Green Transportation Options

Student, faculty and staff commuting accounts for 30 percent of Salem State’s greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce our environmental footprint and decrease traffic and parking demands, Salem State offers a comprehensive suite of alternatives to driving alone. Taking advantage of our urban location, we encourage students, faculty, and staff to use more sustainable forms of commuting.

Ride a Bike

Borrow a Bluebike from the hub on Central Campus along the bike path and return it to one of the seven other bike hubs across the city. There are several hubs downtown, at the ferry, commuter rail station and near the School of Social Work at Lafayette and Leach Streets. Single rides cost $2.95; annual and monthly memberships are also available. Download the Bluebikes app to start.

Look out for free single-ride code giveaways at various points during the academic year. Students may also pick up free ride codes from:

• Library Help Desk
• Gassett Fitness Center
• School of Social Work LA-114

Do you have a Pell Grant? Take advantage of Bluebike’s deals for those who qualify as low-income eligible. People who qualify can use Bluebikes for $50 per year, or $5 per 30 days of riding.

• Eligibility extends to those who have Pell Grants, WIC, or meet other criteria.
• You will need a credit or debit card to proceed.
• Your membership will include unlimited 60-minute trips. After 60 minutes, there is an additional $2 fee for each 30 minutes the bike is out.
• Enroll with an EBT card or apply online via the City of Boston’s webpage.

Bring your bike (and helmet) from home and take advantage of the bike paths on Central Campus and in Salem and Marblehead. The City of Salem has also been adding new, protected bike lanes and is extending the Central Campus bike path along the train line to the bike hub behind Domino’s downtown in late 2021.

Learn how you can take your bike on MBTA buses, trains and ferries. Across campus, there are 390 spots where you can lock your bike. Students who want to protect their bikes in winter can email cardaccess@salemstate.edu to request access to the bike storage room in Viking Hall.

Try the Salem Skipper Minibus

Salem Skipper is a new ridesharing service for the entire city, including the Salem State community. Arrange a ride on your iPhone or Android device using the Salem Skipper app, or by calling 844.983.1842. Enter desired pickup/drop-off addresses to book a ride and then receive vehicle information and an estimated pickup time and location. Algorithms will enable multiple riders to seamlessly share the same vehicle, directing passengers to a nearby stop within a short walking distance for pick up and drop off, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips.

Signing up for the app gives new riders 10 free trips until February 16. After that, rides are $2 for the general public and $1 for senior citizens, youth, and people with disabilities. The service is available 7 am-7 pm, Monday through Friday and 10 am-6 pm on Saturdays.

All vehicles have plexiglass partitions, are capped at three passengers to ensure distancing, and are frequently sanitized by the drivers. Masks or face coverings are required. For more information, visit salemskipper.com.

Ride the T

Reduced Fares

Salem State’s Clipper Card Office provides students with 16 percent subsidies for T passes and gives out free Charlie Cards that provide discounts on bus and subway fares, while supplies last. You can save $.30 on all local bus rides and $.50 on the subway with a plastic Charlie Card instead of a paper Charlie ticket.

The MBTA offers unlimited rides on the commuter rail on the weekends for $10. Buy commuter rail tickets on your phone with the MBTA mTicket App.

The MBTA also has a Youth Pass program for those aged 18-25 who live in participating communities and who meet low income eligibility requirements. This pass discounts fares roughly 50 percent.

Bus, Subway, Commuter Rail

MBTA bus #455  travels to and from the Wonderland T-stop in Revere and the Salem commuter rail station in downtown Salem, stopping at Salem State’s North, Central and South campuses as well as the School of Social Work along the way.

The MBTA’s Salem commuter rail stop on the Newburyport/Rockport line is located in downtown Salem, a 15-minute walk from North Campus.  The stop at North Station in Boston connects to the MBTA’s extensive subway system.

Find information on the Salem to Boston ferry.

MBTA Trip Planner

Use the MBTA Trip Planner to map out your commute or download the Transit App to see real-time information about your route.

Take the Shuttle

Travel around campus with Salem State’s free Vikings Shuttle Service, which operates Monday-Friday from 7:45 am-4 pm. You can monitor the location and approximate arrival times of the shuttle buses in real-time via the Vikings Shuttle App from the App Store or Google Play. 

Get Pre-Tax Employee Benefits

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts offers full-time, benefited employees pre-tax transit and parking benefits up to $265 per month. This could be used for a monthly T-pass, for example. Learn more about this benefit administered by Benefit Strategies.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Electric vehicle charging stations are located inside and next to the parking garage on North Campus, behind Viking, and at the O'Keefe Center parking lot.