A free shuttle bus runs between Tufts, the Museum School, and New England Conservatory at regular intervals during the school year. The bus leaves in front of the Aidekman Arts Center at Tufts and in front of the main entrance at the Museum School. Copies of the schedule are available in Academic Affairs and at the Tufts Public Safety office in Dowling Hall or on the Student Gateway. It takes approximately 45 minutes, door-to-door, to commute with the shuttle.

The shuttle is reliable about 90% of the time, give or take 5 to 10 minutes. On occasion it will arrive early and it tends to be late during rush hour; the 5:45 pm will sometimes show up at 6:05 pm. It is a good idea to be a little bit early for the shuttle and be understanding of Boston’s traffic patterns. If you are waiting for the shuttle at SMFA and are unsure if it has already left, just ask the front desk guard if they have seen it come and go. The guard usually keeps an eye out for it.

If you have any complaints about the shuttle or would like to suggest a schedule change, please speak with Susan Lush (617-369-3610 or slush@smfa.edu) in the SMFA Academic Affairs office. Susan is the primary contact at the SMFA for the shuttle service.  

Taking the T from the SMFA to Tufts will take about an hour, door-to-door. It is a convenient way to travel and affords students the opportunity to catch up on reading or coursework while in transit. The trains run on a sporadic schedule but will typically arrive every 10 to 15 minutes on weekdays. The most convenient and affordable way to travel on the T is with a CharlieCard, which may be purchased online from www.mbta.com. The cards may be reloaded with funds for travel. Note that the CharlieCard and the CharlieTicket are different and that the CharlieCard is the reusable, less expensive option. Semester CharlieCard passes may be purchased at a student discount rate through the SMFA Business office (617-369-3631) at the beginning of each semester.

From the SMFA, take the inbound Green line E train (toward Prudential) from the Museum stop on Huntington Ave. (one block behind the SMFA). Take the Green E train seven stops to Park Street. Exit the train here and switch to an outbound Red line train in the direction of Alewife. Do not exit the Park Street T station through the turnstiles but instead walk around the turnstiles towards the stairs that lead to the lower level Red line tracks. Take the Red line Alewife train six stops to Davis Square.

When exiting Davis Square from the T station it is easiest to take the exit to your left. Upon exiting you will have the option of crossing the street to wait in the small park for the Tufts shuttle, or simply walking to your right up College Ave. MBTA buses #94 and #96 also travel to Tufts from Davis Square.  

The Medford Campus Shuttle runs between Davis Square and the Tufts campus only. It arrives about every 20 minutes (for detailed schedule information, visit http://publicsafety.tufts.edu/adminsvc/shuttle/shuttlemedfordtimetable.html ) and is fairly dependable as it doesn’t have far to travel. The pick-up point is the small park between the two different T exits. There are bronze sculptures of windblown people, a JP Licks, a Store 24, and an Italian restaurant by the pick-up point. There should be a sign for the Tufts shuttle on the side of the park nearest to the Somerville Theatre. It has several different drop-off points on campus, including the Olin Center, but it will always end up in between the Campus Center and the Tisch Library entrance (you should see a bench and a sign in front of the Campus Center on Professors Row). Depending on your final destination it may be faster to walk as the shuttle usually takes about 15 minutes to reach the first stop; but it is certainly a nice option when it’s raining!  

(click here for map)
This walk takes roughly 20–25 minutes, depending on your destination. There are various routes you may take. The following two are the most direct.

Exiting to the Left from the T
When exiting from the T at Davis Square, go to your left, around a slight curve, and up the stairs. When you reach street level you will be on College Ave. at Davis Square. The Someday Café will be on a corner to your left and a small real estate office will be just to your right. Make a right (away from Davis Square) and walk straight up College Ave. Continue to walk straight along College Ave. for about 10–15 minutes. You will pass a small church on your right after just one or two blocks. After a short time you will reach Powder House Circle, a rotary with a funeral home on the left. You will see the Tufts campus ahead of you and the sports fields directly in front of you. Go straight across the rotary, continuing straight up College Ave, walking passed the sports fields, which will now be on your left. Continue to walk straight and you will be on the Tufts Campus.

If you make your first left after the sports fields from College Ave. onto Talbot Ave., you will reach the Art History department and the Aidekman Arts Center. The Art History department is located in the red building on the right resembling a house. The Aidekman Arts Center is the large brick complex immediately to your left. Further up the road the Campus Center (with dining hall and book store) will be on your right.

If you make your second left after the sports fields from College Ave. onto Professors Row, you will easily reach the Tisch Library. It will be on your right and is remarkable for its many glass windows. The bookstore is easily accessible from Professors Row, which runs parallel to Talbot Avenue. If you continue to walk straight along Professors Row and turn right onto Packard Avenue, you will reach the Olin Center, where most language and literature courses are taught.

If you continue straight on College Ave. you will see a large set of stairs on your left. If you go up these stairs, you will reach Miner Hall, where most anthropology and comparative religion courses are held. This is the East end of the main part of the Tufts Campus where academic buildings are located.

Exiting to the Right from the T
When exiting the T at Davis Square, go to your right and up the stairs, past the small flower stand. Upon exiting to street level you will be on Holland Street and will see Johnny D’s across the street. Make a left and follow Holland Street straight (away from Davis Square). Continue straight for roughly five blocks and make a right onto Paulina Street, near an elementary school. Walk for one block until you hit Broadway and make a left. Make your first right at the light onto Packard Ave. Continue to walk straight, crossing Powderhouse Blvd., passing several fraternity houses on your right and eventually some tennis courts on your left. As you continue to walk straight you will be in the center of the Tufts Campus. Packard Ave. will lead you directly to the Olin Center and the West end of the main part of campus .

There are other variations of this walk, and as you become more comfortable with the area you will be able to explore the most direct and useful paths for you.  

Take I-93 to exit 32 (Medford Square). Follow the exit ramp to Medford Square. At the blinking light at the end of the ramp, turn left onto Main Street. Follow Main Street approximately 3/10 of a mile. Turn right onto George Street, then left onto College Avenue. Follow College Ave. through its intersection with Boston Ave. (just over the railroad bridge). Go past the Memorial Steps and turn right onto Professor Row. At the first intersection, turn right onto Packard Ave. and proceed to the parking garage at Dowling Hall.  

Follow The Fenway (same road the School is on) straight, through two lights, and veer to your left. Follow the road around the curve to the right and get in the right-hand lane. Follow the signs to Storrow Drive, taking your second and immediate exit to the right. Follow Storrow Drive for a couple of miles until you see signs for I-93 North.