So you've got tickets to Fenway. Congrats, kid. Now comes the real question every first-timer (and plenty of lifers) asks: how do you get to Fenway Park without losing your mind, your wallet, or the first three innings? Here's the straight-talk local's guide to getting to Fenway by the T, the commuter rail, the bus, a bike, or (if you must) a car, plus a few tricks for getting home.
First, the Basics
- Address: 4 Jersey Street, Boston, MA 02215. (Jersey Street was called Yawkey Way for decades, and your uncle still calls it that.)
- Neighborhood: the Fenway/Kenmore area, a short hop west of Back Bay.
- Gates open: 90 minutes before the scheduled start of every Red Sox game.
- The golden rule: the Red Sox themselves strongly recommend public transportation. Listen to them. They know that neighborhood.
Option 1: Take the Green Line (the Classic Way)
This is how most of New England gets to Fenway, and it's a rite of passage. Standing shoulder to shoulder in a packed trolley with 150 strangers in Red Sox jerseys is basically a sacrament around here.
- Kenmore station: take any B, C, or D Green Line train. From Kenmore it's a short walk down Brookline Ave to the park, and you'll walk right by the CITGO sign on the way.
- Fenway station: take a D train. It lets you out near Park Drive and Brookline Ave, a slightly longer walk to the park, but it's often a little less of a zoo than Kenmore.
- Don't take the E. E trains do not go to Kenmore or Fenway. If you hop on an E by mistake, switch to a B, C, or D at Park Street, Boylston, Arlington, or Copley.
- Coming from North Station or South Station? From North Station, grab any B, C, or D. From South Station, take the Red Line to Park Street and switch to the Green Line there.
Pro tip: you can tap a contactless credit card, phone, or watch right at the gate, so you don't have to fight the fare machine crowd after the game. Riding the Green Line to the ballpark? Might as well dress the part in the Welcome To Fenway Sign T-Shirt.
Option 2: The Commuter Rail to Lansdowne
Here's the move a lot of suburbanites don't know about. Lansdowne Station (it used to be called Yawkey) is on the Framingham/Worcester commuter rail line, and it's practically across the street from the park. If you live out along the Pike in Worcester, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, or Newton, you can skip the city traffic completely. On weekends, the MBTA's commuter rail Weekend Pass gives you unlimited rides, which makes a Saturday or Sunday game an easy call.
If your commuter rail line runs into North or South Station instead, just connect to the Green Line using the directions above.
Option 3: The Bus
The MBTA lists several bus routes that stop within walking distance of Fenway, including the 1, 8, 19, 47, 55, 57, 60, 65, CT2, and CT3. The 1 runs up Mass Ave, so it's handy if you're coming from Cambridge or the South End. Schedules can change on event days, so check the MBTA app before you go.
Option 4: Bike It
If you can pedal, this might be the smartest way to go. On Red Sox game days there's a free bike valet across from Gate D at Van Ness and Jersey Streets for ticketed fans. It opens 90 minutes before the game and closes 30 minutes after it ends. There are also Bluebikes stations all around the Fenway and Kenmore area. You'll roll past the whole line of traffic on Boylston feeling like a genius.
Option 5: Driving and Parking at Fenway (Brace Yourself)
Look, we get it. Sometimes you've got the kids, Nana, and a cooler full of snacks you can't bring in anyway. If you're going to drive, here's what you need to know:
- Parking is limited and pricey. The lots and garages right around the park fill up fast on game days, and the closer you get, the more you'll pay.
- Park on your side of town. The Red Sox suggest parking in a lot on the side of Fenway you're coming from. Coming from the east on Beacon, Comm Ave, or Mass Ave? Park east. It keeps you out of the post-game gridlock.
- Book ahead. The team partners with SpotHero so you can reserve a spot before you leave the house.
- Check the official garages. The Prudential Center Garage and the 100 Clarendon Street Garage are official Red Sox lots with game-day deals for evening and weekend games. Check redsox.com for current rates.
- Do NOT park on the residential streets. During Fenway events, parking in the Fenway/Kenmore resident permit district without a sticker gets you a $100 ticket. The parking enforcement in that neighborhood never takes a night off.
- Park and ride. A sneaky good option is to park at an MBTA lot out in the suburbs, like Riverside at the end of the D line, and ride the T in. Cheap parking, no city driving.
Before You Head In: The Bag Rule
This catches people every single game. Fenway only allows single-compartment bags no bigger than 12" x 12" x 6". No backpacks, no backpack-style purses, no duffels. Diaper bags and medical bags are the exceptions. If you show up with your kid's school backpack, you'll be paying for a locker or walking it back to the car. Leave it home.
Getting Home After the Game
- Don't rush the T. Kenmore gets absolutely mobbed after the last out. Walk over to Fenway station on the D, or grab a slice or a beer on Lansdowne or Boylston and let the crowd thin out for 30 minutes.
- Load your fare before the game (or just tap your card) so you're not stuck in a fare machine line with 5,000 of your closest friends.
- Late game? Watch the clock. According to the MBTA, the last Green Line train leaves Kenmore at 12:40 AM, and there's an alert on the big screen if a game looks like it'll run late. Extra-innings rain-delay heartbreakers happen. Plan for it.
- Rideshare tip: walk a few blocks away from the park before you request a ride. Everyone else is trying to get picked up on Brookline Ave too.
The Bottom Line
If you remember one thing: take the T, pick a B, C, or D train, and get there early. The gates open 90 minutes before first pitch, and walking up Jersey Street with the smell of sausages in the air is half the fun. Tell your friends where to meet you with the Find Me At Fenway T-Shirt, because trust us, "meet me by the gate" doesn't narrow it down much.
First time at the ballpark? Get the rest of the rookie briefing with our guides to famous Fenway songs, famous food at Fenway, and Fenway slang and traditions. And if you're heading to Foxborough instead, here's how to take the train to Gillette Stadium.
Born in New England. Fueled by iced coffee. Wicked proud of it since 2004.