Getting around3 min readReviewed October 2026Leer en español

What parking costs in Boston, and cheaper ways in

A full workday in a downtown Boston garage costs $30 to $47 at posted drive-up rates, and a monthly space starts at about $395. Parking at a T station is $9 a day or less, plus your fare, and your employer may be able to pay for the T with money that isn't taxed.

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What do downtown garages charge?

Posted weekday rates, October 2026:

Boston Common Garage: $30 for 3 to 10 hours, or $395 a month.
Post Office Square: $42 for a full day.
Prudential Center: $47 for 2 to 24 hours.

Street meters downtown are $2 an hour ($3.75 in Back Bay and the Seaport), and Sundays are free (City of Boston). An expired meter is a $40 ticket (Boston parking fines).

Is it cheaper to park at a T station?

Yes. The MBTA's garages and lots are paid by phone, and most cost less than an hour downtown (MBTA parking rates):

Alewife, Braintree, Quincy Adams, Oak Grove: $9 a weekday.
Riverside (Green Line): $6 a weekday, or $105 a month.
Route 128 station (commuter rail): $7 a weekday.
Framingham (commuter rail): $4 a weekday, or $70 a month.

Add the fare: $2.40 each way on the subway, or $90 a month. A monthly commuter rail pass is $232 from Route 128 and $311 from Framingham.

Of all weekday trips into downtown by people using Shift, about 1 in 9 was a drive. Of the 99 people using Shift who drove downtown on a weekday, 90 also came in by T, bike, ferry or on foot at least once. Half of those drives were shorter than 3.4 miles.

About these numbers: From weekday trips into downtown Boston recorded by people using Shift, June to October 2026, including 363 drives by 99 people.

Find station parking near you

Enter where your drive starts. You'll see the nearest MBTA lots and garages, what they cost and how full they usually get.

Where does your drive start?

Can my employer help pay?

Employers can let you pay for the T with up to $340 a month taken out before taxes, and many pay for part of the pass outright (IRS, 2026 limits). Massachusetts also lets you deduct T fares and bike-share costs you paid yourself, up to $750 a year, for the part above $150 (Mass.gov).

Is a student parking permit worth it?

For most students, a T pass costs less:

Boston University: a commuter permit is $900 for the fall semester; a semester T pass is $320.
Simmons: $515 a semester for a permit.
UMass Boston: $576 a semester for a permit.

Many schools sell the T pass at 11% off through the MBTA Semester Pass, and some pay more of it. MIT pays half for all degree students. A permit can still make sense if you commute from somewhere the T doesn't reach well, or have a job or family trips after class.

In college? Unlock $15 for getting to class.

Sign up for Shift with your school email, take 10 walking, biking or transit trips in 30 days, and unlock a $15 reward. Sign up by December 15.

See how it works

Try this first

Find the T station parking closest to where your drive starts.
One day next week, park there and ride in. Compare the cost and time with your usual day.

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Shift finds the calmest way to wherever you're headed, by bike, on foot or on transit, and gives you credit for every trip you shift.

Not ready for the app? Plan a route on the Nearby page in your browser.

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