The Berkshires are a wonderful place to be, and Williamstown offers clean, fresh air with plenty of open green space. That said, our rural community faces transportation challenges due to lack of public transportation infrastructure. This list is provided to make you aware of travel options to and from the Williamstown area.
BRTA– Regional bus service. The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority provides public transportation to its 26 member communities within Berkshire County, the western most region of Massachusetts. There are pickups in Williamstown at Field Park near the old Williams Inn site and Town Hall as well as along Route 2 near the intersection of Spring Street and Route 2.
NOTE: All students, faculty, and staff can ride the BRTA bus as far south as Pittsfield for free when they show their Williams College ID.
Green Mountain Express – The Green Mountain Community Network, Inc., a private not-for-profit organization was founded in early 2007, to manage the Green Mtn. Express, which has safely and efficiently provided transportation services in and around Bennington County, VT since 1985. Green Mountain Express offers transportation between Williamstown and Bennington, VT.
Pittsfield Amtrak – Train service daily from Pittsfield. Trains leave daily at 4 pm and arrive in Boston at 8 pm.
Albany / Rensselaaer – Train service daily from Albany, NY to multiple locations as serviced by Amtrak’s extensive network of train service / routes. Schedules vary by route.
Routes:
Adirondack (NYC to Montreal)
Empire (NYC to Niagara Falls)
Ethan Allen (Rutland to NYC)
Lake Shore Limited (NYC / Boston to Chicago)
Peter Pan Bus Lines – Peter Pan Bus Lines is one of the largest privately-owned motorcoach companies in the USA, serving over 100 communities in the Northeast corridor of the United States. We offer daily express service in major metro areas such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
Metro North (NYC) – The Metro-North Commuter Railroad, also known as MTA Metro-North Railroad or simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a public authority of the U.S. state of New York. The most convenient location to Williamstown to catch a train is the Wassaic train station in Armenia, NY. This is the last stop on the Metro-North line. When reviewing schedules, this is known as the Harlem Line. Service is from Wassaic to Grand Central Terminal and stops in between.
Williams College Motorcoach Transport – The Williams College Motorcoach Transport is a financially independent, motorcoach business serving the students of Williams College. It offers timely service to Albany International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, and NYC (Penn Station) throughout the year.
Vermont Shires – Vermont Translines, through the Vermont Agency of Transportation, offers two different daily scheduled services. One provides transportation originating in Burlington, VT, that travels the Route 7 corridor to the Albany, NY, bus terminal and Albany airport, with stops along the way in Middlebury, Brandon, Rutland, Manchester and Bennington. The second bus route originates in Rutland, VT, and travels Route 4, with service to the White River Junction and Hanover, NH areas.
Station Location – 215 Pleasant Street, Bennington, VT
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) – The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The Fitchburg Line of the Commuter Rail service runs from Fitchburg, MA to North Station in Boston and returns.
Zip Cars – Zipcar is a car sharing company, which was founded in 2000, and in 2013 was purchased by the Avis Budget group. It is available for Williams students, faculty, and staff. Once registered with Zipcar, you can rent any of the four Zipcars located at Williams. Rent by the hour or by the day (and if you’re over 21, you can rent Zipcars from locations outside of Williamstown as well!)
Logan Express – getting to Logan airport without driving into the city.