Providence: Transportation

Approaching the City

Theodore Francis Green State Airport, 10 miles south of Providence, handles all of Rhode Island's commercial air traffic. The airport, rebuilt in 1996, is serviced by 12 carriers with more than 200 incoming and outgoing flights daily. Boston's Logan Airport is also fairly accessible from Providence for international travel. Providence is served by Amtrak on the Regional line, and the Acela high-speed train service connects Providence to Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., stopping in cities along the way. The city is also served by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail, which travels to Boston's South Station. Several bus lines provide interstate service. Interstate routes 95, 195, and 295 provide easy access by car.

Traveling in the City

The east side of Providence, although hilly, is compact, and walking tours of historic sites are possible. A series of public improvements, completed in 1994 as part of the Capital Center Project, has facilitated the movement of buses, pedestrians, and automobiles in downtown Providence. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority provides bus service in the city and across the state. The Providence LINK is comprised of two trackless trolley lines, the Green Line and the Gold Line, and connects major attraction and shopping areas. A special way to see the city is by Venetian gondola trip along the Woonasquatucket and Providence rivers, through La Gondola.