Getting Around
Harvard Transportation Services
The Campus Bus Service encompasses the Shuttle, the Accessible Van Service and the Evening Van Service. Schedules and routes for all of the options can be found at the website.
The Shuttle is available to all members of the Harvard community. There is no charge but you might need to show an I.D. Bus stops are marked with special crimson and gray signs. If you wish to exit at a non-designated stop, please inform the driver when boarding. Drivers will make requested stops whenever it is safe to do so.
The University
Evening Shuttle Van provides service to areas not on scheduled shuttle
routes between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. in the Cambridge/Allston campus area.
The Van operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 495-0400
to schedule a ride and they will give you an estimated arrival time
(generally between 15 and 30 minutes). The thick yellow line on the
map delineates the service boundary.
The boundaries run from Porter Square down Beacon Street to Prospect
Street; down Prospect Street to Western Avenue; follow Western Avenue
to North Harvard Street; left on Memorial Drive, up Hawthorn Street
to Mt. Auburn Street; right on Channing Street, jog to the left on Brattle,
right on Fayerweather; right on Huron Avenue; left on Raymond St., and
then right on Upland Road ending up in Porter Square.
The Longwood Medical Area Shuttle (LMA), also known as the M2 Shuttle transports students, faculty and staff between the Cambridge and Medical Area campuses weekdays from 7 a.m. until the last bus leaves the Medical Area at 11:30 p.m., and 8 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. leaving the Medical Area on Saturdays. There is no service on Sundays and holidays. For a list of stops, daily schedules and where tickets can be purchased, visit the website.
The MBTA: Public Transportation
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is the subway, bus, and commuter rail system for the greater Boston area. Schedules, maps of routes and fares are all available on the website. You can also search for routes by town. For more information on specific routes and tips on navigating the system, check the "Getting Around" section under Nice to Know in the GSD Student Handbook.
Taxis
Taxis are a common way to get around and cheap if you share the ride with others (but don't forget to tip). Some reliable taxi companies are:
Ambassador-Brattle Taxi and Cambridge Taxi Co. (617) 492-1100
Checker Cab of Cambridge (617) 497-9000 or 5-8294 from Harvard internal phones
Yellow Cab of Cambridge (617) 547-3000
Yellow Cab of Boston (617) 876-8294
Rental Cars
The Harvard Travel Office offers discounts with both Hertz and Budget car rental agencies. Alternatively, a cheap rental agency is Rent-a-Wreck (not fancy but functional), with locations in Somerville and Brighton.
Zipcars are an alternative to traditional car rentals. For an annual membership fee, you can have access to a Zipcar when you need it. Zipcars are parked at various locations throughout Boston and Cambridge (including some on the Harvard campus) and can be reserved on-line for as little as an hour at a time. You simply pick up the Zipcar at its specified parking location, using a special key, and return it to the same location when you are through. Charges (about $6 an hour) are put on your credit card. A Zipcar can be a convenient solution for students who need cars on an infrequent basis. Using a Zipcar can be much less expensive than owning or renting a car or taking a taxi, because you only pay for what you use and you do not have to worry about gas, insurance, maintenance or parking.
Having A Car
The advantage to having a car is that there are great day trips short distances away. It will also come in handy when you and your friends need to pick up bulky supplies or move your models. On the other hand, given the expense and hassle of owning a car in Cambridge, and the huge benefits of living within walking (or bus, bike or subway) distance from the GSD, not bringing a car to Cambridge also has many advantages. Students without cars will tell you that it is very easy to get to many outlying towns and destinations by other means, including bus, commuter rail, and ferry. A third alternative you should consider is using Zipcars.
However, If you do decide to have your own car, there are some things to consider:
University Requirements: Whether or not you plan to park on Harvard property, Harvard students are required to register their cars with the University. This should be done in the Parking Office at 29 Garden Street, 495-3772, across from the Sheraton Commander Hotel. Non-resident registration stickers, which Massachusetts law requires for anyone keeping a car in the state for an extended period of time, are available. Bring your registration and insurance. Although there is no fee for the registration, you will be fined $50 if you fail to comply.
Massachusetts Requirements: Official information on vehicle registration, driver's licenses, and Registry of Motor Vehicle (RMV) locations can be found at the website.
Registration: In order to register a car in Massachusetts, you must have an authorized Massachusetts insurance agent fill out, stamp, and sign a form called a RMV1. The fees are $30 for a normal passenger registration and $50 for a title, and you must have the required minimum insurance. Many insurance agents will handle the registration paperwork for you free of charge, which may save you several hours of waiting in line at the Registry. If you have owned your car for less than six months you will have to pay an excise tax of five percent based on the value of your car. The value is calculated by a standardized formula based on the make and age of your car. Finally, within seven days of registering your car, you will need to pass a safety and emissions inspection, which is offered at many local garages (look for large signs like inspection stickers). The fee is $29.00. Cars registered in Massachusetts must pass these inspections annually.
Out-Of-State License Plates: Graduate students with out-of-state license plates are not eligible for non-resident registration with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and have 90 days to transfer their plates over. What this means is that you cannot get a local street parking permit if your car remains registered out-of-state. Transferring an out-of-state license requires paying fees, showing proof of residency, clearing a background check through the National Drivers' Registry, and filling out an application form. You must also contact your insurance company and report your new address and license plate number. There is a possibility that you will have to terminate your out-of-state coverage and obtain Massachusetts State Auto Insurance.
Auto Insurance: Massachusetts auto insurance works on a no-fault system for personal injury coverage. In most cases, this means that your insurance company is responsible for covering injuries in a collision, regardless of fault. If you are insured in another state, you must have at least the minimum insurance required in Massachusetts. Massachusetts requires $10,000 to $20,000 minimum body liability, $10,000 to $20,000 for an uninsured motorist, $5,000 property damage and $2,000 personal injury. These are minimum insurance requirements and only cover you inside Massachusetts. Buy the most liability coverage you can possibly afford that covers your current and future assets. If you are insured in another state, you will save money (cancellation fees and the like) by insuring with the same company in Massachusetts. Otherwise, there are many local insurance companies that will provide full service. All the rates are required by law to be the same for the same location; however, rates will vary across locations within the Boston area.
Some recommended insurance agents are:
Ralph J. Galante Insurance Agency (617-864-5586)
1939 Mass Ave., Cambridge
Security Insurance Agency, Inc. (617-267-6335)
843 Beacon Street, Boston
Stanley Shuman Insurance (617-876-4200)
875 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
WTPhelan (617-876- 0876)
11 Dunster Street, Harvard Square
Parking: Owning a car in the Cambridge and Somerville area can be difficult if you do not have a reliable parking space. Some apartment situations offer off-street parking. This makes it somewhat easier to keep your car registered in your home state.
On-Campus Parking: There are various types of parking plans at Harvard. Check the website for information on plans and rates. Generally, a commuter-parking pass (for nine months, September-June 15) costs approximately $300 for the academic year. Applications for parking passes should be obtained at the Harvard Parking Office, 29 Garden Street. There is a lottery for student parking permits and only a few students are successful. Parking at one of the Harvard parking lots is very competitive, since parking spaces in the Cambridge area are at a premium. If you are living in Cambridge, you should pick up a Parking Permit immediately since most side streets are restricted to parking with permits (see the next section).
Off-Campus Parking: If you are going to live in Cambridge and must park on the street, you will have to get a Cambridge parking permit. Go to the City of Cambridge website for all the detailed information about how to get a permit. The cities of Boston and Somerville probably have similar websites. This is a good thing to do if since most of the side streets are heavily signed with "Resident Parking Permit Only." In order to do this, you must have your car registered in Massachusetts, have a Massachusetts license plate, and be insured in Massachusetts. The permit, once all of the other steps have been taken, can be obtained at the Cambridge Parking Office, 57 Inman Street (heading toward Central Square), 617-349-4701. For $8, you will be issued a sticker entitling the owner to park on any Cambridge residential street. You should also make sure you are given a cardboard Visitor's Parking pass to put on friends' dashboards when they come to visit.
The Cambridge Police Department has an army of foot soldiers who unwaveringly catch you when your meter has just run out, or you have parked without a permit on a side street while you run into a friend's apartment. Do not underestimate the risk of being ticketed in Cambridge; there is no such thing as luck. Also, note the signs along Cambridge Street and Broadway announcing "Street Cleaning - the first Wednesday of the month." The tow trucks line up in force first thing in the morning and carry on a brisk business of towing any unfortunate car left out overnight. If you are not sure whether it is the first or second Wednesday, do not risk it. If you do happen to get towed, call the Harvard Police at 495-1212. Typically, towing companies charge ** payable in cash only to retrieve your car. Don't let your tickets pile up or you may have a yellow "boot" on a wheel one day, making it impossible to move the car until you have paid up all of your fines.
When it snows and you come across a chair blocking an available parking
spot, do not move the chair and park in the spot. The chair means "I
have shoveled out that spot and it is reserved for me." If someone
other than the shoveler parks there, that person might have a flat tire
in the morning.
Having a Bike
A lot of GSD students bike to school and lock up their bikes on the bike racks alongside the building. Plan on investing in a good, secure lock because bicycles do get stolen. The GSD has invested in brighter lighting around the bike areas, but you should still be careful. You should also register your bike with the Harvard Police at 29 Garden Street. If you take your bicycle and its serial number with you, you'll be able to engrave the number on the bike with one of their special tools. Also, veteran bikers in this area often put their bikes away during the icy, snowy winter months because of the sharp increase in accidents during those months. A bike helmet is a must for any season. Consider strongly reflective clothing, blinking taillights for bike and bags, and a headlight. A biker needs every means possible to be visible to drivers, especially when riding home after a late night on the trays.
A good resource is the Boston Bike Map, available at bike shops and bookstores. In addition, if you plan to take a bike aboard the T, you'll need to purchase an MBTA bike permit ($5) at the Sr. Citizen and Access Pass Office, Downtown Crossing T stop. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bring ID and proof of age.
If you are interested in buying a new or used bike or renting or repairing a bike, some recommendations are:
Ace Wheelworks (617-776-2100)
145 Elm Street, Porter Square, Somerville
Back Bay Bikes and Boards (617-247-2336)
333 Newbury Street, Boston
Bicycle Bill (617-783-5636)
253 North Harvard Street, Allston
The Bicycle Exchange (617-864-1300)
2067 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
Broadway Bicycle School (617-868-3392)
351 Broadway, Cambridge
Cambridge Bicycle (617-876-6555)
259 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
International Bicycle Center (617-783-5804)
89 Brighton Ave., Allston