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Two bus companies run from Boston to Cape Cod every day, Plymouth & Brockton (P&B) and Peter Pan, both leaving from South Station and Logan Airport for Sagamore, Barnstable and Hyannis. On P&B's current schedule a bus that leaves South Station at 7:25 a.m. reaches Hyannis at 9:15 a.m., about 1 hour 50 minutes, and there is roughly one departure an hour through the day.
You do not need a guided bus tour to see the Cape from Boston. The scheduled bus, the summer-weekend CapeFLYER train and the fast ferry to Provincetown cover the main routes, and each suits a different trip: the bus for Hyannis and the island ferries, the train for a relaxed summer weekend, the boat for Provincetown at the far tip of the Cape.
Boston to Cape Cod by bus, train and ferry at a glance
| Option | Leaves from | Goes to | Travel time | When it runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth & Brockton bus | South Station, Logan Airport | Sagamore, Barnstable, Hyannis; second route to Falmouth and Woods Hole | About 1 hr 50 min, South Station to Hyannis | Every day, year-round |
| Peter Pan bus | South Station, Logan Airport | Sagamore, Barnstable, Hyannis and other Cape stops | Varies by trip | Every day |
| CapeFLYER train | South Station | Hyannis, via Braintree, Brockton, Lakeville, Wareham Village, Buzzards Bay and Bourne | Varies by trip | Summer weekends, Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day |
| Bay State fast ferry | 200 Seaport Boulevard, Seaport | MacMillan Pier, Provincetown | About 90 minutes | Daily mid-May to mid-October; weekends into November |
Which buses go from Boston to Cape Cod?
Plymouth & Brockton
P&B runs two Cape routes. The Hyannis bus goes Logan Airport, South Station, Rockland, Plymouth, Sagamore, Barnstable and Hyannis; a few trips marked Logan Direct skip South Station, Rockland and Plymouth. A second route serves Falmouth and Woods Hole, where the ferries to Martha's Vineyard leave. At South Station, P&B uses gates 7 and 8 in the bus terminal on the third floor (they were gates 18 and 19 until late 2025). At Logan, buses pick up at the terminal curbs, starting at Terminal A.
Two rules catch first-timers. Tickets must be bought online before you board, because drivers cannot sell tickets or take cash. And a ticket is not tied to a date or a departure, so seats are first come, first served: on a summer Friday afternoon, get to the gate 15 to 30 minutes early.
Peter Pan
Peter Pan's Boston to Hyannis route leaves South Station at 700 Atlantic Avenue and ends at the Hyannis Transportation Center at 215 Iyannough Road, with stops in Sagamore and Barnstable. Fares change with demand, and Peter Pan says booking 7 to 10 days ahead gets the lowest ones. A carry-on and one stowed bag are included, tickets are paperless, and the company schedules connections to the Steamship Authority ferries for Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.
Is there a train from Boston to Cape Cod?
Only in summer. The CapeFLYER, run by the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, is a weekend passenger train from South Station to Hyannis that operates from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, with stops in Braintree, Brockton, Lakeville, Wareham Village, Buzzards Bay and Bourne. Reservations are never required, bikes and pets ride free, and tickets are sold at South Station and in the MBTA mTicket app. It does not run on weekdays or outside the summer season, so for a trip in October, take the bus.
The fast ferry to Provincetown
Provincetown sits at the far end of the Cape, and the quickest way there from Boston is by water. Bay State Cruise Company runs a fast ferry from 200 Seaport Boulevard in the Seaport to MacMillan Pier in about 90 minutes. Its 2026 daily schedule, which runs until October 18, leaves Boston at 8:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.; weekend-only boats then continue until November 15. The ferry company also points riders to the Silver Line and a water taxi from Logan for reaching the dock.
A Cape Cod day trip from Boston without a car
- Hyannis by bus. Take P&B's 7:25 a.m. bus from South Station (7 a.m. from Logan) and arrive in Hyannis at 9:15 a.m. Shuttles and trolleys run from the Hyannis Transportation Center to the island ferry docks. Northbound buses leave Hyannis about once an hour; the 4 p.m. bus is back at South Station at 5:50 p.m., and the last, at 9 p.m., arrives at 10:50 p.m.
- Provincetown by ferry. While the daily schedule runs, the 8:30 a.m. boat reaches Provincetown at 10:05 a.m.; come back on the 3 p.m. boat (in Boston at 4:35 p.m.) or the 7:30 p.m. boat (9:05 p.m.).
- The islands. Ride to Hyannis for the Nantucket ferries or to Woods Hole for Martha's Vineyard, and build the day around the ferry timetable, not the bus. For a guided option, a Martha's Vineyard day trip from Boston is bookable on Viator.
Driving gives more freedom on the Cape itself, but every road onto it crosses the Cape Cod Canal on the Sagamore or Bourne bridge, and summer weekend traffic stacks up there. On a Friday or Sunday in July, the train or the ferry is often the calmer choice. If you drive, car rentals at Logan can be compared on Expedia.
More trip planning from Boston
For distances by car, see how far Cape Cod is from Boston. If you want a shorter boat ride, read our guide to the ferry from Boston to Salem, and for reaching South Station and the Seaport docks, our guide to Boston public transportation.