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Mason Family Flash

Spring Break transportation options

Mason Parking and Transportation Services want to make sure that you and your student have all the important information you need for the spring semester. For Spring Break and beyond, there are a number of options that will work well for your student regardless of whether they are driving, flying, taking the bus, or riding the train.

Transportation Options for Spring Break

  • Buses from Mason to Regional Cities
    Mason offers affordable transportation to regional cities for Spring Break. Shuttles will depart from the Fairfax Campus (Finley Lot) on Friday, March 6 and return on Sunday, March 15. Destinations include Hampton, Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Richmond in Virginia, as well as Philadelphia and New York. A complete list of destinations, departure times, and pickup locations is available at shuttle.gmu.edu or directly at Spring Break Regional Transportation. Please encourage your student to book their seat early as tickets can sell out.
  • Ridesharing with Zimride
    Ridesharing is a great and affordable way to travel home or anywhere for breaks. Zimride is the University’s free rideshare network for students, staff, and faculty. Your student can sign up with their Mason NetID to find others in the area with whom to carpool and save money on gas.
  • Zipcar
    Does your student need a car? Mason has multiple Zipcar vehicles on campus on Mason Pond Drive and the ground floor of Rappahannock River Parking Deck, which can be rented by the hour or the day. Sign up at Mason Zipcar. Gas and insurance are included in the rental rate.
  • Burke Centre VRE and AMTRAK
    Mason’s Burke Centre VRE Shuttle travels from the Fairfax campus to the Burke train station Monday-Friday, and students can take a connecting Amtrak or VRE train from there. Burke is on the VRE Manassas line.
  • Area Airports
    For directions on how to use alternative transportation to get to area airports, please visit Airport Transportation.
    • Online Transportation Network Company services, e.g. Uber or Lyft
      Uber and Lyft are taxi services that provide on-demand rides. The applications are available for android and iPhone. These are great options for making connections for travel to/from the airport.

Alternative Transportation at Mason
About 28% of the University’s greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation. That means every Mason community member has the power to help lower that number. Below are a few transportation tips to share with your student for a green and affordable commute to campus:

  • Burke Centre VRE Shuttle
    Mason has six different shuttle routes to on-campus and off-campus locations, including to/from the Burke Centre VRE station. Free garage parking is available at the VRE station. The shuttle runs Monday through Friday. Mason also has a shuttle, the Gunston Go-Bus, that travels to a number of area shopping centers.  Visit shuttle.gmu.edu for more information.
  • Car Pooling
    Mason offers students two different car pool options:
    Car Pool Zones: Designated spaces in Lot A or Rappahannock Deck, Monday-Friday, 7-11am.
    Car Pool Formal: Some paperwork, conditions apply, but your student can earn a rebate on their parking at the end of the semester.
  • Bike to Mason Day: Mason was recently renamed a bicycle-friendly university. Students are changing bike culture across the nation. Bike to Mason Day celebrates existing cyclists and invites all to try biking to campus. The event takes place during Earth Week in April and participants are greeted with a breakfast, a complimentary bike check and goodies. Students can also register their bike to receive a free U-lock, bike lights, and safety information. Don’t have a bike?  Check out one of the Patriot Bikes from the RAC or the AFC. No cost and it comes with a helmet and lock.  Details on biking programs are available at bike.gmu.edu

Mason Transportation Updates
For any Mason transportation questions, visit transportation.gmu.edu or call 703-993-2828. You and your student can also keep up with parking and transportation news on social media:

Twitter: @MasonShuttles and @MasonParking

Facebook: Mason Parking and Transportation

Janet Walker
Transportation Programs Manager
Parking and Transportation

*To receive more articles like this straight to your inbox, sign up for the Mason Family Association at masonfamily.gmu.edu/mason-family-association.