Boston Silver Line - Walk me through what to do

HI all -

I'm confused about the Silver Line in Boston. I will be going from Logan Airport to Yotel. I know to get off at Courthouse and it's in the basement of Yotel. I think that's SL1? I think that's all straight forward. Where do I got to find the bus after getting my bags from baggage claim?

So, then how do I get from Courthouse to well... where do I get off at the cruise terminal? Is this SL2 bus? Looking at the map it looks like I need to go from Courthouse to Silver Line way, but then I've seen people say I need to transfer at World Trade Center? I'm so confused. Please help.

HI all -

 

I'm confused about the Silver Line in Boston. I will be going from Logan Airport to Yotel. I know to get off at Courthouse and it's in the basement of Yotel. I think that's SL1? I think that's all straight forward. Where do I got to find the bus after getting my bags from baggage claim?

 

So, then how do I get from Courthouse to well... where do I get off at the cruise terminal? Is this SL2 bus? Looking at the map it looks like I need to go from Courthouse to Silver Line way, but then I've seen people say I need to transfer at World Trade .Center? I'm so confused. Please help.

At Logan Airport the Silver Line stops at terminals A, B, and C on the luggage claim level (lower level or "arrivals" level. At terminal E it stops out front to the left (only one level). For the Yotel you do get off at the Courthouse Station.

To get to Black Falcon Terminal you go back to the Courthouse Station. I don't know exactly how the Station is marked, but you do need to pick the correct direction before you go through the turnstiles. Follow the Airport sign, not the South Station sign. You MUST take a SL2 bus which says Dry Dock Ave/Design Center. If you're not sure, get on any SL2 bus and just ask if it goes to Black Falcon Terminal. Coming from the Courthouse Station on a SL2 bus, there is no need to make a transfer.

If you were coming directly from the airport, you would have to transfer over the right of way from the SL1 to the SL2 at the World Trade Center indoor station to get the Dry Dock Ave/Design Center SL2 bus to Black Falcon.

https://cdn.mbta.com/uploadedFiles/Documents/Schedules_and_Maps/Bus/silverwatermap.pdf

If you're going back to the airport when you disembark, it's $2.75. On this trip you do get off at the World Trade Station, use the elevator or escalator to cross the tracks to the other direction, and take the SL1 to Logan Airport.

I think it's confusing and I used to commute on the Silver Line! The bus should be uncrowded (always get on the rear door with luggage). People are friendly and will help.

Thanks! Printing out that map and your instructions. So it’s free from airport to courthouse and courthouse to the cruise terminal. Then $2.75 one time at the cruise terminal to the airport?

Thanks! Printing out that map and your instructions. So it’s free from airport to courthouse and courthouse to the cruise terminal. Then $2.75 one time at the cruise terminal to the airport?

It is free only from the airport to the Couthouse or any other destination within the subway system. Once you go through the turnstiles to exit the "T" station, you have to pay $2.75 for your next ride to the cruise terminal and then again from the cruise terminal back to the airport with a free transfer at World Trade Center, the first indoor station.

Free transfers at Silver Line Way, an outdoor street stop, are not supposed to be allowed because the driver can't tell if you're just coming off the street or from within the "T" system.

It sounds confusing, but just remember to do any transferring at the indoor World Trade Center stop.

I'm not familiar with the Courthouse stop, but I've read that transfers to go in the opposite direction can't be done there because there is no ability to crossover to the other direction without exiting through the turnstiles.

The Silver Line is free from the airport only because fare collection at the airport was unmanageable and caused huge delays in service while clueless folks tried to pay fares to the driver and struggle with luggage through the buses. I always advise getting on the rearmost door where there should be luggage racks and more space.

Can you explain more about how to pay the $2.75? That also sounds complicated!

Can you explain more about how to pay the $2.75? That also sounds complicated!

At the Courthouse Station you buy a Charlie Ticket from the Machine for $2.75. You can also buy a Charlie Ticket with $5.50 that you would save for your return trip. Machines take cash (they give change) or Credit card. You put the Charlie ticket into the gate and it is returned to you at that time. If you put $5.50 on it, save it for your return.

On your return trip you can also pay at a machine by the bus driver when you board.

It's really not complicated.

http://Www.mbta.com

CharlieTickets are reusable paper passes that can be loaded with cash value or 1-day, 7-day, or monthly passes.

Standard one-way CharlieTicket fare: $2.75

Thanks again for the info.

Ugh. Silver line bus was a hot mess yesterday. I was watching it’s arrival time jump around...it said due then next thing it said was 14 minutes. I’m thinking... did I miss the bus? Am I in the right spot?

I eventually found a flight attendant who also waiting for the silver line bus and she helped me out. First bus that arrived, hardly no one got off, plus people stepped in front of us, so we couldn’t get on. Next bus was about 2 minutes later. We were able to squeeze on to that one.

I thought I was reading the map like this.... airport stops, then silver line way, WTC, courthouse. It wound up being airport stops, WTC, silver line way, WTC again?!?, courthouse. Let’s just say if courthouse wasn’t after that “second” WTC stop, I was going to get off anyway and walk to my hotel.

I hope things go okay today!

Ugh. Silver line bus was a hot mess yesterday. I was watching it’s arrival time jump around...it said due then next thing it said was 14 minutes. I’m thinking... did I miss the bus? Am I in the right spot?

 

I eventually found a flight attendant who also waiting for the silver line bus and she helped me out. First bus that arrived, hardly no one got off, plus people stepped in front of us, so we couldn’t get on. Next bus was about 2 minutes later. We were able to squeeze on to that one.

 

I thought I was reading the map like this.... airport stops, then silver line way, WTC, courthouse. It wound up being airport stops, WTC, silver line way, WTC again?!?, courthouse. Let’s just say if courthouse wasn’t after that “second” WTC stop, I was going to get off anyway and walk to my hotel.

 

I hope things go okay today!

Sorry it was so crowded for you. Labor Day weekend is very busy in Boston. From the airport the bus does stop first on the street at WTC, which is very convenient for the hotels in that area, but it does not accept passengers at that stop. It then circles around through Silver Line Way to return to the WTC indoor station. Sorry I didn't mention that detail.

By the time you go to the port, the morning rush should be over. When I worked at WTC, I took a ride to Black Falcon one morning about 9:15 just to see what it was all about. There were few folks on the bus (even if it's crowded at Courthouse this morning, a huge number of people will get off at WTC). Black Falcon Ave was very very busy because a ship was docking.

Please post about your hotel and other experiences. It's very helpful to others. I've ridden the Silver Line so many times that I've lost some perspective on the experience. Usually it's just fine, but occasionally it cab be very crowded.

At Logan Airport the Silver Line stops at terminals A, B, and C on the luggage claim level (lower level or "arrivals" level. At terminal E it stops out front to the left (only one level). For the Yotel you do get off at the Courthouse Station.

 

The bus should be uncrowded (always get on the rear door with luggage). People are friendly and will help.

We are flying into Boston about 10am on Friday and staying at the Yotel. We are going on a cruise on Saturday so we will have several pieces of luggage. Is this manageable on the bus?

It sounds easy we just get on a Silverline bus and get off Courthouse Station and the hotel is right there???

thank you

We are flying into Boston about 10am on Friday and staying at the Yotel. We are going on a cruise on Saturday so we will have several pieces of luggage. Is this manageable on the bus?

 

It sounds easy we just get on a Silverline bus and get off Courthouse Station and the hotel is right there???

 

thank you

You need to be able to pick up your own luggage. I only had one suitcase and a small bag. I wouldn't bring more than that. Expect to have no room on the luggage racks to put your stuff. I had to stand in the door area with my bag. Don't expect anyone to help or move for you to sit either. Where I exited from the silverline, I had to walk across the street to Yotel, but that's easy enough to figure out once you are outside.

We are flying into Boston about 10am on Friday and staying at the Yotel. We are going on a cruise on Saturday so we will have several pieces of luggage. Is this manageable on the bus?

 

It sounds easy we just get on a Silverline bus and get off Courthouse Station and the hotel is right there???

thank you

What airline are you flying in on? The bus stops at all terminals, so a "crowded" bus may empty out as you proceed around the airport.

Ridership varies a lot on the Silver Line. It can be very crowded or it can be empty or somewhere in between. I always advise getting on the rearmost door because there is more space there. You can always take a deep breath and wait for the next bus or you can take a cab or call Uber or Lyft. Lots of options.

What airline are you flying in on? The bus stops at all terminals, so a "crowded" bus may empty out as you proceed around the airport.

 

Ridership varies a lot on the Silver Line. It can be very crowded or it can be empty or somewhere in between. I always advise getting on the rearmost door because there is more space there. You can always take a deep breath and wait for the next bus or you can take a cab or call Uber or Lyft. Lots of options.

We are flying United.

You need to be able to pick up your own luggage. I only had one suitcase and a small bag. I wouldn't bring more than that. Expect to have no room on the luggage racks to put your stuff. I had to stand in the door area with my bag. Don't expect anyone to help or move for you to sit either. Where I exited from the silverline, I had to walk across the street to Yotel, but that's easy enough to figure out once you are outside.

I thought I read that the stop is under the hotel??? Courthouse stop? Do you have to ring a bell for the bus to stop?

I thought I read that the stop is under the hotel??? Courthouse stop? Do you have to ring a bell for the bus to stop?

United usually arrives at Terminal B gates for domestic flights. This would be the 2nd or 3rd Stop of 5 Silverline stops at the Airport on the arrivals level.

The Silver Line is a hybrid bus which operates independently from the airport to Silver Line Way where it is converted to be a trackless "Trolley" which operates on its own right of way above ground and underground from Silver Line Way to South Station. The Courhouse station is underground -

Trip from Silver Line Way to South Station -

138 East - Hopefully you can help with this. I just booked the Ames Hotel in Boston for Sept. 2019 (FREE with Hilton Points so SCORE!). In the description on the Hilton site, it says the hotel is "steps away" from the State Station on the Orange and Blue subway lines. We will have luggage, so I'm still debating whether we take the subway to the hotel or if we just Uber it. If we subway, what's the best way to go about that and just how many "steps away" (a block, 2 blocks, 1/2 a mile?) is the hotel (1 Court Street)?

Also, do you have any clue what might be going on in downtown Boston the last weekend in September next year? When I pulled up the Hilton site, just about every hotel said it was "sold out" for the dates I wanted. I was wondering if that was just Hilton's way of delaying reservations until the hotels got the info uploaded or something.

Anyway, my mom and I are so excited about staying in the Historic Ames Hotel...we're just kind of nerdy like that! Thanks for all your help 138East.

138 East - Hopefully you can help with this. I just booked the Ames Hotel in Boston for Sept. 2019 (FREE with Hilton Points so SCORE!). In the description on the Hilton site, it says the hotel is "steps away" from the State Station on the Orange and Blue subway lines. We will have luggage, so I'm still debating whether we take the subway to the hotel or if we just Uber it. If we subway, what's the best way to go about that and just how many "steps away" (a block, 2 blocks, 1/2 a mile?) is the hotel (1 Court Street)?

 

 

Also, do you have any clue what might be going on in downtown Boston the last weekend in September next year? When I pulled up the Hilton site, just about every hotel said it was "sold out" for the dates I wanted. I was wondering if that was just Hilton's way of delaying reservations until the hotels got the info uploaded or something.

 

 

Anyway, my mom and I are so excited about staying in the Historic Ames Hotel...we're just kind of nerdy like that! Thanks for all your help 138East.

I haven't been in the State Street Station for a while. It's supposed to be handicapped accessible. Depending on which exit you come out of, the Ames would be 1-2 short blocks away. From the airport you take the free shuttle bus to the Blue Line subway and pay $2.75/pp. It's not free like the Silver Line, but it is direct with no transfers.

I think it's too early for Hilton to have posted its rates for Sept 2019.