This Harbor-Front U.S. Destination Was Named The Best For Public Transit (It's Not The One You'd Expect)

Move over, New York City. While the Metropolitan Transport Authority has the nation's biggest transportation network, moving a population of 15.3 million across 5000 square miles, it does not have the most accessible system. That honor, according to Wander, goes to Boston's Massachusetts Bay Transport Authority, affectionately known by locals as "the T." The luxury travel company says Boston has more than 42 stations per 100,000 people. That's more than any other city, including bus routes, trains, and ferry connections.

Next to Boston Common, America's oldest public park, the city's historic Tremont Street subway is also the country's oldest subway system. When it comes to getting steps in, Boston also ranks as one of the country's most walkable cities. The MBTA also offers weekend and holiday passes for making excursions to Massachusetts' historic sites and natural parks. 

Logan Airport is Boston's international gateway (also the place of a heartwarming wildlife story), and it has its own T-stop, Airport Station on the Blue Line. Visitors can connect to the Orange and Green lines, delivering passengers right into the heart of the city.

Every city has its transport quirks. Londoners use their Oyster cards to travel on the "Tube," being sure to "mind the gap" as they step from the platform to the train. New Yorkers travel along an alphabet of metro lines from the famous A Train under 8th Avenue to the Z Train, the elusive rush-hour-only train that zips between Manhattan and Queens.

Boston has its CharlieCard, a pre-paid card that allows commuters to breeze past turnstiles. It's named after a 1949 jingle, "Charlie on the MTA", about a passenger stuck forever on the subway. A cheeky way of converting a critic into a brand ambassador! With only four lines, Boston's streamlined subway is color-coded with a purpose: The Blue Line runs under Boston Harbor, the Red Line connects to Harvard University with its crimson banners, the Green Line travels through a corridor of public parks, and the Orange Line passes beneath Washington Street (which was previously named, you guessed it, Orange Street). Whether it's catching the Red Sox play at iconic Fenway Park or walking the historic Freedom Trail, Boston's T can take you there.

The MBTA's Commuter Rail also offers unlimited rides for passholders on holidays and weekends, perfect for a New England excursion. For Fall magic, take a ride to the popular harbor town of Salem, famed for its witch tours, ghost lore, and colonial charm. The Newburyport/Rockport commuter train can get you there from Boston's North Station in about half an hour. ​​Stay on the train another 45 minutes and you'll find yourself in Rockport, a scenic gem on the waterfront with world-class art.