The TOTAL TRIP COST on "The Trip Costs" page includes all your transportation costs from Boston, New York, or Hartford to your trip, all transportation during the trip (including air travel to and from Europe or the West Coast), and transportation at the end of the trip back to Boston, New York, or Hartford.

the starting point of your trip

A trip actually begins at the point where you take the SHP van to SHP headquarters in Conway, Massachusetts or, should you wish to drive to Conway, when you are dropped off at SHP headquarters.

taking the shp van to shp headquarters from boston or new york

SHP provides van transportation from Boston's Logan Airport, Hartford's Bradley Airport, Morristown, NJ, and the Rye, NY, train station to the starting point of our trips at SHP headquarters in Conway, MA.

A return card will be sent to you in the 2nd mailing which you'll get after you sign up. On this card you will specify your final plans for getting to SHP headquarters and getting home again from the trip ending point. Once we receive this card from you, SHP will make the arrangements to pick you up at the beginning of the trip.

shp van schedule information

You should plan on taking the SHP van to Conway on the first day listed for your trip in the trip description. SHP vans will make daily pick-ups (coinciding with our trip departure dates) of trippers and their bikes at the pick-up points as listed below. Complete details about the exact pick-up points, dates, and times will be mailed to you in the 2nd and 3rd mailings.

driving to conway

If you're driving to Conway, plan to arrive at SHP headquarters by 4:30 PM on the first day listed for your trip in the trip description. Conway is 40 miles north of Springfield, MA and 13 miles west of Exit 24 on Interstate 91.

flying into boston or hartford

You may fly into Boston's Logan Airport, Hartford's Bradley Airport, or Newark Airport. If possible, your flight should arrive 45 minutes to 1 hour before the SHP van pick-up time as listed. If you're flying into Logan Airport, an SHP representative will meet you at your flight's arrival gate if possible, or at baggage claim.

If you must use a flight that arrives at Logan Airport after 2:00 PM, or Hartford after 3:45 PM, SHP can arrange for a special pick-up. The cost for special pickup service at Logan Airport is $40; at Bradley Airport , $20.

Be sure to call SHP before buying any non-refundable air ticket.

credit for airfare when meeting your group at a point other than conway

If it is more convenient for you, you can meet the group at the first airport stop in the west or in Europe. In such a case, you would receive an airfare credit based on the unused portion of the budgeted airfare. Call SHP for details.

the ending point of your trip - getting home

Your trip cost already includes transportation to New York or Boston at the end of the trip. Your trip will actually end at either Boston's Logan Airport, Framingham, MA, or New York area's JFK or Newark Airports (as stated in the trip descriptions) at the point when your leaders are sure that your plane has actually taken off or you have been picked up by parents or relatives.

If your trip ends in Boston and you want to go on to the New York area, SHP vans provide return transportation to our New York area drop-off points (Rye and Newark Airport). The van will arrive in Rye at about 6:00 PM, and in Morristown, NJ at about 7:30 PM (depending, of course, on traffic conditions).

If your trip ends in New York and you want to go on to Boston, SHP can arrange a connecting flight for you. If you need to transfer to another New York area airport, SHP can arrange for the limo transfer (cost depends upon which airports are involved). Free transportation to Boston may be available on an SHP van: call SHP for details.

For trippers continuing on to other cities, our travel agent can arrange coordinating flights for you, although it is best to use your own travel agent (it is usually best to book your ticket arrangements through a travel agent rather than an airline). Details will be sent with your second mailing information.

special arrangements

Please call SHP for any special beginning-of-trip or end-of-trip arrangements that you might be considering (i.e. you live on the west coast and would like to fly in a day early to take advantage of cheaper airfares; your trip ends with a van ride from Hanover, NH to Boston but you'd rather have your parents pick you up in Hanover, etc.). Ask to speak with a Director.