Conference attendees coming from all over the globe have several options when planning their trip to Providence.
Train
20 minutes by foot or 5 minutes by car, Providence Station is within striking distance of College Hill. The station features service from both Amtrak (Acela Express, Northeast Regional) and the MBTA (the Providence/Stoughton line of the Commuter Rail). The latter – taking a little over an hour and setting you back only $7.75 – is a great option for those coming from the Boston-Metro area.
Bus
Kennedy Plaza, the central node of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), is the ultimate destination for all bus service in Providence. Popular bus lines Peter Pan, Megabus and Greyhound also provide service to and from the Plaza, which is just down the road from the heart of RISD. For NYC and Boston attendees, all three services offer express lines that run to Kennedy Plaza.
Plane
The major airport serving the Providence area is T. F. Green (airport code: PVD). Attendees arriving at T. F. Green have several options for travel to the conference, including RIPTA lines, taxi and MBTA commuter rail.
The commuter rail now runs from the airport to the Providence train station, but times are limited. Another option is flying into Boston Logan and then taking the MBTA commuter rail, which can sometimes be more affordable than flying directly into Providence.
Car
Located on major interstates such as 1-95 and 1-195, Providence is very accessible via car. When searching for directions, use zipcode 02906 for Providence and 02912 for College Hill.
For parking around Brown, please consult the driving directions & parking page on Brown’s website. Also, find an interactive map of parking downtown.
Note that Providence does not permit overnight parking on the street without prior notification. If you plan on parking on the street overnight, please call the Providence Police Department at (401) 243-6400.
Further Resources
Brown University Travel Portal
Commuter Rail schedule for the Providence line
RIPTA routes around Providence
