Shift Your Semester · September 15 – December 15, 2026
The MIT T pass subsidy, and getting around MIT
MIT covers 50–70% of the cost of an MBTA pass for students — bus, subway, commuter rail and boat.
MIT students are also taking 10 active trips in 30 days to unlock a $15 reward on Shift. How that works
Getting around MIT
What MIT already runs — passes, shuttles, bike space and repairs — with a link to each program.
Transit
MIT covers 50–70% of the cost of MBTA passes for students — bus, subway, commuter rail, and boat.
MIT(opens in a new tab)Free shuttles run early to late — including named grocery runs to Trader Joe’s, Market Basket, and Costco — with live tracking.
MIT(opens in a new tab)
Bike
A deeply subsidized Bluebikes membership for Cambridge-based students, plus the free volunteer-run MIT Bike Lab and eight fix-it stations.
MIT(opens in a new tab)A published campus bike map covers racks, cages, and the Charles River path.
MIT(opens in a new tab)
Around campus
SafeRide runs free night routes on both sides of the river, with door-to-door on-demand service after 11 p.m.
MIT Police(opens in a new tab)
Programs and prices change each term. Check the linked school pages for current details.
- $15
- reward, unlocked
- 10
- active trips
- 30
- days to take them
- First 200
- to finish
For verified students, faculty, and staff at any Massachusetts college or university. One campaign code per account.
Join MIT on Shift.
Get the free app and enter code SEMESTER. Then verify your @mit.edu address inside the app. That puts you in MIT’s group and starts your 30-day clock: 10 active trips unlock $15. Your account can stay on any email.
Installing from the App Store or Google Play? Enter the code after you sign up. Store installs don’t carry the link.
Where do I enter the code?
How the schools stack up
Schools by shift rate so far in October, the share of trips taken actively. MIT is 3 points behind #1.
What’s around campus
Everywhere you can walk, bike, or ride to from MIT. The live map opens centered on campus, with real-time arrivals for every route.
Trains & buses
- Kendall/MIT9 min walkRed LineAshmont/Braintree ↔ Alewife · every few minutes
- Central12 min walkRed LineAshmont/Braintree ↔ Alewife · every few minutes
- Kenmore15 min walkGreen Line CCleveland Circle ↔ Government Center · every few minutesGreen Line DRiverside ↔ Union Square · every few minutes
- Blandford Street16 min walkGreen Line BBoston College ↔ Government Center · every few minutes
- Vassar St @ Massachusetts Ave1 min walkRoute 85Assembly Row ↔ Ruggles Station · every ~28 min
- 77 Massachusetts Ave1 min walkRoute 1Harvard Square ↔ Nubian Station · every ~12 min
Weekday daytime frequencies. The live map has real-time arrivals.
Bike routes
- Charles River Paths1 min ride away
Shared use path · 9.5 mi through the area
- Dr. Paul Dudley White Path1 min ride away
Shared use path · 15.5 mi through the area
- Charles River Greenway1 min ride away
Shared use path · 17 mi through the area
- Paul Dudley White Charles River Bike Path4 min ride away
Shared use path · 3.8 mi through the area
Bluebikes docks
Where you can get to
- Harvard Square
Bike 9 min · T & bus 15 min
- Fenway Park
Bike 14 min · T & bus 18 min · Walk ~23 min
- Downtown Crossing
Bike 15 min · T & bus 19 min
- Back Bay
Bike 16 min · T & bus 21 min · Walk ~34 min
- North Station
Bike 14 min · T & bus 31 min
- Seaport
Bike 23 min · T & bus 35 min
Weekday morning times; ~ marks an estimate.
Events near MIT
A few picks over the next 30 days — the full calendar has everything.
Roams to try
Guided routes — preview the full route here, then check in at each stop in the Shift app to earn the badge.
The Sunset Pedal
Starts 0.6 mi from campus · bike · 1.6 mi route · ~10 min · Boston · Cambridge
Charles River Bike Path Loop
Starts 1.3 mi from campus · bike · 4.1 mi route · ~27 min · Boston · Cambridge
Emerald Necklace Bike Route
Starts 1.3 mi from campus · bike · 7.3 mi route · ~49 min · Boston · Brookline
Your first 10 trips are worth $15.
Get Shift, enter SEMESTER, verify your MIT email, and turn the walk to class into something more.