Waltham

Understand

One of the oldest of American cities, Waltham was first settled by British settlers in 1634 and was incorporated in 1738. In 1813, the Boston Manufacturing Company was formed in Waltham by Francis Cabot Lowell. It was the first modern factory in the United States and history books have credited this as the beginning of America's industrial revolution. In 1854, the Waltham Watch Company was established by Aaron Dennison. The company went on to make the first watches with interchangeable parts and the first 100% American-made watch, designing advanced machinery that spread to other industries and led to America's industrial power. Waltham is also noted as the home of such famous persons as Governor Christopher Gore and General Nathaniel Banks.

Get in

Given that Waltham is relatively close to Boston, please refer to the Get In and Get Around sections of that article for general transportation details.

By plane

By train

There are several commuter rail trains from Boston daily. From North Station in Boston, take the MBTA Commuter Rail on the Fitchburg line to either Waltham Station or Brandeis/Roberts Station. The trains are a good way to get into Boston, especially on the day of a sports game, because they go directly to the Boston Garden. They are moderately priced.

Although there are no T stations in Waltham, Riverside Station is fairly close to Waltham. Riverside is the last station on the Green Line's D branch. From Riverside, take a short, 3-mi (5-km) taxi ride to Waltham.

By bus

MBTA local bus 70 runs from Central Square in Cambridge to Waltham. Local buses 553, 554, 556, and 558 also serve Waltham, as well as express bus 505 which serves Downtown Boston. Buses are usually reliable and inexpensive, but tend to get crowded around rush hour as well (4:30PM to 6:30PM).

By car

Waltham is accessible via Interstate 95, also called Route 128, which connects to the Mass Pike (I-90). This is important if you are flying in or out of Logan Airport because you are going to take I-90 West to get into Waltham and vice versa to get back into Boston. On I-90, there are two sets of toll plazas of $1.25 each, and rush hour can set you back 25-30 minutes between 4:30PM and 6:30PM.

Get around

By car

Driving around Waltham is not difficult and you can be just about anywhere in the city in 15 to 20 minutes. There are three main streets to Waltham: Main Street, Moody Street, and Lexington Street. During rush hour(4:30 to 6:30PM) you will hit some traffic that may slow down your commute 10 to 15 minutes. Main Street is probably the worst during that time, and Moody Street can also be busy on a Friday or Saturday night. Parking is accessible with several public parking lots in high traffic areas, as well as on street parking.

By bus

Local MBTA buses are a dependable way to get around the city. They are cheap and usually reliable, but can get crowded and stuffy at times. The best place to catch the bus from is on the Common, the bus stop is across the street from the train stop, with buses leaving fairly frequently to go throughout the city and surrounding towns, as well as to downtown Boston.

Learn

Go next

Waltham is at the start of the American Industry Tour, which goes on westwards to New York City and Chicago.