Guide to Charter Bus Parking & Dropoff at Major Venues & Attractions in Boston

Charter Bus Guide to Boston Venues & Attractions

Between crisscrossed downtown streets, one-way roads, and restrictions on where to load, unload and park a motorcoach in the city, a group trip in Boston can be challenging to navigate. But with our guide to using a charter bus rental in Boston, you can know exactly how to plan your group trips to popular local attractions and venues. Whether you need to charter a private tour bus for a custom trip around the city or want a shuttle to a convention at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, plan your trip confidently and efficiently knowing the ins-and outs of private bus travel in Boston.

Bus Drop-offs and Pickups Around Boston

Boston is a compact city with busy streets and crowded parking lots that aren’t always bus rental friendly. Because of this, charter buses don’t typically park at tourist sites, and instead, use curbside pick-up/drop-off zones with 15-minute time limits.

There are signs posted around the city specifically for tour buses to use for a quick pickup/drop-off, or in some cases, short-term parking:

• A “Tour Bus Stop” sign is where a charter bus can briefly park for up to 15 minutes while passengers load on or off the bus.
• A “Tour Bus Parking” sign allows a charter bus to park for up to 3 hours, usually while waiting for a tour group visiting an attraction.

These signs are different from the “Sightseeing Trolley Stop” signs posted at most major attractions. Those zones are exclusively used by the city’s approved tour companies—(like CityView Trolley Tours and Boston Duck Tours) on their daily planned routes, and private tour buses are not permitted to use them. Charter buses are also prohibited from using MBTA bus stops, metered spots, and commercial loading zones.

Important Note: the City of Boston has an official guideline for tour buses and a map of all designated tour bus stops in Boston. Use these resources if you need clarification on where all legal drop-off/pickup and parking zones are located.

Layover, Offsite, and Overnight Parking

After dropping off a group at places like the Faneuil Hall Marketplace and the New England Aquarium, charter bus drivers need to head offsite to park their bus while they wait. (Please note that parking fees are not included in your invoice from Boston Charter Bus Rentals and need to be budgeted for and paid for separately.)

The most regularly used lots and spots for charter bus parking in Boston include:

• Huntington Avenue street parking – Located in Back Bay on the north side of Huntington Avenue next to the Christian Science Plaza. Parking here is free but limited to 3 hours and is first-come, first-serve.
• South Parking Lot at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center – Located in the Seaport District behind the BCEC, for a $70 fee, your charter bus driver can park here on a first-come, first-serve basis. Overnight parking is not available here.
• The Boston Autoport – Located in Charlestown at 100 Terminal Street, your driver can park here for a $65 fee. The autoport can accommodate up to 50 charter buses per day, so it’s necessary to call ahead and reserve a parking spot. Services include 24-hour security, a drivers’ dormitory, a fuel facility, and a rest area. This facility does offer overnight parking.

Visiting Major Attractions in Boston with a Charter Bus Rental

Most major tourist attractions and venues in Boston have thorough directions and regulations for groups traveling via private motorcoach. For a smooth travel experience at popular destinations in Boston, start by reviewing the details for charter bus drop-offs, pick-ups, and parking outlined here:

Boston Convention & Exhibition Center

Groups can book a private charter bus service to attend events at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC)—also referred to as the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center. The BCEC hosts major public events like PAX East and the New England Boat Show, and large private events like university graduations and fundraising dinners.

The primary drop-off point for charter buses is along East Side Drive and adjacent to the Southeast Entrance (marked Level 1 Southeast on the outside of the building), where BCEC staff is often managing the flow of traffic and directing vehicles during major events. Your bus rental can pull up curbside to unload and pick-up passengers, then must immediately leave the area. Please note that this is the main guest drop-off zone for charter buses, and buses are not permitted to drop-off passengers in the valet and taxi area on the West Side near the World Trade Center Ave.

When it comes to bus parking, oversized vehicles can self-park in the BCEC South Parking Lot—however, the lot is first-come, first-serve and there’s no guarantee of availability. To get here, your driver will likely approach from Summer Street and turn on to East Side Drive, where they’ll drop you off. Then, they’ll need to continue down East Side Drive, go past the rideshare pickup/drop-off area, turn right down the ramp, and make a left across Claflin Street through the South Side parking lot entrance. If the South Lot is full, your bus driver may be directed to an overflow parking lot or you can seek parking arrangements at The Boston Autoport.

Museum of Science

The designated zone for bus drop-off and pick-up is at the Museum of Science main entrance, located at 1 Science Park. Your driver will take a right turn from Charles River Dam Road into the front plaza and follow the signs for pick up and drop-off in front of the entrance. Passengers can load/unload curbside before the zone designated for Boston Duck Tours vehicles. For parking, the Museum of Science directs charter bus rentals to the Boston Autoport, which is about 2 miles away.

New England Aquarium

At the New England Aquarium, there is a designated turnaround spot for buses to drop-off and pick up on Old Atlantic Avenue in front of the museum plaza. There is also a 10-minute window for loading/unloading, and this area is also shared by trollies and Boston Duck Tours vehicles.

For school field trips, the aquarium requires a “bus drop-off/pickup permit” that needs to be visible in the bus window before you arrive. This may also be the case for tour groups and private events like weddings and corporate outings, and we recommend asking the Aquarium Reservations team when you’re planning your tour or event if it’s necessary.

When it comes to parking, the New England Aquarium recommends the Boston Autoport as the closest location—about 2.5 miles from the aquarium.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace

The streets around Faneuil Hall Marketplace are often congested and can be challenging to navigate. However, you’ll find two “Tour Bus Stop” signs along John Fitzgerald Surface Road/Surface Artery that are the best options nearby for pick-ups and drop-offs:

1. Located just outside of the Canopy by Hilton Boston Downtown, across from the Carolyn Lynch Gardens.
2. Outside of the Dock Square Parking Garage and across from the Rose Kennedy Greenway Wildflower Meadow.

Both options are about a 5 minute walk away from Faneuil Hall. Your bus driver will not be able to park here, so they will need to advance to The Boston Autoport for BCEC South Lot (permitting availability).

Boston Common

There are no clearly marked “Tour Bus Stop” signs for privately chartered buses around the Boston Common. If you’re planning a group trip to the Boston Common, discuss your plans in detail with your reservation representative and we’ll work with your bus driver to establish a clear pick up and drop-off plan. You can also contact the Boston Transportation Department for more information, especially if you’re planning an event at the Common and need to obtain a permit.

Alternatively, there is a marked “Tour Bus Stop” at Elliot Norton Park (a few blocks south of the Common on Tremont Street) that allows for pick-up and drop-off between 6 am and 2 am. It is about a 10 minute walk from there to the Boston Common Visitor’s Center, and is a legally designated zone.

While your group enjoys their time at the Boston Common, your charter bus driver can find parking on Huntington Street, at the BCEC, or at the Boston Autoport.

The Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail has 16 stops along a 2.5 mile route that starts in downtown Boston and ends in Charlestown. There are a variety of ways to explore it from beginning to end, but most groups embark on a walking tour that takes 2–3 hours to complete. The trail begins at the Boston Common Visitor Center, so it’s common for charter buses to unload groups around the Boston Common. From there, your group will proceed by following the red brick or painted line that connects the historic sites. After dropping off your group, your driver can go to the Boston Autoport to park and wait. It’s about a 5 minute drive from Bunker Hill Monument—the last stop on the Freedom Trail—so you can call your driver for a pickup when your group is ready to leave. The recommended pickup point