Population: 577,100 in the city, 3.2 million in the metropolitan area

Elevation: 10 feet

Time zone: Eastern Standard Time; (daylight saving time is observed) When it is 12 noon in New York City, it is 12 noon in Boston and 9AM in Los Angeles.

Telephone area codes: 617 / 781 (Area codes are required for all numbers dialed, even if calling locally from within the same dialing code).

Average Annual Temperatures:

Average Annual Rainfall: 41.5 inches

National Public Holidays

1st January - New Year's Day

Third Monday in January - Martin Luther King Day

12th February - Lincoln's Birthday

Third Monday in February - Washington's Birthday

Third Monday in April - Patriot's Day (Massachusetts)

Last Monday in May - Memorial Day

4th July - Independence Day

First Monday in September - Labor Day

Second Monday in October - Columbus Day

11th November - Veterans Day

4th Thursday in November - Thanksgiving

25th December - Christmas Day

When to Visit

Boston's weather is changeable, so expect alternating sun and precipitation all year.  The summers (June to August) are usually bright and sunny, with some humidity. The winters (November to February) can be quite wet. Possibly the best times to visit are in the late spring and early fall (with spectacular autumnal colors throughout New England), when the temperature is warm and not too hot. Whatever the weather, there is always so much to see and enjoy in Boston.

Internet Access

Public libraries throughout the Boston area offer free Internet access (sometimes with time limits per user). Boston and Cambridge have numerous Internet cafes, especially in tourist-frequented areas, that offer Internet access at a fixed rate per hour.

Tax

The general sales tax in Boston is 5% and is applied to meals, durable goods and services. It is also added to the price of clothing in excess of US$175. Combined state and city taxes on hotel occupancy are 11.45%.

 Getting to Boston

By Air

Logan International Airport (BOS) is less than 3 miles from downtown Boston. The airport, the eighth-busiest in the U.S., is composed of Terminals B, C, D and E.

For information on airport traffic, parking availability and ground transportation, telephone toll-free 800-235-6426.

By Bus

Greyhound Bus Lines

The Greyhound Terminal is at South Station. Toll-free: 800-231-2222.

Peter Pan Bus Lines

Offers express service from South Station to many destinations in the northeastern U.S. and Canada. Toll-free: 800-343-9999

By Train

Amtrak

Amtrak serves both Back Bay Station and South Station in Boston. It provides connections south toward New York City and Washington, D.C., with other East Coast towns and west to Springfield, Massachusetts, with stops in Framingham and Worcester.

By Car

Unless visitors have plans that will require travel far from the city, it is best not to drive in the area.  Public transportation within the city and in the surrounding areas is excellent.   Parking, when available, is expensive, and street patterns are confusing.   The main deterrent, however, is known as “The Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel Project”, or the "Big Dig." This Federal multi-billion dollar undertaking is removing downtown's elevated North/South expressway and replacing it with an underground expressway. The newly opened third harbor tunnel (Ted Williams Tunnel) now connects directly to Logan Airport.

By Water Shuttle

The Airport Water Shuttle provides transportation from the airport to downtown Boston. From your airport terminal, take the free No. 66 shuttle bus to the boat. The water shuttle docks downtown at Rowes Wharf, behind the Boston Harbor Hotel.  During peak hours the boats depart every 15 minutes / off-peak and at weekends every 30 minutes.  617-330-8680.

MBTA

The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) operates subways, buses, commuter trains and commuter boats. It is the fourth-largest mass-transit system in the U.S., serving 1.1 million riders each weekday on its buses, rapid-transit and commuter-boat lines.

Boston's subway (the T) is the backbone of the city's transit system and is clean and reliable. Four color-coded lines:  Red, Green, Orange and Blue, span out from downtown Boston.

(Remember:  Inbound is always toward downtown)

Trains run Monday-Saturday approximately 5 am-1 am. On Sunday, service begins about 40 minutes later, and the last trains leave downtown at 12:45 am.

Commuter trains serve outlying areas as far as Worcester, Lowell, Rockport and Providence, Rhode Island (their routes are indicated by the purple lines on the MBTA map). Trains heading north connect to the subway system at North Station, trains to the south and west at South Station. Tickets may be purchased at North Station, South Station and Back Bay Station. Tickets also are sold onboard, but there is a surcharge. A Boston Passport Visitors Pass can be purchased which provides unlimited use of all MBTA transportation. One-, three- and seven-day passes are available

Ship

Cruise ships visiting Boston dock at South Boston's Black Falcon Cruise Terminal, which is 5-6 miles from downtown. Most ships provide transportation for their passengers from Logan Airport to dockside. Taxis are available at the port.

Taxis:  Taxis can be hailed on the street by waving (and yelling).  All cabs are metered.