OT Conference Series: How To Get To The Conference

Hey readers! Next up for the OT Conference series is all about using the T and getting to the conference. If you read my post about where to stay, I shared how to get to the conference from all of the major neighborhoods of Boston. Check that out if you are curious about how to get to/from the conference from a specific neighborhood. AOTA Conference will be March 26-29, 2020 in the Seaport. The Seaport is a really cool area of the city, but unfortunately it is not super accessible via the T. The map below shows the general neighborhoods of Boston.

Now that you can see where the Seaport is in relation to where you are staying, here is a map of the T. In general, the green line goes through Back Bay and Fenway, and heads west to Brookline and Newton. The orange line goes through part of the South End and then outside of the city. The red line goes out to Cambridge and South Boston (aka “Southie”). The blue line goes out to East Boston. As you can see, none of the main T lines goes to the Seaport. The best way to get to the Seaport will either be the silver line (more on that below), walking, or Uber/Lyft.

Using The Silver Line

To get to the conference center, you will want to take the S1 or S2 bus to the World Trade Center stop. The silver line is on the T map, but it is actually a bus rather than a train. The silver line is most well-known for going to the airport, but it makes other stops as well (see above). You can access the S1 or S2 silver line most conveniently at South Station. You can also access the silver line at Downtown Crossing, Boylston, Chinatown, and Tufts Medical. However, be sure to transfer to the S1 or S2 lines as needed.

If you are taking the silver line from South Station, you will want to go downstairs following the signs for the silver line. It is not where the other trains are, but in an underground bus loop. There are usually MBTA employees around to ask for directions if you are confused.

Walking

If you are not able to easily access the silver line, you can also walk to the conference center. From South Station, it is a 13 minute walk. If it is warm out, it is actually a really nice walk. I walk through downtown from South Station on my daily commute, and I truly enjoy it. Boston is a beautiful city! However, like I said in previous posts, it will be March in New England. Who knows what type of weather we will have! I have experienced blizzards and days as warm at 70 in March, so let’s hope for the latter (or somewhere in between). If the walk is too far and you aren’t able to access the silver line, Uber/Lyft may be your best option.

Helpful Apps

If you will be navigating the T during AOTA Conference weekend, I recommend checking out the Boston T app, which shows the MBTA map that I included above. This is helpful to know what stops are coming next and where you are headed.

Google Maps is my go-to app for directions. Plug in your destination, then choose public transportation to get exact directions, including what time the T will be arriving and what stop to take.

Another helpful app is mTicket, but I only use this to purchase commuter rail and ferry tickets. You can purchase tickets for the T at most stations stops using a kiosk (accepts cash or card).

The Uber or Lyft apps are available if you do not want to take the T or walk to your destination.

Finally, if you decide to drive to Boston and need to park your car, check out the SpotHero app to find the cheapest garage or lot. Other parking apps that I use in the city are ParkBoston, PayByPhone, and Passport. Each of these apps are to pay for parking spots, depending on where the spot is. Be sure to check parking signs, because the tickets are no joke! Keep in mind street cleaning days and the length of time you are allowed to park in each spot. There is typically a 2-hour limit for street parking. Good news: street parking overnight and on Sunday is free! Just be sure you aren’t in a “resident only” spot.

Thanks for reading! I hope you find this helpful when you are traveling around Boston.