QFS98 -- Travel:
Airports: The nearest airport is
Bradley International airport (code BDL) which serves
Hartford/Springfield, located approximately one hour (50 miles) south by car, with
regularly scheduled bus service available (no reservation required) and
shuttle bus service available (with advance reservation). Boston's
Logan airport (code BOS) is located about
two hours (95 miles) east by car, three hours or so by
bus. Each airport is served by major carriers. Those
coming from the west coast of the United States, or Japan, may
find travel easiest through Chicago (code ORD). Chicago
has very good service to Hartford/Springfield via several major
carriers (especially United and American). Those coming
from Europe may find travel through Boston (followed by car or bus) the
better route. There are flight
connections via commuter size aircraft to Hartford/Springfield
through New York and Washington DC. A less convenient airport is the airport at Providence, Rhode Island. Bus connections are available, but they are not
very convenient.
From the airports to Amherst: Travel to Amherst form the
airport of your choice is relatively easy. Information on
major routes
routes to and from Amherst
is also available.
One appraoch for travel through
New York is to take
an (airport pickup) limousine
or
bus
service (off-airport terminal) from New York to Hartford, followed by a
bus through Springfield
direct to the University. To get this bus from New York to Hartford, it is
necessary to take a shuttle or a taxi from the airport
to the New York "Port Authority" terminal, and there to get the bus.
For those travelling through Boston, the
bus
is probably the most efficient method of travel (other than private car).
For those travelling to the Hartford/Springfield
airport, and from there to Amherst, regular bus service (Peter Pan Bus Line) is available. The bus service cost is about $14.00 one
way, 800-343-3999. One does not need advance reservation to use the regularly
scheduled bus service. [We have complained to the bus company that the airport-Amherst schedule
is not on the internet and they told us they would try to fix that, but we don't see the fix.] Service by the
regularly scheduled bus operates roughly every 90 minutes. An alternate and more
convenient (but more expensive)
method to reach Amherst is to utilize Valley Transporter, a more personalized service
which will take you door to door. This service is by advance reservation only,
with a credit card deposit required, and a 24-hour cancellation
requirement. Pick-up at terminal A (US Airways, Continental, United) is every hour
on the 1/2 hour (e.g. 1:30, 2:30 etc.). Pick-up at terminal B (all other airlines)
is every hour on the 3/4 hour (e.g. 1:45, etc.). The cost is $28 per person one way.
Valley Transporter can be rached by calling 413-253-1350, 800-872-8752. For
those who wish to
use Valley Transporter, we suggest making a one-way reservation airport-Amherst. For
the return trip Amherst-airport on June 14, we expect to be able to
arrange a group discount due to the proximity of departure times, or make a special
arrangement with the regular bus company. For those who might arrive at Providence, Rhode Island,
bus service is available to Springfield with a connection to Amherst, but there are only two such buses
per day at 10:00 and 16:00. The bus line for that is
Bonanza at 1-888-751-8800.
From the campus bus stop to housing:
On June 8th we will provide local transportation
from the University CAMPUS (i.e. not downtown Amherst) Peter
Pan bus stop to the hotel and the dorm. A campus bus (with a QFS98 sign)
will meet each Peter Pan arrival beginning an 12:00 and will continue until
the last arrival of the day (about 22:30). This bus will also
circulate in a continuous way from 18:00 - 23:00 to include stops
at the bus stop, and near the hotel, near the reception, and at the dorm.
There is a phone booth and and rain shelter at the bus stop.
Directions on campus: A
campus map which can be
clicked for changes in gain is available. The Sylvan residential complex (which houses
the dormitory) is shown on
the upper right-center of the map. The (Lincoln) Campus Center Hotel is
just to the north of the campus pond (adjacent to the parking garage and the student union).
The reception and registration on June 8, 1998 will be
held in room 1033 (10th floor) of the (Lederle) Graduate Researh Center (to the north of the
Campus Center Hotel).
Bus schedules leaving Amherst:
For those interested in departing Amherst by bus, the following times
are departure times for bus travel. Times in ( ) are arrival times at
the destination listed. We will provide a shuttle bus from the dorm at
xx:15 beginning at 9:15 which will stop at the street stop which serves the
hotel, and then go on to the Peter Pan bus stop in time to meet the Peter
Pan bus. This shuttle will operate during the morning
and afternon on Sunday June 14 only. Bus tickets to the Hartford airport,
to Boston and to New York may be purchased in the building
connected to the hotel / conference site.
Amherst to New York:
Arrival in New York at the Trailways Plaza (of the NYC Port Authority
Bus Terminal), with frequent shuttles to JFK and La Guardia airports from
there.
Departs UMass at 9:55am (2:45pm), 10:55am (3:30pm),
11:55am (4:30pm), 12:55pm (5:45pm), 1:55pm (6:45pm), 2:55pm (7:30pm),
3:55pm (8:30pm). Note that these arrival times are for arrival at the
Trailways Plaza.
Amherst to Boston:
Arrival at the Peter Pan South Station (Boston), from which shuttles are
available to Boston's Logan airport.
Departs UMass at 10:55am (2pm), 11:55am (3:30pm),
12:55pm (4pm), 1:55pm (5:25pm), 2:55pm (6:55pm), 3:55pm (non-stop
express arrives in Boston at 6:50pm). Note that these arrival times are
for arrival in the Peter Pan south Station terminal.
Amherst to Bradley airport:
Departs UMass at 9:55am (11:30am), 11:55am
(1:30pm), 1:55pm (3:30pm), 3:55pm (5:30pm). Arrival times are at the
BDL airport. (The bus goes through Springfield and may involve a
change of bus at the Springfield terminal.)
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