ARRIVING & DEPARTING

By Air The major airport is Logan International (tel. 800/235-6426), across the harbor from downtown Boston. Flying time to Boston is one hour from New York, 2 1/4 hours from Chicago, 5 1/2 hours from Los Angeles, 3 3/4 hours from Dallas, 1 1/2 hours from Toronto, 7 1/2 hours from London, and 21-22 hours from Sydney (including connection time). CARRIERS Major Airlines American (tel. 800/433-7300). Continental (tel. 800/525-0280). Delta (tel. 800/221-1212). Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525). TWA (tel. 800/221-2000). United (tel. 800/241-6522). US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322). Regional Airlines Business Express (tel. 800/345-3400). Cape Air (tel. 508/771-6944 or 800/352-0714). Colgan Air (tel. 800/272-5488). Comair (tel. 800/354-9822). Eastwind (tel. 800/644-3592). Jet Train (tel. 800/359-4968). From the United Kingdom Three airlines fly direct from the United Kingdom to Boston: British Airways (tel. 0345/222-111) and American Airlines (tel. 0345/789-789), departing from Heathrow; and Virgin Atlantic (tel. 01293/747-747) from Gatwick. BETWEEN THE AIRPORT AND TOWN For recorded information about traveling to and from Logan Airport, contact the airport's ground transportation hotline (tel. 800/235-6426 around the clock). This is also your source for details on parking. By Bus If you're making bus or train connections at South Station, six bus companies offer nonstop service between Logan Airport and South Station for $6 each way. Buses run daily every 15-30 minutes. Logan Express (tel. 800/235-6426) buses travel to the suburbs of Braintree, Framingham, and Woburn. One-way fares are $8 weekdays and $6 weekends to Braintree or Framingham; Woburn fares are $6 each way. By Boat The Airport Water Shuttle (tel. 800/235-6426) makes seven-minute trips across Boston Harbor between Logan Airport and Rowes Wharf downtown (year-round, every 15 minutes weekdays 6 AM-8 PM; every 30 minutes Friday 8 PM-11 PM, Saturday 10 AM-11 PM, Sunday 10 AM-8 PM; ). A free shuttle bus runs between the airport ferry dock and all airline terminals. One-way fare is $10 for adults. Connecting boats are available from Boston to Hingham on the South Shore. The Harbor Express boat service (tel. 617/376-8417) takes passengers from Logan Airport to Long Wharf downtown (near the Aquarium) and to Quincy on the South Shore. The service makes 24 trips between 5 AM and 10 PM weekdays and 12 trips between 6 AM and 9:15 PM weekends. One-way fares are $8 between the airport and Long Wharf, $10 between the airport and Quincy. From April 1 though mid-October, the City Water Taxi offers on-call boat service between Logan Airport and several downtown locations. One-way fares to or from the airport are $10, $8 each for parties of two or more. By Car If you are driving from Logan to downtown Boston, the most direct route is by way of the Sumner Tunnel ($2 toll inbound; no toll outbound). When there is a serious traffic delay in the tunnel, one alternative is to take Route 1A north to Route 16 west, then to the Tobin Bridge and into Boston: from the airport, follow 1A north about 2 1/2 mi. At a traffic light, the road will fork, with 1A bearing right toward Revere Beach and Lynn. Stay right as if you were continuing on 1A, but just past the traffic signal, immediately bear left to reverse direction, following the airport signs. As soon as you are back through the intersection, heading south on 1A, exit right at the sign for "16 West, Tobin Bridge/Chelsea." Follow 16 west to the Tobin Bridge ($1 toll) into Boston. By Subway The subway's Blue Line runs to downtown Boston in about 20 minutes; free shuttle buses connect the subway station with all airline terminals (5:30 AM-1 AM). Shuttle bus 22 runs between Terminals A and B and the subway; shuttle bus 33 goes to the subway from Terminals C, D, and E. By Taxi Taxis can be hired outside each terminal. Fares to and from downtown should average about $15, including tip, via the most direct route, the Sumner Tunnel, assuming no major traffic jams. The new Ted Williams Tunnel, for taxis and commercial use only on weekdays, connects the airport to South Boston. Contact MASSPORT (tel. 617/561-1751) for service

By Bus Greyhound (at South Station, tel. 800/231-2222) has direct trips or connections to all major cities in North America, including Boston. Peter Pan Bus Lines (at South Station, tel. 617/426-7838) connects Boston with cities elsewhere in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New York. Plymouth & Brockton Buses (at South Station, tel. 508/746-0378) link Boston with the South Shore and Cape Cod. The South Station terminal's new multilevel bus deck simplifies making connections to other local public transportation.

By Train Boston is served by Amtrak at South Station and Back Bay Station, which accomodates frequent departures for and arrivals from New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. South Station is also the eastern terminus of Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited train, which travels daily between Boston and Chicago by way of Albany, Rochester, Buffalo, and Cleveland. Amtrak's New England Express, making the New York run twice a day, departs from South Station and Back Bay Station; reservations are required and travel time is approximately four hours. For train information, contact Amtrak (tel. 617/482-3660 or 800/872-7245) or South Station (Atlantic Ave. and Summer St., tel. 617/345-7451).

GETTING AROUND

Overview Most of Boston was laid out long before the automobile, so streets--particularly in older neighborhoods such as Beacon Hill and the West End--can lose their charm when you're a driver frustrated by the lack of parking. Boston's public transportation system, the T is superlative; it is easy and inexpensive and can get you quickly from one end of the city to another or from Boston to Cambridge or other outlying towns. If you're planning to try an out-of-the-way restaurant at an odd hour, a car will be helpful, and it will also make visiting Boston's farther-flung sights--such as those in the "streetcar suburbs"--easier. For excursions outside the city, a car is practically required.

By Boat Between April 1 and mid-October, water taxis ferry passengers between the World Trade Center, Congress Street/Museum Wharf, Long Wharf, Rowes Wharf, North End/Burroughs Wharf, North Station/Fleet Center, Charlestown Navy Yard, Chelsea's Admiral's Hill, and other harbor destinations. One-way fares are $5 for non-airport stops, $10 to or from the airport. The service operates between 5 AM and 11 PM daily, but call ahead to City Water Taxi (tel. 617/422-0392 or 800/235-6426) for reservations. Commuter boat service operates weekdays between Rowes Wharf and Hewitt's Cove, off Route 3A in Hingham. Schedules change seasonally; call ahead to Mass Bay Lines (60 Rowes Wharf, tel. 617/542-8000) or Boston Harbor Commuter Service (60 Rowes Wharf, tel. 617/439-4755).

By Bus Buses of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) crisscross the metropolitan area and travel farther into suburbia than subway and trolley lines. Some suburban schedules are designed primarily for commuters. Current local fares are 60 cents for adults; you must pay an extra fare for longer suburban trips. For schedule and route information, contact Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA, tel. 617/222-3200) or Smart Traveler (tel. 617/374-1234) for current service updates.

By Car Driving is not easy in Boston. It's important to look at a map first and have one with you at all times due to the profusion of one-way streets and streets with the same names. If you must bring a car, keep to the main thoroughfares. The American Automobile Association (AAA) (125 High St., tel. 617/443-9300 or 800/222-7448) provides good maps of Boston and vicinity, which conveniently indicate one-way streets in the downtown area. In Cambridge, look for the Arrow Map (carried in bookstores, newsstands, and some supermarkets), which combines a detailed street map with useful diagrams of the Harvard and MIT campuses. Parking on Boston streets is a tricky business. Some neighborhoods have residents-only rules, with just a handful of two-hour visitors' spaces; others have meters (25 cents for 15 minutes, one or two hours maximum). The meter maids are ruthless, and repeat offenders who don't pay fines may find the boot (an immovable steel clamp) secured to one of their wheels upon their return. In other words, pay parking ticket fines if you expect to come back to town. Major public lots are at Government Center and Quincy Market, beneath Boston Common (entrance on Charles Street), beneath Post Office Square, at the Prudential Center, at Copley Place, and off Clarendon Street near the John Hancock Tower. Smaller lots are scattered throughout downtown. Most are expensive; the few city garages are a bargain at about $6-$10 per day. CAR RENTALS Rates in Boston begin at $31 a day and $149 a week for an economy car with air-conditioning, an automatic transmission, and unlimited mileage. This does not include tax on car rentals, which is 5%. At Home Alamo (tel. 800/327-9633; 0800/272-2000 in the United Kingdom). Avis (tel. 800/331-1212; 800/879-2847 in Canada; 008/225-533 in Australia). Budget (tel. 800/527-0700; 0800/181181 in the United Kingdom). Dollar (tel. 800/800-4000; 0990/565656 in the United Kingdom, where it is known as Eurodollar). Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131; 800/263-0600 in Canada; 0345/555888 in the United Kingdom; 039/222-2523 in Australia; 03/358-6777 in New Zealand). National InterRent (tel. 800/227-7368; 0345/222525 in the United Kingdom, where it is known as Europcar InterRent). INSURANCE In Massachusetts the car-rental company must pay for damage to third parties up to a preset legal limit. Once that limit is reached, your personal auto or other liability insurance kicks in. However, make sure you have enough coverage to pay for the car. If you do not have auto insurance or an umbrella policy that covers damage to third parties, purchasing liability insurance and a collision- or loss-damage waiver (CDW or LDW) is highly recommended. The additional coverage should cost about $15 to $20 per day and eliminates your liability for damage to the car; it's always optional and should never be automatically added to your bill. REQUIREMENTS In Boston you must be 21 to rent a car, and rates may be higher if you're under 25. You'll pay extra for child seats (about $3 per day), which are compulsory for children under five, and for additional drivers (about $2 per day). Non-U.S. residents will need a reservation voucher, a passport, a driver's license, and a travel policy that covers each driver, in order to pick up a car. GASOLINE Gas stations are not plentiful in downtown Boston. Try Cambridge Street (behind Beacon Hill, near Massachusetts General Hospital), near the airport in East Boston, in Allston/Brighton along Commonwealth Avenue or Cambridge Street, or off the Southeast Expressway in Dorchester. Cambridge service stations can be found along Memorial Drive, Massachusetts Avenue, and Broadway. In Brookline, try Beacon Street or Commonwealth Avenue. RULES OF THE ROAD The speed limit on major highways in Massachusetts is 55 to 65 mph. Within the city of Boston and surrounding communities, speed limits on local streets are 20 to 30 mph. A right turn at a red traffic signal is permitted unless a "No Turn On Red" sign is posted. Rotary intersections are fairly common in Boston. When you are entering a rotary, state law dictates that you yield to any vehicle already in the rotary. Massachusetts state law requires all passengers in private cars to wear seat belts. Children under age 5 or weighing less than 40 pounds are required to ride in a child safety seat.

By Subway & Trolley The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)--or "T" for short--operates subways, elevated trains, and trolleys along four connecting lines. MBTA dispenses information on bus, subway, and train routes; schedules; fares; and other matters including wheelchair access around the clock (tel. 617/222-3200 or 800/392-6100, TTY 617/722-5146). Free maps are available at the MBTA's Park Street Station information stand, which is open daily 7 AM-10 PM. HOURS & FARES Trains operate from about 5:30 AM to about 12:30 AM. Current T fares are 85 cents for adults, 40 cents for children ages 5-11. An extra fare is required heading inbound from distant Green and Red Line stops. VISITOR PASSES MBTA visitor passes are available for unlimited travel on city buses and subways for one-, three-, and seven-day periods (fares $5, $9, and $18 respectively). Buy passes at the following MBTA stations: Airport, South Station, North Station, Back Bay, Government Center, and Harvard Square. Passes are also sold at the Boston Common Information Kiosk (Tremont St., where the Freedom Trail begins, tel. 617/426-3115; open Mon.-Sat. 8:30-5, Sun. 9-5) and at some hotels. ROUTES The Red Line originates at Braintree and Mattapan to the south; the routes join near South Boston and proceed to suburban Arlington. The Green Line, a combined underground and elevated surface line, uses trolleys that operate underground in the central city. It originates at Cambridge's Lechmere, heads south and divides into four routes; these end at Boston College (Commonwealth Avenue), Cleveland Circle (Beacon Street), Riverside, and Heath Street (Huntington Avenue). Buses connect Heath Street to the old Arborway terminus. The Blue Line runs weekdays from Bowdoin Square and week nights and weekends from Government Center to the Wonderland Racetrack in Revere, north of Boston. The Orange Line runs from Oak Grove in north suburban Malden to Forest Hills near the Arnold Arboretum. Park Street Station (on the Common) and State Street are the major downtown transfer points.

By Taxi Cabs may be hailed on the street; it's easiest to go to a hotel taxi stand or call for a cab. All work around the clock and charge about $1.90 per mi, with a $1.50 base charge; one-way streets often make circuitous routes necessary and increase your cost. Boston's cab companies include Boston Cab Association (tel. 617/262-2227), Checker (tel. 617/536-7000), Green Cab Association (tel. 617/628-0600), Independent Taxi Operators Association or ITOA (tel. 617/426-8700), and Town Taxi (tel. 617/536-5000). In Cambridge, try Ambassador Brattle Cab (tel. 617/492-1100) or Cambridge Taxi (tel. 617/547-3000).

By Train The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (tel. 617/222-3200 or 800/392-6100, TTY 617/722-5146) runs commuter trains to points south, west, and north. Those bound for Framingham, Needham, Franklin, Providence (RI), and Stoughton leave from South Station and Back Bay Station; those to Fitchburg, Lowell, Haverhill, Ipswich, and Rockport operate out of North Station (Causeway and Friend Sts.).