Getting to Amherst, Massachusetts

From Hartford/Springfield: Bradley International Airport (BDL, Hartford, CT) is the closest airport to UMass, Amherst. Ground transportation should take 45-60 minutes. The shuttle service, Valley Transporter (valleytransporter.com/bradleyairport) provides reliable shuttle service to Amherst and the UMass campus. 

From Boston, Massachusetts: The best option for traveling to UMass from Boston’s Logan Airport is to take a bus from South Station, Boston to Amherst. These buses are operated by Peter Pan Bus (peterpanbus.com). The MBTA Silverline 1 bus (SL1) bus will take you from Logan Airport to South Station, where you can take a Peterpan Bus to Amherst. Total time to get to Amherst would be 2 to 2-1/2 hours. You can also take the same bus to Springfield, MA, and then take Uber or a taxi to UMass from there. 

From New York City: There are three ways to get to Amherst from NYC.

(1) Bus service from the Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) to Amherst, MA is available on Peter Pan Bus (peterpanbus.com) – you may need to connect to a local bus in Hartford or Springfield, but this is part of the ticket price.

(2) You can take an Amtrak train from Penn Station in NYC to Springfield, MA (which is close to Amherst—take an Uber or taxi). See amtrak.com. From JFK airport, you can reach both PABT and Penn Station using the NYC subway (E Train) from Jamaica, Queens. The JFK Airtrain will take you from the airport to Jamaica. You can also take Long Island Railroad (LIRR) from Jamaica to Penn Station. If you arrive in Newark airport, the New Jersey Transit train provides service from the airport directly to Penn Station.

(3)  Lee Badgett’s (Conference Chair) favorite method for the adventurous traveler: From New  York City to Springfield, MA, you can also take commuter trains from Grand Central Station (across town from Penn Station, requiring a taxi ride or subway) to Springfield MA.  You’ll take a Metro North train to New Haven, CT, and then change for a Connecticut Rail train (or sometimes an Amtrak train) to Springfield, MA, where you can get an Uber or taxi to Amherst. It’s more complicated than Amtrak, but details are here: https://hartfordline.com/fares-schedules/.  If you use this option, the easiest way to pay is to download the CTrail app (links at the website). This option is usually cheaper than an Amtrak ticket and runs somewhat more frequently.