Should I Rent a Car in Boston? | Budget Car Rental

Should I Rent a Car in Boston?

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Should You Rent a Car in Boston?

If you’re sticking to the city itself, you may not need to rent a car in Boston. 

That being said, a car is essential for exploring New England as a whole and helpful if you want to see attractions outside of the city center. It depends on your priorities.

This guide covers the walkability, public transportation, and overall infrastructure of Boston to help you determine if a car rental is right for your trip.

Boston Infrastructure

You’ll appreciate pretty quickly that Boston was clearly founded well before the invention of the automobile (or the rental car). Tightly packed, eminently walkable historic neighborhoods—supplemented by world-class public transportation—have earned Boston the nickname “The Walking City.”

Boston Harbor and the Charles River surround the city proper on most sides. Cambridge lies right across the river (and that famous college town is pretty good for walking, too).

Of course, this is New England. It can get cold in the winter. So make sure you bundle up if you’ll be walking a lot during the chilliest months or waiting for a bus or the T.

Are there toll roads in Boston?

There are indeed, and if you rent a car for your vacation in Boston, you’ll have a hard time avoiding them. You’ll find them on bridges and tunnels, but one of the biggest toll roads in Massachusetts is I-90, the Mass Turnpike.

Comparing Vacation Transportation Options in Boston

Of course, “The Walking City” is going to rank highly for walkability. Walk Score backs that up with an impressive 83 rating—ranking it as the 3rd most walkable large city in the United States. Neighborhoods like Beacon Hill, Chinatown, North End, and Bay Village all rate nearly perfect scores.

It’s one of the reasons most visitors do not need a car in Boston.

Buses, rails, subways, light rails, ferries—does Boston have every type of public transportation known to man? Walk Score awarded it a high public transit score of 72, saying it has “excellent” options that are convenient for most trips. 

The city is connected by the T subway system, which is overseen by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). But there are multiple options, depending on your route.

Public transit is so accessible that many visitors choose to forgo a rental car.

Unfortunately, Boston was ranked the 4th-worst city for traffic in 2024. So take the hefty congestion into consideration when deciding whether renting a car in Boston is a good idea.

That doesn’t mean you absolutely shouldn’t rent a car, but make sure you schedule in plenty of extra time to reach your destination. Accept that you’ll be spending hours of your trip in traffic (and paying some tolls). 

Bottom Line: Should You Rent a Car in Boston?

If you’re staying in the heart of Boston for your entire trip, a rental car is not essential. Between walking and public transportation, you can get around beautifully. 

But that’s only if you’re staying entirely in Boston. There are a whole bunch of fascinating day trips in the general area that do require a rental car. 

Rent a car if:

  • Your New England plans involve experiencing Salem, Cape Cod, or Portsmouth, Maine.
  • You need to escape the big city for greener adventures, like Walden Pond or Plum Island.

Boston has put a lot of effort into creating a city where a car is strictly optional, but you can’t beat the liberty of having your own wheels. Choose Budget if you rent. You can find a wide selection of vehicles at Budget locations throughout the Boston area. If you’re flying in, book with our rental center at Boston Logan International Airport.