Transportation

Figuring out your transportation options can open up your life at Wesleyan to new experiences. With some knowledge about the Wesleyan shuttle systems, Middletown’s Area Transit (MAT) system, and other transportation options, most students are able to find their way to everywhere they need to go. This includes taking trips to the grocery store, visiting larger cities for shopping, and weekend getaways to places like New York or Boston. If you have a driver’s license, you can also rent a Zipcar. Another convenient option is to use Uber or Lyft to hire a driver.

Please Note: As stated on the Wesleyan University Code of Conduct COVID Agreement for Students:
“Students are discouraged from traveling outside of the Middletown area (beyond a 25-mile radius from campus), and will be required to self-quarantine upon return to campus as per CDC and DPH guidelines.” It is important to review the entire Code of Conduct, as students are expected to follow these polices as a condition of being on campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wesleyan Shuttles

The Ride

If you are just looking to get around campus more easily, hop on The Ride. The free campus shuttle runs nightly, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The Ride also has an app you can download on your phone from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Grocery Shuttle

Wesleyan’s Transportation Department offers a grocery shuttle to two Middletown grocery stores, Aldi and Price Chopper. This free service operates twice a week: Every Sunday from 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. and every Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. The van leaves from the Usdan University Center to Aldi and Price Chopper and returns.

Other Transportation Services Shuttles

Wesleyan Transportation Services offers weekly shuttles to the New Haven Train Station. Before and after breaks, Transportation Services has shuttles available to Bradley Airport, New Haven Train Station, Boston, New York City, and occasionally to Philadelphia/Washington, D.C. Tickets for all shuttles can be purchased online through Transportation Services.

Please Note: The New Haven Train Station Shuttle is currently suspended because of COVID-19

Wesleyan Sustainability Office

The Wesleyan University Sustainability Office has compiled a Transportation Options page with detailed information about traveling around Middletown and the region without a car.

Local, Regional, and Connecticut Bus Services

Middletown Area Transit

Middletown Area Transit (MAT) can get you most places in Middletown and to the Meriden Train Station, where you can connect to New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield, MA. Buses stop at the corner of William/High Streets (Route 590, formerly M-Link and Route 583, formerly C Route) about once an hour. Rides are $1.75 each way. M-Link revamped its schedule in 2019 and has coordinated M-Link schedules with CTrail departure times in Meriden for easier transit usage.

9 Town Transit

The 9 Town Transit bus service connects Middletown to Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook, with connections to New London and New Haven.

CTtransit

For buses around Hartford, CTtransit offers buses to Hartford and Bradley Airport from downtown Middletown. You can take bus 55 from Middletown to downtown Hartford and Hartford train station. From downtown Hartford, you can transfer to the West Hartford area (including the WestFarms Mall). An all-day pass costs $3.50. One-way ticket is $1.75. CTtransit buses honor passes and transfers from Middletown Area Transit.

Intercity Bus Services

Intercity bus transportation is often an inexpensive option for travel. Take one of the other transportation options on this page to either Hartford Union Station or New Haven Bus Station to catch one of the following.

New Haven Bus Station

BoltBus

Greyhound

Hartford Union Station

Greyhound

Peter Pan Bus Lines

Rail Services

CTrail

CTrail’s Hartford Line rail service offers 17 round trips a day between New Haven and Hartford, with some trips continuing up to Springfield, MA. Take CTrail to connect to buses and trains continuing on to Boston, New York, and beyond. The nearest CTrail station is in Meriden, which is accessible via a 15-20 minute ride on Middletown Area Transit’s Route 590 service.

Metro North

The Metro North commuter train goes from New Haven to Manhattan (either Grand Central Terminal or Harlem-125 Street).

Amtrak

Amtrak, the national railroad service, is a convenient way to travel to cities outside of Connecticut. The closest Amtrak station to Wesleyan is Meriden (station code: MDN). Routes that serve Meriden Station are the Amtrak Hartford Line, Northeast Regional, Valley Flyer, and Vermonter.

Airports