Boston Airline Crew Layover Guide
Reviewed by Captain AL
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The BOS crew card
| Fastest into town | Silver Line SL1 bus from the Logan terminals to South Station: 24 to 32 minutes from Terminal A on the weekday timetable, 18 to 24 minutes from Terminal E |
|---|---|
| First / last run | On the weekday timetable the first SL1 leaves Terminal A at 5:30 am and the last one serving the South Station stop leaves at 12:12 am; four later trips run to 1:12 am but end at Summer St at Atlantic Ave instead |
| Payments | Tap a contactless credit or debit card, a phone or a watch at the Charlie reader, or use a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket; one-way subway and Silver Line fare is USD 2.40 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink |
| Emergency | 911 (City of Boston and Massachusetts numbers) · non-emergency 617-343-4500 |
| Solo & at night | Taxi stands sit on the Arrivals level at Terminals A, B, C and E, with taxi dispatchers in every terminal; follow the signs for Ground Transportation and Taxi |
| Crew knows | Airport station is not a walk from the terminals, whatever the name suggests. The Silver Line stops at every terminal instead, with no shuttle to catch first, and leaving the airport it costs nothing |
| Crew deals | Verified car rental and hotel rates for airline staff: on this page, right below this guide. |
airlinecrewdiscount.net · BOS crew card · Checked Aug 2026 · Next check Nov 2026 · Screenshot this card for offline
Flying into BOS again? Add this page to your home screen (or Ctrl+D / Cmd+D), and skip working this out at 23:40 next time.
Getting from Logan Airport into Boston: the free Silver Line, the free bus to Back Bay, or a taxi?
Logan is unusual: two ways into the city cost nothing at all leaving the airport, the Silver Line SL1 to South Station and the Back Bay Logan Express bus. The Blue Line is the third option and needs a short free shuttle ride first. Taxis and ride apps cover the hours the buses do not.
👉 Swipe sideways to see the full table
| Mode | Time | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus (MBTA Silver Line SL1) | 24 to 32 minutes from Terminal A to South Station on the weekday timetable, 18 to 24 minutes from Terminal E | The timetable stops at Terminal A, both Terminal B arrivals-level stops, Terminal C and Terminal E, then runs through the Seaport to South Station. First inbound trip leaves Terminal A at 5:30 am and the last one serving the South Station stop leaves at 12:12 am, with four later trips to 1:12 am ending at Summer St at Atlantic Ave. The cost field is left empty on purpose: this timetable page prints no fares, and the fare rule is carried by the tips, which cite the pages that state it. | |
| Subway (MBTA Blue Line via the free on-airport shuttle) | 5 to 6 minutes from Airport station to State, 6 to 8 minutes to Government Center, 4 to 5 minutes to Aquarium | Westbound toward Bowdoin is the downtown direction. First westbound train from Airport station is 5:12 am and the last is 12:35 am on the weekday timetable, and the line runs Airport, Maverick, Aquarium, State, Government Center, Bowdoin. Getting from the terminals to Airport station needs a free on-airport shuttle first, which is covered in the tips. The cost field is left empty on purpose: this timetable page prints no fares. | |
| Bus (Back Bay Logan Express) | direct, no transfer, to two stops in Back Bay | free from the airport to Back Bay | Board at all terminals by following the signs to the terminal curb. The bus drops on Stuart Street near the Dartmouth Street entrance to Back Bay Station, then at 800 Boylston Street by the Boylston Street entrance to the Prudential Center. Back Bay Station connects to the Orange Line, Commuter Rail and Amtrak. |
| Taxi | metered: USD 2.60 for the first 1/7 mile, USD 0.40 for each 1/7 mile after that, tolls additional; waiting time USD 28.00 per hour | Rates are set by the Boston Police Hackney Carriage Unit. Boston sits on that page’s metered communities list, which the regulator defines as communities that are not flat rate communities and whose fares shall be recorded on the meter, so watch the meter rather than expecting a fixed price. In the reverse direction the regulator states the passenger pays a USD 2.75 toll for all trips from Boston proper to Logan Airport and North Shore communities. | |
| Ride app (Uber, Lyft) | app-priced; the airport publishes no fare | Pickups are only allowed in the designated ride app areas. For Terminals A, C and E, follow the signs to the Central Parking Garage. Terminal B pickup and drop-off is on Level 2 (Departures) of the Terminal B Parking Garage. Request the ride after you have your bags, and set your terminal as the pickup point. |
Best Areas for Crew Stays in Boston, from the Seaport and downtown out to Back Bay and the North End
Seaport and South Boston Waterfront: The first thing the SL1 reaches, with waterfront restaurants and harbor walks; the shortest possible trip off the airport.
Downtown and the Financial District: Faneuil Hall, the Freedom Trail and the harbor front sit in one walkable block of streets around State and Government Center.
Back Bay: Newbury Street, Copley Square and the Prudential Center, and the one part of town the airport bus reaches without a transfer.
North End: The Italian quarter, all narrow streets and small restaurants, an easy walk from the harbor end of downtown.
East Boston: The neighborhood the airport sits in, close enough for a short outing and known for its harbor view back at the skyline.
What to Do on a Boston Layover, from staying on the field to a full day in town
Under 5 hours: Stay on the field. The airport Wi-Fi is free, and a round trip downtown with the security queue waiting on the way back does not fit safely into a short window.
5 to 9 hours: One move, done properly. The SL1 to South Station puts you in the Seaport and downtown in under half an hour, and the free Back Bay bus is the alternative if you would rather walk Newbury Street. Fix your return departure before you leave the terminal.
9 hours plus: A real day out works: downtown and the Freedom Trail, an hour in the North End, and dinner in the Seaport or Back Bay, with the last SL1 or the Blue Line still open on the way back.
Crew Tips for Boston and Logan Airport: the free ride out, the fare back, and the shuttle to the Blue Line
Paying for the T: One-way subway and Silver Line fare is USD 2.40, the same with a CharlieCard, a CharlieTicket, contactless payment or cash. A 1-Day Pass is USD 11.00 and a 7-Day Pass is USD 22.50, so on a single layover the pass rarely pays for itself. You can transfer up to two times across local bus, express bus, Silver Line and subway and pay only the highest-priced service, but transfers do not work with stored value CharlieTickets or with cash.
Free leaving Logan, paid coming back: The MBTA states that service from Logan Airport is always free, and the Massport shuttle is free too, so the trip into town costs nothing. Coming back is a normal fare, so sort out payment before you head to the airport, although the MBTA does make the transfer from the Red Line to the SL1 free in that direction. Fare vending machines sit in the Logan terminals, at Airport station and at South Station if you want a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket rather than tapping a bank card. If you get stuck, transit ambassadors in bright red shirts or jackets with T logos are stationed at Airport station and can help with directions, fares and language translation.
The free bus to Back Bay: Back Bay Logan Express boards at all terminals on the terminal curb and the airport to Back Bay direction is free. It runs every half hour from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, seven days a week, and drops on Stuart Street by Back Bay Station and at 800 Boylston Street by the Prudential Center. If your hotel is in Back Bay or Copley, this beats a transfer chain.
Reaching the Blue Line: Airport station is not walkable from the terminals. Go to the Arrivals level, follow the signs for Ground Transportation, and take on-airport shuttle Route 22, 33, 55 or 66 to Airport Station. Coming back, board Route 88, which runs direct to all terminals. Massport states these shuttles are always free between terminals and transit connections, and that a one-way subway or bus fare is usually USD 2.40 with a CharlieCard or contactless payment. The Blue Line meets the Orange Line at State Street and the Green Line at Government Center.
Connectivity: Boston Logan runs free Wi-Fi across the airport. Look for the network named BOSWifi and accept the terms of service to get online.
Safety on the T: MBTA Transit Police handle safety concerns on MBTA property. To report an emergency, dial 911 or call 617-222-1212, and you can also send a text message to 617-600-0683. The MBTA lists the transit police as an emergency contact 24 hours, 7 days a week, and says it monitors its anonymous SeeSay app 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a response usually within a few minutes.
Emergency Numbers for Boston, Massachusetts, and the United States
👉 Swipe sideways if the numbers do not fit
| Emergency (police, fire, medical) | 911 |
| Boston Police Department, non-emergency contact | 617-343-4500 |
| Boston 311, non-emergency help and city services, 24 hours a day, every day (dial 3-1-1 inside the city) | 617-635-4500 |
| MBTA Transit Police, subway, bus and ferry system, 24 hours a day (text line 617-600-0683) | 617-222-1212 |
| Poison control, Massachusetts, available 24/7 | 800-222-1222 |
| United States country code (calling from abroad) | +1 |
Save these before you fly; numbers work from any phone.
How do I get from Logan Airport to downtown Boston?
Take the Silver Line SL1 bus, which stops at every Logan terminal. The MBTA states that service from Logan Airport is always free, and on the weekday timetable the ride from Terminal A to South Station takes 24 to 32 minutes, with departures every 8 to 15 minutes for most of the day. The Blue Line is the other rail option: ride the free on-airport shuttle Route 22, 33, 55 or 66 to Airport station, then pay USD 2.40 and reach State in 5 to 6 minutes.
Is the Silver Line free from Logan Airport?
Yes, leaving the airport. The MBTA states that service from Logan Airport is always free, and that the Massport shuttle is free from Logan as well. Traveling in the other direction, toward the airport, you pay the normal USD 2.40 fare, although the transfer from the Red Line to the SL1 is free.
How much is public transport in Boston?
A one-way subway or Silver Line ride is USD 2.40 with a CharlieCard, a CharlieTicket, contactless payment or cash. A 1-Day Pass is USD 11.00 and a 7-Day Pass is USD 22.50, so on a single layover a pass rarely pays for itself. Leaving Logan you may not need any of it: the MBTA states that service from Logan Airport is always free, and the Massport on-airport shuttles are free as well.
Spotted a change? Tell us and we fix it for the next crew.
Crew Discounts in Boston: verified car rental and hotel rates for airline staff sit right below this guide. Bookmark this page before you walk out to the Silver Line stop. Next Boston rotation you start on the rates instead of from scratch.
