How to Get From Boston to Vermont 2023 (and vice versa)
Vermont is a winter (and summer and fall) oasis for many people looking to escape busy city life. Go skiing, look at our pretty leaves in the fall, or spend a lazy summer relaxing by one of our many beautiful lakes. Vermont is this beautiful and wonderful place, but, how the heck do you get there? Getting to Vermont can seem like a puzzle. Lacking in a “big” airport of any type many people will find themselves opting to fly into Boston. Which then gets the question, how do you get from Boston to Vermont? Or, in the reverse, how do you get from Vermont to Boston?
I ask myself this question quite a few times each year – I am from Vermont but I fly internationally quite a bit and will regularly fly in and out of Logan due to cheaper flights and fewer connections. There are three main ways (and one that I have yet to try) that I have found to get from Boston to Vermont in any sort of reasonable time frame.
What is the Distance from Boston to Vermont?
The distance from Boston, MA to Montpelier, VT is 179.9 miles and if you were driving (with no unforeseen traffic issues) would take you just about 3 hours. Depending on where you want to go in Vermont will adjust both how long it takes to get there as well as what the best way to get there. Some places, like the capital city of Montpelier or the largest city of Burlington have bus routes that will bring you from Boston to Vermont. Other places, like Killington or Stowe – both famous for it’s ski areas – are lacking in direct bus routes so getting there by public transportation will take a little bit longer.
How to get From Boston to Vermont in 2023, Option #1:
Public Transport from Boston to Vermont – In This Case – A Bus
There are two main bus companies that go to and from Vermont and there is one bus company that will get you very *near* Vermont. I’ve found all of these routes to be fairly reliable and on-time, offering in a slight buffer for traffic in Boston as that could throw anything a bit off schedule.
Greyhound Bus between Boston and Vermont
Greyhound is perhaps the most well-known bus company in the United States. Greyhound goes pretty much everywhere and Vermont is no exception. The Greyhound service is offered from both Burlington and Montpelier, making this a great option for those looking to get to the Central Vermont area or those looking to get to the ever popular Burlington.
This bus service will pick you up at Boston South Station, the main public transport terminal for Boston. The pick up and drop off point in Montpelier is conveniently down-town outside city-hall and the fire department. In Burlington the pick-up and drop-off location is at the Burlington Transit Center.
This is a direct route; however, there are a few stops making the journey time a bit longer than if you were just to drive. The overall route will take between 4 and 5 hours and costs as little as $25 each way.
This service typically only runs once per day. This is a great option if your schedule is flexible.
Note: If you are going to buy a Greyhound ticket, download Coupert! It’s a browser extension that offers discounts on various websites. Right now for Greyhound they’re offering 2.4% cash back. (It might sound small but it all adds up!)
MegaBus Between Vermont and Boston
MegaBus is a bus line that has grown in popularity over the last decade. Offering fairly inexpensive fares and newer busses they travel between Vermont and Boston on a less regular schedule. In the winter months you’ll find this route is only offered on select days – usually Fridays and Sundays. Over the summer months and during fall foliage this route is offered every day.
The cost for this is usually $59.99 but every once in awhile there is a $1.00 sale. Like on this trip from Montpelier, Vermont to Boston, MA on April 2, 2023. (Deal found on January 24).
There are often times that there will be two busses on this route daily; however, in the winter months and off-seasons expect just one bus twice per week.
Dartmouth Coach Lines Between Boston and *New Hampshire
You read that correctly – New Hampshire. Dartmouth Coach offers many trips between several locations in New Hampshire and Boston each day. This service will bring you to South Station, but unlike MegaBus and Greyhound it will also bring you directly to and from Logan International Airport with stops at each of the airports terminals.
While Dartmouth Coach will not bring you to Vermont, it gets you darn close and has a drop off location in Lebanon, not far off Interstate 89 and near the interchange of Interstate 89 and 91. This makes for a relatively easy pick-up/drop-off point for people visiting friends/families or with someone to pick them up and drop them off from a huge portion of eastern and central Vermont.
Of all of the services I have used Dartmouth Coach most regularly. It is an hour drive from my home to the bus station in Lebanon, but with busses running on average 10 times per day, it is hard to beat the availability of the service.
This bus service to and from Logan International Airport is $38.00 one way or $74.00 round-trip. Service to Boston South Station is $33.00 one way or $ round trip.
**Note: See also Option #3: Fly – Cape Air offers direct flights from Boston to Lebanon, New Hampshire
Is There a Train from Boston to Burlington, VT?
Who doesn’t love taking the train? You can look out the windows, hear the clunk, clunk, clunk of the train on the tracks and speed along the countrysides. Well, if you are looking to take a train from Boston to Vermont you should plan on a very long day. Amtrak does offer service in Vermont, it’s not very direct getting between Boston and Vermont though. Taking the train from Boston to Vermont or vice versa will likely take at least twice as long as the trip might otherwise take simply because there is no direct train route between the two places. To get between the two you have to change trains in New Haven, Connecticut (or maybe even New York City). If you are keen on the train it is possible – but plan on making a day of it.
Do Not Plan on Taxis or Ride Share Services in Vermont
My husband went out for drinks with one of his friends in Vermont. When I asked how they would get home he said, “we’ll just call a taxi.” I think I may have actually laughed in his face. While getting a taxi or using a ride-share app will work in some of the busier towns in Vermont it should not be planned on for the majority of the state.
Option #2: How To Get From Boston to Vermont – Rent a Car
I have rented a car to drive from Boston to Vermont and from Vermont to Boston. Both times were during the pandemic when there was either no bus service, limited bus service, or I was nervous about even more exposure to the virus when I was heading home to see my grandmother. Sometimes when there is no other option, you have to rent a car.
At Boston’s Logan International Airport you will find all of the usual rental car company’s – Hertz, Alamo, Enterprise, Dollar, etc. You could either rent a car for the duration of your journey, or rent it one way and drop it off somewhere in Vermont. This can be done the opposite way as well, picking the car up in Vermont and dropping it off in Boston.
In Vermont the main locations for rental car companies is in or around the “big” cities. That’s of course a bit of a joke as Vermont doesn’t actually have “big” cities, with Vermont’s biggest city of Burlington having a population of just under 45,000. However, Burlington is home to Vermont’s lone international airport and as such you can find the typical rental car companies at the airport. There are also rental companies scattered throughout the state, with rental car locations in Barre, St. Johnsbury, Rutland, St. Albans, Brattleboro and more.
How to Get From Boston South Station to Logan International Airport
There is a bus, the “Silver Line” running from Logan International Airport to Boston South Station. Going from the airport to the transit station it is free. In reverse, from South Station to Logan you need to purchase a one way fare to get to the airport. The process of going between South Station and Logan International Airport could take as little as 15 minutes or as much as 45 minutes. If you are planning on using public transport for this please add a bit of extra time to your plan.
I have also opted to take an Uber between the two – this usually only takes about 15 minutes. How expensive it is will depend on what time you try to take it.
How to Get From Boston to Vermont in 2023, Option #3: You Can Fly Between Boston and Rutland, Vermont or Lebanon, New Hampshire
While it is not far between Boston and Vermont, one way that you can get from Boston to Vermont in 2023 or vice versa is by flying. Operated by Cape Air, these 1 hour and 5 minute flies average about $170 roundtrip and have several flights each day between Boston’s Logan International Airport and the Southern Vermont Regional Airport in Rutland, Vermont. If you are looking to get to the Rutland region of Vermont, this could be one of your best options as most public transport options will not get you that close to Rutland as most bus services will bring you to either the eastern, central, or northwest parts of the state.
Cape Air also offers non-stop flights multiple times per day back and forth to Lebanon, New Hampshire. This is another great option if you are looking to get to eastern or even central Vermont due to it’s close proximity to Interstates 89 and 91.
Option #4: Carpool
Carpooling is one way to get between Boston and Vermont. Have you ever dreamed of meeting your Harry or Sally? It’s not driving from Chicago to New York but maybe carpooling between Boston and Vermont could give you your own rom-com-esque love story. Carpooling may require flexibility but it is possible. There are websites such as Carpool World where both drivers and passengers can put up trips they are planning to try to find matches to share in costs or maybe just have some company for the drive. I have personally never tried this, but if you’ve got a flexible schedule and want to potentially save some money/make a new friend/be more environmentally friendly, this could be a good option for you.
Once You Are In Vermont – How Do You Get Around? Public Transportation Options
Are There Public Busses in Vermont?
While Vermont is not known for its public transport system (most of the United States isn’t), there are several local busses around the state. Here are a few options.
The Burlington area (Chittenden County) uses Green Mountain Transit. There is also a bus connecting Chittenden County and Washington County (Montpelier and surrounding areas). This includes a bus that goes to Burlington International Airport.
The Rutland and southeastern section of Vermont is served by The Bus. There is also a connection from Rutland to Killington.
The northeastern section (and parts of the infamous North East Kingdom) are served by Rural Community Transportation including routes from Montpelier to St. Johnsbury (near Burke ski area).
Going Between Vermont and Boston Isn’t Impossible
In Vermont we often will use the phrase, “you can’t get there from here”. Sometimes that’s more true than others but there is always a way to get between Vermont and Boston! It is possible. Getting around Vermont, especially if you don’t plan to have a car, can be challenging. But again, not impossible.
