Boston Trolley Tours

Enjoy Boston siteseeing and visit top attractions

Part transportation and part entertainment, Boston trolley tours offer a convenient way to get around to top Boston attractions while learning a bit about famous sites along the way - and best of all, having fun.  We compare routes, costs, discounts, and service.

Boston trolley tours give you the freedom to hop on and off whenever you please, letting you explore interesting sites along the way.  You can also stay on the trolley for the entire tour, usually about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours in total, depending on traffic.

Beantown Trolley	Old Town Trolley

As a bonus, Boston's trolley tour drivers deliver informative and amusing commentary along the way, so you can soak up some Boston (and American) history, see many of the most famous historic and modern sites, and have a few laughs.

Two companies dominate the Boston trolley tour market:  Old Town Trolley Tours, and Beantown Trolley Tours.  At a quick glance, they seem almost identical, partly because the city tightly regulates where trolleys and buses can go and stop. 

So how to choose?  Most Boston visitors care about 3 things:  routes, cost (plus how to find discounts), and frequency of service.   Another key difference:  when you have a GoBoston and GoSelect discount cards, you can ride the Beantown trolley for free.  So let's take a look at each of these factors.

Boston trolley tour routes

Both Beantown and Old Town Trolley companies stop at most of the same places, with a key exception:  Old Town Trolley Tours stop at the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal on cruise Port of Call days. 

If you're coming to Boston on a cruise, the Old Town Trolley stop next to the terminal is a convenience.  However, if you prefer the Beantown Trolley, you can easily take the Silver Line bus ($2 each way) to the Seaport stop (8-10 minutes from CruisePort).  You can even walk. 

Here's a comparison of all boarding stops, and the key Boston attractions you'll find nearby:

Keep in mind that these routes may change due to circumstances such as construction.  Also, the Fenway stop may not be available when the Red Sox are playing or other big events are underway at Fenway Park. 

Cost comparison - Boston trolley tours

Comparing costs between the two tours should be easy - but take into account "extras" and available discount deals detailed below. 

Both trolley tour companies try to compete with each other by adding "freebies" - extra benefits thrown in for free.  These change from time to time, but here's what you can expect in 2011:

If you're visiting Boston for just a day, you can still usually come out well ahead with a Boston discount card that includes a free trolley tour, even if you only go to one or two of the other attractions.  This is especially true during the months when the free cruise offered by Old Town doesn't run, or on rainy days - or if you don't like cruises and would like more choices and greater flexibility.

Frequency of service

Since you'll be getting off - and then back on - these trolleys, frequency of service can be a key factor when decided which trolley tour to take. 

Both Beantown Trolleys and Old Town Trolleys say their vehicles arrive every 15-20 minutes at the stops.  Keep in mind that Boston traffic can sometimes change this - for better or for worse!

Riders boarding a trolley near Boston's North End

More Fun Boston Tours

Boston Movie Tours	Whale Watching Tours	Ghosts Tours	More Boston Tours

Return from Boston Trolley Tours to Boston Tours

Return from Boston Trolley Tours to Boston Tourism and Discovery Guide home page