Guest Travel Information

aerial view of Yale University’s Schwarzman Center

As an invited guest speaker for one of our workshop series or a guest participant at one of our conference events, ISPS will cover the costs of your lodging in New Haven and your travel to Yale.  Please let us help you plan your trip.

Venue and Lodging

Most ISPS workshops and conferences are held on the Yale University campus at the Institution for Social and Policy Studies (ISPS) at 77 Prospect St., New Haven, Conn. Our main event spaces are located on the lower level of ISPS in classrooms A001 and A002.

Lodging will be provided at one of our premier hotels located in downtown New Haven near the Yale campus. Your hotel reservations will be booked in advance by ISPS staff who will confirm the specific hotel where you will be staying. All room and onsite parking charges are typically handled through a master rooming list and billed directly to our Yale account. Guest travelers should pay incidental charges at the time of check-out and submit receipts for any charges that are reimbursable under Yale policy.

Traveling to New Haven

ISPS will reimburse you for reasonable travel expenses (domestic/international airfare, rail, and connecting ground transportation) as outlined below. Please save all original receipts to submit following your visit.

Air Travel

New Haven is near five area airports.

Travelers are expected to select the least expensive airfare within the main cabin class (e.g., economy, coach) that is consistent with business requirements. Additional fees for checked luggage and seat selection within the main cabin class area are also allowed.  Generally, Yale University does not reimburse travelers for first-class travel, trip cancelation insurance, or refundable flight tickets unless an exception is approved in advance by the Yale Controller’s Office.

NOTE: New Haven is not the easiest place to get to by air. If you have any questions about the best airport to fly into or about connecting ground transportation, please reach out to a member of the ISPS staff for suggestions.

Amtrak Train Travel

Amtrak train service is available to New Haven Union Station along the northeast corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C. (and points in between). Travelers using Amtrak train service should book train fare that is consistent with business requirements.  Travelers are permitted to use business class train service, but first class train service is not allowed.

NOTE: If you are flying into Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), the airport has a direct connection to Amtrak train service.  Just be sure to leave ample time when scheduling connecting flights and trains.

Commuter Train Travel from New York City on Metro-North

Metro-North Railroad provides more frequent commuter train service between Grand Central Terminal in New York City and Union Station in New Haven. Visit their website for times and fares.

Connecting Ground Transportation

If you are flying into Tweed New Haven Airport or taking a train into New Haven Union Station, you will find a queue of taxis waiting just outside to take you to your hotel or to the Yale campus (approximately 10 minutes from Union Station or 15 minutes from Tweed Airport). You can also order a rideshare like Uber or Lyft if you prefer.

If you are flying into Bradley International Airport (BDL), we suggest a taxi or rideshare service for the estimated one-hour trip from Bradley to New Haven. However, if you are not comfortable with using a rideshare service, or if you have a flight arriving late at night or departing very early in the morning, please ask us about other private car service options for connecting ground transportation. Car rental is also possible with advance approval.

If you are flying into Newark International Airport (EWR), the airport has a direct connection to Amtrak rail service traveling to New Haven Union Station. Please leave ample time when scheduling connecting flights and trains.

If you are flying into one of the New York City airports (LaGuardia Airport/LGA or Kennedy Airport/JFK), please reach out to us about connecting ground transportation. We can assist you with arranging for private car service from New York to New Haven at a special Yale rate.

Other options include:

  • Taking a taxi to either Grand Central Terminal (commuter service on Metro-North Railroad) or to Penn Station (Amtrak) and catching a train to New Haven.
  • Shared shuttle services such as GO Airport Shuttle or Red Dot Airport Shuttle. (Be aware that shared shuttle rides will have multiple stops for multiple passengers and could take extra time.)
  • Car rental (if approved in advance)
Sunlight pours through a canopy of trees along the Rose Walk on Yale's campus

Car Rental

If you choose to rent a car, Yale will reimburse for the rental fee and gasoline if original, itemized receipts are submitted. Travelers should rent the most economical (compact or midsize) vehicle consistent with business needs and travel circumstances. Please approve the car rental in advance with a member of the ISPS staff.

NOTE: The University’s automobile insurance does not cover any outside consultants, independent contractors, vendors, visiting speakers, or anyone else who is not a student, postdoctoral fellow, or employee of the university. These individuals or the companies they represent must provide $1 million automobile liability and physical damage insurance to protect against accidents that can occur with the rental car while performing business for the university. This insurance can be provided via their own automobile insurance policy or by the companies that they represent or by purchasing the insurance from the rental car agency. The purchase of additional automobile insurance from the car rental company is not a reimbursable expense.

Personal Automobile Travel

If you are driving to New Haven in your own vehicle, car mileage will be reimbursed at a rate of $72.5 per mile (effective 1/1/2026).  Note that there is a limit on vehicle reimbursement of no more than the main cabin class airfare or train fare of a similar trip.

Parking

Most hotels in New Haven provide onsite parking that is covered directly on our Yale account. We recommend that you leave your car parked at the hotel garage and either walk or take a taxi/rideshare to ISPS, because parking on the Yale campus is limited and on-street parking can be expensive. If you must park on campus, please contact a member of the ISPS staff for options.

Local Ground Transportation

Taxi service in New Haven is available through M7 or Metro Taxi(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) by calling 203-777-7777.  Please call at least 20 minutes in advance of your departure time for pick up.

If you have a rideshare account with Uber or Lyft, those services are also available in New Haven as reliable sources of local ground transportation.

Meals

When meal expenses are allowed, ISPS will reimburse the cost of reasonable meal expenses during travel based on the submission of actual receipts.

Please retain all taxi, rideshare, or airport shuttle receipts for reimbursement after your trip.

Walking is also an option if weather permits.

Claiming Travel Reimbursement

Travel reimbursement will be based on the submission of actual receipts. Please submit receipts within three weeks from the end of your visit so that we can process your reimbursement in a timely manner. Photos of your receipts, scanned images of your receipts, or receipts forwarded from an email or as an attachment are acceptable as long as the file/image is legible and includes the total amount paid and the last four digits of your payment method. A member of the ISPS staff will be assigned to each conference or event and will provide the information you will need to submit your reimbursement request.