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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Tufts chosen as new location in Boston to New York City route

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A Flixbus going to New York City waits for passengers in front of the Mayer Campus Center on Sept. 30.

FlixBus, a German long-distance busing company, added a new route between Boston and New York City on Sept. 26, which makes stops at the Tufts' Upper Campus Center and Boston's South End. The buses have begun departing daily from Professors Row with tickets costing $4.99.

Joanna Patterson, the head of business development at FlixBus, explained that Tufts was selected as a location to attract students and young professionals in the neighboring towns of Somerville, Arlington and Cambridge.

“We want our routes to reach as many people as possible,” Patterson said in a phone interview with the Daily.

FlixBus’ network planning team did consider other towns in the area such as Brookline, but Tufts was ultimately selected because it is outside of Boston and accessible by public transportation, according to Patterson. Patterson said that the two locations were designed to accommodate the most travelers possible.

WBUR reported that FlixBus is Europe's largest long-distance bus company and serves 28 countries. Their report adds that FlixBus currently serves 12 states.

According to reporting by Boston.com, FlixBus plans on offering a direct route between Boston and Washington, D.C. For now, the company offers a Boston to D.C. route that transfers in New York. Patterson told the Daily that new routes connecting Boston to other cities would not necessarily stop at Tufts.

The company, Boston.com said, has 75 destinations in the U.S. and offers its riders the option  to pay more for carbon-neutral rides. According to the FlixBus website, its "CO2 Compensation" tickets result in a donation to the National Forest Foundation.

The website  says its clean tickets are modeled after the United Nations' Clean Development Mechanism, which the U.N. used to allow developed countries to contribute to carbon emissions in developing countries.

FlixBus launched in the U.S. in 2018, according to its website. Boston.com also reports that FlixBus doesn't actually own the buses it uses; rather, it contracts to local bus companies and their workers. Flixbus itself only handles ticketing and apps.

The buses include free WiFi and power outlets, according to the FlixBus website.

Silvia Wang, a student from Manhattan, said she was excited about the new route.

“It definitely makes traveling back home much more accessible," Wang, a first-year, said. "Before, I felt overwhelmed. I didn’t know how to operate the T or carry my luggage through an unfamiliar city. But now I have a bus that stops right at my school — it’s so convenient."

Another student,  Sammie Chum, echoed Wang’s thoughts. Chum, a first-year, explained that, realistically, she wants to go back to New York City once a month and that FlixBus’ stop at Tufts makes the ordeal much easier.

“I don’t care about the price that much, even if it is expensive,” she said. 

However, the $5 price tag will not remain, according to reporting by WBUR. Patterson said, similar to the New York to D.C. route, the prices would rise or fall based on demand for tickets but that generally, ticket prices hover around $15 to $20.

The WBUR report said that New England is one of the few regions in the U.S. where demand for greater bus travel is growing, not declining. According to WBUR, bus companies CoachRun, Catch-a-Ride and OurBus have added routes between Boston and New York.