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 9 and return on Sunday, March 18. Destinations include Charlottesville, Christiansburg, Hampton, Norfolk, 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. Please encourage your student to book their seat early as tickets can sell out. Note: We do not offer service to Dulles for spring break; information on alternate transportation to Dulles (and other area airports) is available at Airport Alternative Transportation.
• 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 now has six Zipcar vehicles on campus, 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, 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 Alternative 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.
• UNION Station in DC
Your student can board Amtrak and Marc trains, buses like Bolt Bus, Megabus, Greyhound, and Peter Pan, and get a rental car from Union Station in Washington, D.C.
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 Casual: 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, complimentary bike repair and goodies. Students can register their bike a bike.gmu.edu to receive a free U-lock, bike lights, and safety information.
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