are allowed in buildings, but students cannot place the wheels on the ground inside and instead must carry the scooter. Many professors will allow them at desks or in lecture halls and they can be easily stored in rooms. The same goes for skateboards.
All riders must be careful to use only bike lanes, not sidewalks. Bike lanes exist along most of CRC, but they can be dangerous because buses often pull into them at stops to pick up passengers.
Walking
It takes roughly 34 minutes to get from Myles to the BU Track and Tennis Center — the two most polar ends of CRC — according to Google Maps. For the most part, CRC is a straight line so it is relatively easy to walk. Getting from one end of campus to the other in 15 minutes, the minimum amount of time BU allows between classes, will require effort but is not impossible.
