MIT Campus Map Suite
This document contains instructions for getting to the MIT campus via public transportation, from Logan International Airport, and by car from north, south, and west (including parking suggestions). For directions from your doorstep to MIT, MapQuest (http://www.mapquest.com/) and Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com/) offer excellent mapping services including very specific directions from anywhere in North America. (Use the address "77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA 02139" for general directions to MIT.)
MIT is located on the north shore of the Charles River Basin in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The campus is within 3 miles of two major interstate highways, less than 6 miles from a major international airport, and is accessible via public transportation. MIT is a 15-30 minute walk from downtown Boston (depending on the weather). MIT is a 20-40 minute walk from Harvard University (located just up the river from the MIT campus).
Subway. By train, take the Red Line to the Kendall/MIT Station or to the Central Square Station, both of which are a short walk from the campus. The walk from Central Square takes about 10 minutes and takes you right down Massachusetts Avenue. The Kendall/MIT Station is on the edge of the east end of campus, and as soon as you enter an MIT building you can get to the other buildings without going outside.
Bus. The #1 or Dudley bus stops at MIT on Massachusetts Avenue and provides transportation to Central Square and Harvard Square. The MIT stop is at a large crosswalk with a stop light. One one side of the street are steps leading up to large Ionic columns and the Small Dome of MIT, on the other side of the street is the Stratton Student Center and Kresge Oval (an open, grass-covered area).
by taxi. Taxi fare from the airport is about $15. Under normal traffic conditions the taxi ride will take about 15 minutes.
by subway. The subway ride from Logan involves several transfers. From any terminal at Logan airport, take the airport shuttle bus to the Blue Line subway station. Take the Blue Line to the Government Center station and go upstairs to and take the Green Line trolley to Park Street. At the Park Street station, go downstairs and take the Red Line subway to Kendall/MIT (take the outbound train toward Alewife). Under normal conditions the ride will take about one-half hour.
by car. The drive from Logan airport can be rather nasty, depending on traffic conditions. Take the main exit from the airport (not the Ted Williams Tunnel) and follow the signs toward Boston via the Sumner Tunnel. The tunnel toll is US $1. As you exit the tunnel, turn right onto the expressway (93 North). Take the second exit, marked 'Storrow Drive West'. Immediately take the right fork of the road to a stoplight. Turn left, then immediately turn right and drive over the Charles River. The Boston Museum of Science will be on your left. Turn left at the next stoplight onto Memorial Drive. Follow Memorial Drive for about a half mile and MIT will be on your right side.
If you are heading south on I-93, follow I-93 into Boston then follow the I-93 instructions below. If you are heading south on I-95, take the I-93 South exit then follow the instructions from I-93. Alternatively, take the I-90 East exit from I-95 then follow the instructions from I-90.
If you are heading north on I-93, follow I-93 (the Southeast Expressway) into Boston then follow the I-93 instructions below. If you are heading north on I-95, take the I-93 North exit then follow the instructions from I-93. Alternatively, take the I-90 East exit from I-95 then follow the instructions from I-90.
Follow I-90 east to the Cambridge/Brighton exit (exit 18). Following the signs to Cambridge, cross the River Street Bridge, and continue straight about 1 mile to Central Square. Turn right onto Massachusetts Avenue and follow Massachusetts Avenue for about a half mile. The main entrance to MIT will be on your left. If you cross the river again, you have gone too far.
From I-93, take exit 26, and follow the signs to Back Bay along Storrow Drive West, approximately 1.5 miles, to the exit for Route 2A. The exit will be on the left, just before the Harvard Bridge (more appropriately called the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge). The Charles River will be on your right. As you cross the bridge, you will be looking at MIT - the Great Dome and academic facilities are on the right, the dormitories and athletic facilities are on the left.
Take the blimp to the tall building with all the glass windows (that would be the Hancock tower). Head north over the Charles River and have them put you down on top of the large, convex, concrete structure on the north shore of the river (that would be the Great Dome of MIT). Watch out for police cars on the roof.
Parking in Cambridge and Boston is generally not an enjoyable experience. Whenever possible, park your car at the hotel at which you are staying, and use public transportation to get to the MIT campus. If you must drive to the campus, there are both on- and off-street parking available, but most public parking is not very close to the center of the MIT campus (unless you arrive early in the morning or late in the evening).
There is unmetered parking on Memorial Drive (most of the spaces fill up at around 8:00 AM), and metered parking on Massachusetts Avenue.
There are a number of lots at which you may park for a fee. These include a lot at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Vassar Street, Park and Lock on Third Street, Kinney Systems at 4 Cambridge Center (entrances on Ames Street and Broadway), and Kinney Systems at Ten Cambridge Center (entrances from Broadway and Binney Street).
