Getting around · Boston
Getting to and from BOS: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Boston airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $25–$35 to Downtown Boston, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Logan Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check BOS TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminals
- 4
- Checkpoints
- 5
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- Yes
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from BOS — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$25–$35
to Downtown Boston
Drive time
10–40 min
4 mi to Downtown Boston
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $25–$35 to Downtown Boston on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Taxi stands are at the Arrivals (lower) level curb outside baggage claim at each terminal (A, B, C, E). Fares are metered (no flat rate); a downtown trip runs about $25-$35 before the tunnel toll, ~$2.75 airport fee and tip - low because downtown is only a few miles through the harbor tunnel.
The BOS cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Logan Cell Phone Waiting Lot. At the intersection of Hotel Drive and Service Road (near the Airport MBTA Blue Line station and a Shell station; some GPS use 100 Harborside Dr), with the terminals less than 5 minutes away. There's a posted limit of about 30 minutes, so wait there until your traveler has their bags and is at the curb. Follow the well-signed 'Cell Phone Lot' directions off the Service Road; there are no restrooms, and you loop to the terminal curb once your passenger is ready.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare BOSparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at BOS
Uber/Lyft pick up in the Central Parking Garage for Terminals A, C and E, and on Level 2 (Departures) of the Terminal B Parking Garage; follow the overhead and on-floor 'Ride App' signs from baggage claim. Ride-app pickups are inside the parking garages, not at the terminal curb (taxis and black cars still use the curb) - picking up/dropping off outside the designated zones risks a $200 fine.
Dropping off? Drop-offs are on the Departures (upper) level curb; taxis and pre-arranged cars may still drop at the arrivals curb. BOS has 4 terminals (A, B, C, E), so confirm your airline's before your driver commits to a curb — find your terminal at BOS.
Driving to BOS — routes & drive time
BOS sits about 4 miles from Downtown Boston, a drive of roughly 10–40 minutes via Ted Williams Tunnel (I-90) or the Sumner Tunnel to downtown and I-93; the airport sits just across the harbor from the financial district — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to BOS by train or transit
By rail, your option is Silver Line SL1 bus rapid transit to South Station/Red Line; Blue Line subway via the free Massport on-airport shuttle to Airport Station — figure about 20 minutes to Downtown Boston. The Silver Line SL1 leaves the terminal curbs free of charge and reaches South Station downtown in about 20 minutes (sometimes under 15 in light traffic), with a free transfer to the Red Line; alternatively take the free Massport shuttle (Routes 22/33/55) to the Airport Blue Line station for $2.40.
Fare: Silver Line SL1 is free outbound from the airport; you pay $2.40 inbound and on the Blue Line.
Hotel and city shuttles to BOS
Logan Express coaches link the airport with Back Bay and suburban lots (Braintree, Framingham, Peabody, Woburn) - free from the airport, $3 from Back Bay to the airport - and the free Massport on-airport shuttle circulates between terminals, the Blue Line and the rental center. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to BOS?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $11/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Boston runs about $60. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 5 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare BOSparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at BOS
Silver Line and all Massport shuttle buses are low-floor with wheelchair lifts; WAV taxis are available at the stands, and riders with disabilities can use accessible pickup in the Central Garage, Terminal B Garage, or designated curb spots.
Late or overnight arrival? Taxis and rideshare run 24/7; the Silver Line SL1 runs until roughly 1am and the Blue Line until about 12:30am, while Logan Express has limited late-night service.
Returning a rental on the way out? Return rentals at the consolidated Rental Car Center (RCC) at 15 Transportation Way, East Boston; follow airport 'Rental Car Center' signage, then take the free on-airport shuttle (Route 22/33/55) back to your terminal. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: The Logan Express Back Bay route was redesigned for a faster trip and tickets to the airport are $3; Terminal B ride-app pickup is on Level 2 of its parking garage. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified BOS's ground-transport details as of June 27, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is MHT (Manchester), about 45 miles from BOS in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from BOS — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go BOS
BOS TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ BOS
How much is a taxi to or from BOS?
A metered taxi to Downtown Boston typically runs about $25–$35, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Taxi stands are at the Arrivals (lower) level curb outside baggage claim at each terminal (A, B, C, E).
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at BOS?
Uber/Lyft pick up in the Central Parking Garage for Terminals A, C and E, and on Level 2 (Departures) of the Terminal B Parking Garage; follow the overhead and on-floor 'Ride App' signs from baggage claim. Ride-app pickups are inside the parking garages, not at the terminal curb (taxis and black cars still use the curb) - picking up/dropping off outside the designated zones risks a $200 fine. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the BOS cell-phone lot?
Logan Cell Phone Waiting Lot — At the intersection of Hotel Drive and Service Road (near the Airport MBTA Blue Line station and a Shell station; some GPS use 100 Harborside Dr), with the terminals less than 5 minutes away. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is BOS from Downtown Boston?
BOS is about 4 miles from Downtown Boston — roughly 10–40 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Ted Williams Tunnel (I-90) or the Sumner Tunnel to downtown and I-93; the airport sits just across the harbor from the financial district.
Is there a train from BOS to Downtown Boston?
Yes. The Silver Line SL1 leaves the terminal curbs free of charge and reaches South Station downtown in about 20 minutes (sometimes under 15 in light traffic), with a free transfer to the Red Line; alternatively take the free Massport shuttle (Routes 22/33/55) to the Airport Blue Line station for $2.40.