Podcast Tour Boston: The Big Dig's 22 Billion Dollar Story

Walk the path of a buried highway, guided by the voices of those who lived it

A self-guided podcast tour of Boston covering 4.1 km and seven stops in about two hours, following the route of the Big Dig: the most expensive highway project in American history. The app delivers immersive audio from experts and locals, precise navigation between stops, and answers to questions about the engineering and the neighborhoods reshaped by the project. Children from age 13 are welcome. The tour suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Boston's Big Dig landmarks

• View Zakim Bridge northern gateway
• Visit North End green space
• Walk waterfront park by harbor
• See subway station engineering site
• Explore financial district Greenway
• Visit major transit hub engineering site
• End at Greenway southern terminus

The experience

The Big Dig buried an elevated highway that had divided Boston for decades. This tour walks the actual path where that green concrete monster once stood, from the Zakim Bridge in the North End down to the Greenway's southern end. You navigate yourself using the app, which feeds you podcast-style audio at each of the seven stops: no guide walking alongside you, no fixed departure time. The story unfolds through the voices of engineers who froze earth and moved mountains of dirt, and residents who watched their neighborhoods get cut off and then reconnected.

What makes this route distinct is what it makes visible: the Zakim Bridge marking the project's scale; the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a lush park that now physically reconnects the North End to downtown; a waterfront site where pedestrian access to Boston's harbor was restored; the subway station that engineers suspended while they dug a massive tunnel beneath it; and the financial district's Greenway, where food trucks and murals now occupy space that was once a dark concrete wasteland. The southern terminus tells a different story: one of community resistance to the highway and the gentrification pressures that followed its removal.

The app handles navigation between stops and lets you ask questions about what you're seeing and hearing. You move at your own pace, which means you can linger at a stop or move through quickly. The tour runs about two hours for the full distance, though you can break it into sections. Service animals are welcome, and public transit options are nearby if you need them.

What’s included

• Podcast-style audio narration from experts and locals.
• interactive in-app guide for questions about the story and the sites.
• precise turn-by-turn navigation between the seven stops.
• access to the complete 4.1 km route through the North End, Greenway and financial district.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Under 13: can't be booked

Audio guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Red Thread

Is this one for you?This is a self-guided tour you control entirely. You start when you want, move at your own pace, and pause or skip stops as you choose. It suits anyone who prefers to explore without a guide's schedule or commentary, and who wants to hear directly from engineers and residents rather than a single narrator's interpretation of the Big Dig's story.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years). Children under 13 can't be included in the booking.

What exactly is the Big Dig, and why does this tour focus on it?

The Big Dig was the most ambitious and expensive highway project in American history: 22 billion dollars spent to bury an elevated interstate that had choked Boston for decades. This tour follows the actual path where that highway once stood, showing how engineers removed it and what the city looks like now.

Do I need a guide, or do I navigate on my own?

You navigate yourself using the app, which provides podcast-style audio at each stop featuring experts and locals explaining the engineering, the community impact and the transformation. There's no guide walking with you, so you set your own pace and timing.

How long does the full tour take, and can I do it in sections?

The complete route covers 4.1 km and takes about two hours. You can break it into shorter sections if you prefer, since you're self-guided and can start and stop whenever you want.

What happens at the seven stops along the route?

Each stop tells a different part of the Big Dig story: the Zakim Bridge showing the project's scale; the Rose Kennedy Greenway reconnecting the North End to downtown; a waterfront park restoring harbor access; the subway station that was suspended during tunnel construction; the financial district's Greenway with its murals and food trucks; South Station where engineers froze ground to work under active train tracks; and the southern terminus, where community resistance and ongoing gentrification struggles are part of the narrative.

Is this tour suitable for teenagers, and do I need to be fit to walk it?

Children from age 13 are welcome. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. It's a walk of 4.1 km over about two hours on city streets and parks, with no steep climbs or obstacles.

What do I need to bring or download to take this tour?

Download the app before you start. The tour includes the audio guide, interactive navigation, and in-app answers to questions about the story and surroundings. You'll need a phone with the app and a charged battery for the full two hours.