Getting to Provincetown

Travel by Air

Provincetown can be reached by air by private plane or by booking a flight from Boston’s Logan Airport on the commercial carrier Cape Air. Air time from Boston is less than 30 minutes. The airport is only five miles from the center of town, and inexpensive taxis are available 24/7. The ride to city center takes less than ten minutes.

Because the Provincetown Municipal Airport is small, with only one commercial carrier, check-in, security, and boarding is rapid, meaning you can arrive at the airport as little as forty-five minutes before departure of your return flight.

If you are flying from afar, you will connect with Cape Air at Logan Airport in Boston. You will also have the option to rent a car (although you probably won’t use it much during TransWeek) or riding a bus. Ferries are occasionally still in service.

Cape Air’s phone number is 800-2273-247 (800-CAPE-AIR).

 

 

Cape Air Website

Provincetown Municipal Airport

Travel by Personal Vehicle

Provincetown is at the the eastern end of U.S. Route 6, a historic highway that spans the United States. Don’t head west, lest you wind up after 3652 miles in Long Beach, California!.

From the south, you can come through Providence on I-195; from the north or west on I-495, or from Boston by Massachusetts Rte. 3. All routes connect with U.S. 6. Driving time from Boston or Providence is about two-and-a-half hours, from New York about six hours.

Cape Cod was historically connected to the North American land mass, but since the early 1900s the Cape has been separated from the mainland by the Cape Cod Canal. Two bridges, the Bourne on Massachusetts Rte. 28 and the Sagamore on U.S. Rte. 6 carry traffic from and to Cape Cod. The Bourne Bridge carries less traffic and is considered the faster route.

Traffic can back up on the bridges, especially on Fridays between 2 and 9 pm and Saturdays between 8 am and 2 pm (incoming) and Sundays between 1 and 9 pm (outgoing). Please plan accordingly. You might want to get an early start on Sunday.

 

Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce Travel Tips

Travel by Bus

Here’s what the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce has to say about bus travel to Provincetown.

• Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway Company provides bus service between Provincetown (MacMillan Pier), Hyannis (Transportation Center), Boston (South Station), and Logan Airport, Boston. P&B’s phone number is 508 746-0378.
• Regular service from Boston, New York, Providence, and Hyannis takes little longer than driving.
• The bus drivers will gladly drop you off on the route in through Town.
• The bus enters Provincetown’s East End, travels along Bradford Street to Standish Street, and on to the bus stop at the foot of MacMillan Pier, near the Chamber of Commerce office.

 

• Please Note: Drivers will no longer have the ability to sell tickets. Tickets can now be purchased through the website at p-b.com or at P&B point-of-sale locations. Drivers will scan ticket bar code from your Smartphone or printed ticket. The sales agent will print your ticket for you.

Plymouth & Brockton Website

Travel by Ferry

 

Three ferry companies run seasonal routes, two between Boston and Provincetown and one between Plymouth and P’Town. Transit takes about 90 minutes. The ferry season generally ends before the start of TransWeek, but occasionally, especially when the weather is warm, one of the companies will extend its season through TransWeek. Don’t count on a ferry being available, but do consider it an occasional option.

For 2018, Bay State Cruise Company has extended its season and will be running ferries Fridays through Sundays through December 2.

 

 

Bay State Cruise Co., Inc. (Boston)

 

• Boston to MacMillan Wharf, Provincetown
• Passenger fast and excursion ferry service
• Brand new state of art, fast, sleek M/V Provincetown III and M/V Provincetown IV
• Most daily departures
• Online and walk-on E ticketing available, dock side
• (877) 783-3779 or (617) 748-1428 (Boston) (508) 487-9284 (Provincetown)

 

Website

 

 

Boston Harbor Cruises

 

• Passenger ferry, Boston/Provincetown
• 90 minute fast from One Long Wharf, Boston to MacMillan Wharf, Provincetown
• This is the largest luxury passenger catamaran in the US, now with concierge service
• (877) 733-9425, Schedules and Reservations
• (617) 227-4321, Ptown office on MacMillan Wharf

 

 

Website

 

 

Captain John Boats Fast Ferry (Plymouth)

 

• Passenger ferry service between Plymouth & Provincetown
• Galley & bar service
• Open air decks & climate controlled cabin
• Bikes free of charge
• 77 Water Street, Plymouth – MacMillan Wharf, Provincetown
• Purchase tickets online or by calling (508) 746-2643

 

Website

In the early days of TransWeek, back when things were far scarier for transpeople than they are now and we were unwelcome almost everywhere, attendees would be apprehensive when a Provincetown policeman officer would take the stage at orientation. They would expect to hear a spiel about how safe Provincetown was, and they weren’t quite prepared to believe that. Instead, the officers would talk about parking. That’s because the department’s concern and safety for everyone is such an ingrained value in the police department that they never even considered transpeople might be skeptical about that. And so they talked about what was really serious–parking! Curiously, that was far more heartening to our attendees than reassurances about their safety. If the police were concerned about mundane matters like parking and could care less how someone was dressed, event goers knew they were in the right place!

That said, parking is an issue. Provincetown has narrow streets and few parking stations, and almost everyone walks or bikes around town, reserving their cars for trips to the outskirts of town or down Cape. Plan to do a lot of walking at TransWeek, but of course you are free to drive anywhere you wish.

Parking, however, is at a premium. Free parking spaces are at a premium, and are usually filled. Few businesses provide parking, and even when they do, their lots are usually full.

There is metered parking on the east side of the town hall, along Ryder Street, and a few metered spots along Commercial Street, Provincetown’s main and mainly pedestrian thoroughfare.

If you have a disability, you’ll find flagged spots throughout town.

Most inns provide parking, but you might need to leave your keys with management, as cars may be parked two or three deep. That might pose a problem if you decide to take a drive after hours, as few lodging places in Provincetown have staff on duty after ten pm or so.

The Boatslip has parking along the street for short-term parking and features an underground garage for people who are staying there, so you can probably find a spot to park when registering or stopping by the TransWeek office.

There are a number of large lots for long-term parking, and there are four charging stations for electric vehicles. Visit the city parking web page for specifics;

 

Parking in Provincetown (City Website)

 

Happily, taxis are abundant and inexpensive in Provincetown. You can ride anywhere in town for about seven dollars per person, and taxis run all night. Because the town is so small, cabs usually arrive promptly.

Below is a list of taxi services (retrieved from Google on July 5, 2018). You might consider adding Cape Cab to the contact list on your cell phone. We’ve always had good service from them.