Student Travel: Getting there

<p>If kids are flying into Boston Airport by themselves, what is the easiest and least expensive way for them to get to campus? (and conversely, easiest way back to boston to catch a flight). I would think there is a standard procedure despite the website listing lots of options. I am mostly interested in a student who is wanting to visit vs a regular student who might be able to catch a ride with someone who lives in Boston or whatever.</p>

<p>I think most kids use Peter Pan bus lines. You can google it, the schedules and rates are on it, $40 one way, or $77 round trip. They stop directly across the street from the college. My D uses Bradley airport, so she hasn't used it personally, but I understand this is the normal mode of transportation to and from Boston.</p>

<p>I think Hartford-Bradley Airport is more convenient than Boston. Hartford is 40-45 minutes due south of Amherst. I didn't find any traffic or difficulty getting to Amherst from Hartford. I also believe there is a shuttle to school that can be arranged.</p>

<p>Yes, Bradley is closer, however if cost if a big factor, Boston is usually cheaper. I just did a general search for random flights, and it was about $120 cheaper to fly from Atlanta to Boston instead of Bradley. The bus from Boston is about $20 cheaper than the shuttle from Bradley, that doesn't make much sense to me, other than one is a bus, the other a van.</p>

<p>^Right.. did a quick search and while I could use his ffmiles for one or two trips, the flight itself on this airline is approx twice as much to fly into Bradley vs Boston. However, I didn't really look into a lot of different airlines which can often make a huge difference in and of themselves.</p>

<p>One other thing to consider is time. Depending on how far the student is traveling, Boston can be just a little too far away. My kid, for instance, has to travel 12 - 15 hours just on planes to get there. To add another bus ride of several hours just to get from the school to the airport (and back again) is just too much. For us, anyway, Boston is just a little cheaper than Bradley, but not much.</p>

<p>Southwest flies into Bradley but not Boston. If that's convenient for you (I don't know if they fly into Atlanta) then that will probably be the cheapest option.</p>

<p>For getting from Bradley to Amherst most people use either Seemo Shuttle or Valley Transporter. If you use the shared service, it will cost ~$50 one way. A taxi from Bradley to Amherst will be ~$80.</p>

<p>Totally get what you're saying Rent.. but it's actually quicker to fly into boston as there are direct flights for us (2.5 hours) vs 6 hours because you have a detroit layover. Time spent looks to be the same either way if no delays or missed connections. I would think a bus is only two hours to Amherst, but I could be wrong about that. And bummer. We don't have Southwest. But all of this is very good information and much appreciated!!</p>

<p>Does anyone know how long it takes to get from New York City to Amherst, Massachusetts?</p>

<p>I have never driven it, but I think on the website it says about 4 hours by car.</p>

<p>3 to 3.5, ideally.</p>

<p>Up to 5 if weather and road conditions are totally disastrous.</p>

<p>The college also arranges free transportation at different times of the year, but you have to fit into the van schedules. I understand there is now a grad student who drive sto Bradley for $30.00 to help earn money for her tuition.</p>

<p>I just love the info of CC!!!</p>