<p>i'm an international student so when I arrive at Boston airport after holidays it is probably going to be at weird hours in the night or dawn. My parents are concerned that Boston is really unsafe and so were wondering what were the transportation options I could take from the airport to the campus which are safe? Also, how generally safe is the campus?</p>
<p>You'll be fine. Just take the airport shuttle to the T to Kendall/Central. Or if you are tired, it's even safer and faster to just take a taxi for 20-25 bucks, straight to your dorm. And MIT never sleeps, so there will be people roaming the campus at any time of the night.</p>
<p>Since you have a lot of luggage, you will be best off taking a taxi anyway. Try to find somebody else to split with.</p>
<p>Yeah, taxis are safe. The subway is also safe, but it only runs until 12:30, and if you have too much luggage, you wouldn't really want to be on the subway.</p>
<p>Campus itself is surprisingly isolated for being in a city, but for whatever reason, non-MIT scary people don't come on campus very often. River Phoenix is right, there are always people out (except maybe around 7-8 AM -- MIT people are somewhat nocturnal). I'm a girl (and a small one at that) and I've never felt unsafe walking around campus at night.</p>
<p>After New York, I can walk anywhere and feel safe. :p</p>
<p>I talked with a campus security officer during CPW and was reassured about campus safety, however she did tell me that the biggest problem on campus was usually theft. Leaving valuable things out in the open can sometimes turn them into irresistable objects.</p>
<p>You can search for crime and arrest statistics at this US Dept. of Education website: <a href="http://ope.ed.gov/security/Search.asp%5B/url%5D">http://ope.ed.gov/security/Search.asp</a> The statistics for 2004 are not yet available, but you will see 2001 - 2003 and can search through all US schools.</p>
<p>New York is very safe, comparatively. It's very commercialized, with tons of people walking down the street. Not much substance to a city like that. Try Detroit or Philly or Atlanta.</p>