Travel and Transportation
This page provides a list of transportation options to help you navigate Chestertown and beyond. More information is available at our Transportation Services page.
Washington College
Safe Ride is a student-run program under the Student Government Association (SGA) that provides free, safe transportation to Washington College students on campus and throughout Chestertown.
Purpose
The Safe Ride program at Washington College is a free and relatively confidential service for students run by your fellow peers. Every night Safe Ride provides students with a safe alternative way to get back to campus without having to walk or drive themselves. Safe Ride protects Washington College students from potential physical or verbal harassment from non-students. The program has also shown a reduction in the complaints from the town, since students are no longer trespassing on private property as they travel through Chestertown. This program has facilitated a more cordial relationship between the college and the town as it continues to grow.
The SGA's Bike Share program gives students FREE access to bicycles while the school year is in session. The program is currently undergoing an overhaul, but you can contact the Secretary of the Environment, Alexa Venturato, at Aventurato2FREEwashcoll to reserve a bike or ask more about the program.
Public Transportation
The Eastern Shore of Maryland has a small-scale public transportation system, called MUST (Maryland Upper Shore Transit). MUST operates a small number of shuttles which run in multiple routes with several transfer stops. This means you could get on in Chestertown and depending on where you wish to go you would transfer to another bus; get off at the appropriate stop to pick up the next shuttle that goes to your destination. The cost for a one-way trip is $3.00 no matter how many transfers you make. The shuttle travels between 4 counties on the Eastern Shore and Annapolis. This service is only available on weekdays. Contact our office for a listing of times and stops.
Perhaps you would like to travel to New York City for a Saturday or for a weekend; if so, there is an inexpensive option called Boltbus. It runs from either the Baltimore Metro station or a Washington D.C. Metro station to New York. The cost of the trip varies but typically is reasonably inexpensive - usually under $20 for a one way ticket. You would have to get a ride to the Metro Station at New Carrollton and take the Metro to the station for the bus departure. The web site for Boltbus is http://www.boltbus.com.
Yet another option if you wish to go to Philadelphia on a Friday would require again a ride to a station in Delaware to catch the local transit to Wilmington, DE and then take the local train to Philadelphia. There is a bus stop that runs to Washington D.C. from Kent Island (about 40 minutes from the College). This would require that you have someone drive you to the station. It is in Stevensville, MD. This bus line runs Monday-Friday in the early morning.
Transportation Services maintains a list of local drivers and transportation companies available for hire.
Travel by Car
Many Washington College students choose to bring their cars with them to college. So, if you need to get somewhere, or you’d like to plan an outing, check with your friends.
There are several car rental facilities in and around Chestertown.
When you rent a car, you should be aware of the following facts:
- You must be 21 years of age or older.
- You need either a US or International Driver’s License to rent a car. Foreign licenses are not accepted. There is one rental company that may use your foreign license; Enterprise Car Rental
- The price of the car you rent will vary depending on its model.
- You should ask about promotions and/or student discounts at the time you rent.
- The fee you pay usually covers the cost of the car for the day plus a limited amount of miles.
- You must use a credit card. Often, Visa and Mastercard are the only credit cards accepted. Cash and debit cards are not accepted.
- You should inquire about insurance. Auto Rental companies have their vehicles insured, however, you will be charged for any expenses incurred in an accident if you do not have a “collision damage waiver.” A collision damage waiver usually costs around $10.00USD and in case of an accident you will pay only the deductible stated on the vehicle’s insurance policy (usually the first $250.00 USD of expense).
- You should also be aware that if an accident is your fault and someone chooses to sue you for money, there is no insurance to help you. Drive responsibly.