Here’s How to Get Around Boston for the 2017 Marathon

PHOTO BY MARGARET BURDGE

The 2017 Boston Marathon is almost here. And if you’ve ever done this before you know that, on Boston’s busiest weekend, it’s not exactly easy to get around. But don’t worry. We’ve got everything you need to know to make your day go as smoothly as possible.

Road closures

Consider yourself warned. Boylston Street will be closed from Berkeley to Arlington Street beginning at noon on Sunday and will remain closed until Monday night.

Then on Monday day, these streets will be shuttered:

• 5 a.m.: Charles Street, adjacent to the Boston Common will close.
• 8 a.m.: All streets east of Massachusetts Avenue (as well as Massachusetts Turnpike Exit 22) will close.
• 9 a.m.: All streets west of Massachusetts Avenue in the Kenmore Square Audubon Circle area will close.
• 8:30 a.m.: All streets in the Brighton area leading to the route will close.

More specifics are available on the city’s website here.

Parking

No stopping will be permitted at the following streets:

Arlington Street (both sides); Beacon Street to Stuart Streets
Arlington Street (odd side); Columbus Avenue to Isabella Street
Beacon Street (both sides); Chestnut Hill Avenue to Brookline Line
Beacon Street (both sides); Bay State Road to the Brookline Town Line
Belvidere Street (both sides); Huntington Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue
Berkeley Street (both sides); Columbus Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue
Blagden Street (both sides); Huntington Avenue to Exeter Street
Bromfield Street (south side); Washington Street to Tremont Street
Cambridge Street (west side); Court Street to Beacon Street and Tremont Street
Cambridge Street (both sides); Sudbury Street to Tremont Street
Charles Street (both sides); Boylston Street to Beacon Street
Charles Street South (both sides); Park Plaza to Boylston Street
Chestnut Hill Avenue (both sides); Commonwealth Avenue to Beacon Street
Clarendon Street (both sides); Commonwealth Avenue to Columbus Avenue
Cleveland Circle (both sides); Parking areas adjacent to Cassidy Playground and adjacent to Sutherland Road, from Beacon Street to Chestnut Hill Avenue
Columbus Avenue (both sides); Arlington Street to Dartmouth (unless otherwise posted)
Commonwealth Avenue (south/inbound side); Beacon Street (Kenmore Square) to 80 feet east of Hereford
Commonwealth Avenue (inbound); Lake Street to Chestnut Hill Avenue
Commonwealth Avenue (outbound); Charlesgate West to Deerfield Street
Congress Street (northbound roadway, east side); State Street to Hanover Street
Dalton Street (both sides); Boylston Street to Clearway Street

Also, street cleaning has been cancelled for Monday during the day, but overnight sweeping resumes later that night.

Saturday events

The festivities don’t all happen on Monday. Look out for road closures on Saturday as well. Traffic will be restricted on Charles street beginning at 6 a.m., then on the route of the BAA 5k when it begins at 9:30 a.m. The footrace, which lasts about an hour, follows this path:

• right onto Boylston Street
• right onto Arlington Street
• left onto Commonwealth Avenue outbound via the underpass at Massachusetts Avenue
• left onto Charlesgate West
• left onto Commonwealth Avenue inbound via the underpass at Massachusetts Avenue
• right onto Hereford Street
• left onto Boylston Street, and
• left onto Charles Street.

Next up is the BAA Invitational Mile, at which point these roads close:

• Boylston Street, from Hereford Street to Clarendon Street
• Newbury Street, from Clarendon Street to Fairfield Street, and
• Exeter Street, from Newbury Street to Boylston Street.

The BAA Relay Challenge, for youth athletes, begins at 2 p.m. around Copley Square.

Find more detail on Saturday closures here.

Taking the MBTA

For those riding the commuter rail, the MBTA will be offering a $20 all-day pass for the Framingham/Worcester line this year, which let you hop on and off as much as you want. Trains will be running on a regular weekday schedule. The commemorative tickets—which are being offered for the first time this year—are for sale at MBTA ticket windows ahead of time or at Framingham/Worcester stops on Monday. Two additional trains will also be added on that line all day.

For the bus and subway, spectators can also buy a $12 all-day pass at ticketing machines. The subway will be running at rush-hour levels and the buses will be following alternate routes.

Copley station will be closed all day on Monday. Three additional stops will be closed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Green Line: South Street station, Kent Street station, and St. Mary’s Street.

Bikes are prohibited on the T on race day. You can’t bring coolers, backpacks, and other large items are not permitted at the marathon, so don’t bring them on the T either.

Looking for fun stuff to do?

Check out our list of 23 ways to celebrate.