Boston Logan sits just 5 km from downtown, and you have a rare advantage among US airports: a free bus into the city. Here is what every option actually costs.
Free and budget options
| Option | Price | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Line (SL1) | Free | Airport to South Station |
| Blue Line T | $2.40 | Airport station to downtown subway |
| Logan Express (Back Bay) | $3 | Airport to Back Bay Copley (ride back free) |
| Logan Express (suburbs) | $9 online | Airport to Braintree, Danvers, Framingham, Woburn |
Fixed-price private transfer
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The Silver Line SL1 is free in the inbound direction. No CharlieCard needed — just board at your terminal's bus stop. It runs every 8–12 minutes during the day and takes about 20 minutes to South Station.
The Blue Line requires a free shuttle (Route 22 or 33) to Airport station, then a $2.40 fare — the MBTA charges the same $2.40 whether you tap a CharlieCard, a CharlieTicket or a contactless card, or pay cash.
Taxi costs from Logan
Taxis are metered on the city tariff set by the Boston Police Department Hackney Carriage Unit:
| Element | Rate |
|---|---|
| First 1/7 mile | $2.60 |
| Each additional 1/7 mile | $0.40 (about $2.80 a mile) |
| Waiting / idling time | $28.00 per hour |
| Tunnel toll on Logan trips | $2.75 |
There is no fixed airport fare and no published per-destination price list — the meter decides, and Massport adds a per-trip airport access fee that it revises from time to time. Downtown is about 5 km, so the meter itself runs to roughly $11 and a downtown fare typically lands around $15–$25 with the toll and tunnel traffic. Cambridge, Brookline and Fenway are longer runs and scale with mileage and time. The tariff is revised periodically — the current rate card is posted in the cab.
Tipping is customary in the US: 15–20% on top of the fare.
Uber and Lyft
Ride-hailing has no published tariff. The app prices each trip against demand at the moment you request it and shows you the figure before you confirm — that quote, not a guide, is the only reliable number. Massport adds a per-trip fee on ride-app pickups at Logan (it was increased in 2025 and is set by Massport, so check the current amount), and the $2.75 tunnel toll applies on top.
What is reliably true about the shape of it: fares are lowest off-peak, climb through weekday rush hour (4–7 PM), and spike hardest during events — Red Sox games, conventions and holiday weekends — when surge can multiply a simple downtown trip. If the app quote looks bad, the taxi rank is metered and immune to surge.
Private transfer
| Vehicle | To downtown (USD) | To Cambridge (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan | $45–$60 | $55–$70 |
| SUV / Minivan | $65–$85 | $75–$95 |
| Luxury sedan | $85–$120 | $95–$130 |
Prices are fixed at booking with no surge. This is the most predictable option for budget planning.
The cost comparison in perspective
A couple heading to a downtown hotel can ride the Silver Line for $0 or take a metered taxi for a fare in the region of $15–$25. A family of four with luggage might pay $55–$70 for a private minivan transfer. The Silver Line is remarkable value, but it is a bus — during rush hour with heavy luggage, the comfort premium of a taxi or transfer is worth considering.