Getting Around Buffalo

Preconference

The preconference venue, Diefendorf Hall, is several miles away from the main conference area (7 miles/11 km) at the University at Buffalo’s South Campus. Transportation to Diefendorf Hall can be done via taxi/rideshare, but is most easily accomplished via Buffalo’s Metro Rail streetcar/subway system. People who use rideshare apps to go to Diefendorf Hall should use the address 140 Diefendorf Loop, Buffalo, NY 14214. A rideshare fare from the Hyatt to Diefendorf might cost from $15-40. The Metro Rail costs $2.

The NFTA Metro Rail outbound to the University station takes around 15 minutes, but the service operates infrequently on the weekends. See https://metro.nfta.com/schedules/route/145/timetable for schedules (outbound to university). Attendees of workshops on Saturday will need to take the 12:09pm or 12:24pm train. Attendees of the all-day workshops on Sunday will need to take the 7:54am or 8:15am trains. Attendees of the new member session should take the 3:54pm or 4:14pm train. Those picking up badges should arrive at Diefendorf no later than 7pm.

During the conference

The easiest way to move between the conference hotels and the morning plenaries at Babeville is to walk; the Hyatt is a 12 minute walk (.5 mile/800m). The walk from Babeville to Jacobs is similarly 16 minutes walk (.7 mile/1km). We will have a bus shuttle running from the Hyatt to Babeville and Babeville to Jacobs in the mornings for those with mobility limitations starting at 8am.

A second option is to use the Reddy Bikeshare system. Reddy’s service area includes all of the conference venues.

Participants may also find the Metro Rail useful for moving between the main parallel session venue (Jacobs School of Medicine at the UB Downtown campus, Allen St/Medical Campus station) to the Hyatt or the restaurants on Chippewa St (Fountain Plaza station); this trip takes 3 minutes each way. A PDF schedule for Metro Rail is available at https://metro.nfta.com/legacy/metro/pdfs/145.pdf

See the list below for closest Metro Rail stops for each conference hotel:

• Hyatt: Fountain Plaza
• Wyndham: Allen St/Medical Campus (or use the free local hotel shuttle)
• Residence Inn: Allen St/Medical Campus
• Hampton Inn: Fountain Plaza
• Courtyard Marriott: Church St (or Canalside/Erie Canal with a transfer at Church St)
• Buffalo Marriott at LECOM Harborcenter: Church St (or Canalside/Erie Canal with a transfer at Church St)

The Metro Rail tram/subway is free (no fares) above ground (including the Fountain Plaza station), but requires payment of fares underground (including all trips that end or begin at University Station or Allen St Station at Jacobs). Fares may be purchased from vending machines at the stations, but the Transit app (https://transitapp.com) or the MetGo app (https://metgo.nfta.com) allow purchasing with credit cards on your smartphone. First, make sure you have the relevant app installled and an account created; then use your credit card while online to purchase a ticket; and finally, you must activate the ticket before use. Activation of tickets requires a live internet connection and should be done before the train goes underground where there is no mobile internet. You will receive a QR code that needs to be scanned to enter or exit the system. For more information about Metro Rail fares, see https://metro.nfta.com/fares/fare-info.

People who require disability accommodations on NFTA can follow the instructions at https://metro.nfta.com/special-services/paratransit under “Visitor Eligibility”.