The Boston Subway

Getting around on the Boston T

Next to walking, the Boston subway - locally called the "T" - is the easiest way to get around the city.

Inside a car on the T's Red Line, photographed between Harvard Square and Porter Square

Dating from 1897, the Boston subway is the oldest in the United States - and once you ride on it, this fact will not surprise you.  Compared with newer subway systems in other American cities and around the world, this cornerstone of the Boston public transportation system is downright shabby.

But despite being old and quirky, the Boston subway offers many benefits: 

• You can easily reach most tourist-related areas by T.  Even those neighborhoods without their own T stations, such as the North End, most of the South End, and parts of Charlestown, are still within just a short walk away from one, plus they do have Boston MBTA bus service.
• Boston's T is relatively cheap compared with subways in some other U.S. cities such as Washington D.C.
• You can get a 1-day ($9) or 7-day ($15) visitor pass for unlimited use on the subway, local buses, Inner Harbor ferry, and Zone 1A of the Commuter Rail.  (Pick one up right at the station - more info.)  Or, you can get a stored value card called the "CharlieCard" which gives you a 15% discount.  Pick one up in most stations (they're free) or order one online pre-loaded from the MBTA website.
• Taking the Boston subway, when possible, almost always beats driving and parking in the city - unless you have lots of patience, a chauffeur, and bundles of money to spend in parking garages

Once you get used to its quirks, the T is actually easy to use. 

Compared with subways in other U.S. cities, Boston's subway is my hands-down favorite - even with its quirks.

Essentials about the Boston subway

The T's 5 color-coded lines - Red, Green, Orange, Blue, and Silver - serve many (but not all) Boston neighborhoods plus parts of Cambridge, Somerville, Revere, Malden, Brookline, Newton, Milton, and Quincy. 

As you can see, the western end of the Green Line has several branches (B, C, D, E - that's right, no A) and the southern end of the Red Line has 2 branches (Mattapan and Braintree).  If you're taking one of the lines with branches, be sure to check the sign at the front of the first car to verify the destination.

The Silver Line of the Boston subway consists of 2 sections, with 2 routes each. 

One section (SL1 and SL2) provides service from South Station to Logan Airport (SL1) and from South Station to several points in South Boston, including the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal and the Institute of Contemporary Art (SL2). 

Because the SL 1 and SL2 buses travel partly underground as well as on surface roads, MBTA classifies them as part of the subway system.  Most Bostonians think of them as buses, because that's what they are.

The other 2 Silver Line section (SL 4 and SL5; and no, there's no SL 3 at this point) uses buses and only above-ground roads, and MBTA considered its routes as part of the bus system, which makes sense.  The SL 4 and SL 5 routes provide service between South Station and Dudley Square in Roxbury, traveling along Washington Street in the South End.

Boston subway's Green Line Trolley, photographed on Huntington Ave in the Fenway neighborhood

All of the Boston subway lines have some above-ground stations.  As you might imagine, this slows the progress of the trains, especially the Green Line, as cars and pedestrians cross the tracks in front of them. 

Actually, only the Red, Orange, and Blue lines have subway cars that are trains.  The Green Line has trolleys, which are considered light rail. The Silver Line uses regular buses and duel-fuel (diesel and electric) buses.

Most of the time, Boston's subway system is fairly efficient, except for when breakdowns or other delays occur.  A fast, heavy snowstorm, for example, can bring the above-ground sections to a halt.

As you can see from the MBTA map, additional lines weave in and out among the subway lines.  Some of these are bus routes, and some are the commuter rail lines.  The blue lines on the right side of the map represent the Boston ferry service in the Inner and Outer Boston Harbor. 

Where to find the MBTA map and essential information online

You can access the MBTA map and related information about the Boston subway on line at the MBTA website.  Bookmark this essential link that you need for T information:   MBTA map   

Rather than repeat information that you can easily find on the MBTA map, I'll give you a quick tour of the useful information, and also point out what you can safely ignore.

Click on the MBTA map.  See the tab near the top marked "Interactive Street Map"?  Click on that, zoom in, and you can get street map views.  Find a specific address or neighborhood, and you can determine the closest subway, bus, and other public transportation options. 

Now, located the colored bars labeled "Red Line," "Orange Line," and so forth near the upper right corner.  Click on these, and you'll get station-specific information, including connecting bus lines, accessibility information, and parking information.  If you need accessibility, please note that a few stations are still not accessible.  

If you need to print a map, you'll find links to .pdf (printable) versions in the upper right corner.

You'll also see links to schedules in the upper right corner.  If you're visiting Boston from another country, you may be accustomed to subways, trains, and buses arriving and departing according to a  schedule.  Please be aware that doesn't happen here.  These Boston subway schedules are only useful for telling you approximate times when service starts and ends each day, and the intervals between stops that might occur if other things such as traffic backups don't happen.  Since delays and changes of various sorts do happen, the details of the schedules are meaningless. 

Haymarket Station, on the T's Orange and Green Lines

Very useful, though, are the station links on the right side of the screen. 

Click on any of them, and you'll get detailed information about things like how many bike spaces are available, a photo of the station, service alerts (if you need accessibility options such as working elevators, be sure to check these as elevators often don't work), and detailed trip planning information. 

The only thing that's missing is a description of the very cool public art found in and near some stations.

You'll also find T maps at several points in all subway stations and near bus stops on the Silver Line routes.

How much does the T cost?

If you're visiting Boston, you can save money by getting a Daily or Weekly pass which provides unlimited use of the Boston subway, local bus, Inner Harbor ferry, and commuter rail Zone 1A (which includes the stations in and very near the city). 

The $9 1-day pass may not be worthwhile unless you're planning more than 5-6 T rides over the course of one day (keep in mind that the city is so compact that walking is faster than the T for short distances).  However, the $15 7-day pass can potentially save you a lot of money if you're planning even a couple of T rides per day during the course of a week. 

You can find more - much, much more - information about fares on the MBTA website.  The best page for finding an overview is:  Boston Subway fares and passes  

More important things to know about Boston's T

Boston subway hours

Operating hours vary slightly by line.  The earliest morning departure time is 5:01am, and the latest evening (early morning, actually) departure time is 1:05am. 

This link to the T Frequency Schedule will give you the big picture and "peak" vs "non-peak" hours for each line, as well as the scheduled interval between trains for various periods within the day.  Like the schedules for each line, the Frequency Schedule isn't necessarily accurate but it will give you a general idea of what to expect, especially if you're planning to use the T on the weekend when service is sparse on some lines.

Tip:  If you're planning to enjoy some of Boston's nightlife and then return to your hotel on the T, remember that bars can stay open until 2.  Your last drink will probably need to be well before last call . . . unless you want to call a cab.

Inbound vs Outbound

Outbound sign at a Silver Line stop on Washington Street in Boston's South End

Go to any Boston subway station and you'll see signs and hear announcements about "Inbound" and "Outbound" service.  You might logically infer that trains going in toward the center of Boston are "Inbound" and going out are "Outbound." 

That's more or less true, but because there's no central station where all lines converge, the switch from Outbound to Inbound occurs at various points:

• Green Line and Blue Line:  Toward Government Center is Inbound; away is Outbound
• Red Line:  Toward Park Street is Inbound; away is Outbound
• Orange Line:  Toward Downtown Crossing is Inbound: away is Outbound
• Silver Line:  Toward South Station is Inbound; away is Outbound

Your best strategy?  Look carefully at the sign in the front car to see the end point where the train is going. 

The T on Google Maps

Google Maps have been upgraded to include detailed T information - quite cool!  So instead of finding your destination on the MBTA map, you can simply search by address in Google.  However, the MBTA website's has much more extensive information that's not on Google . . . yet.

Customer service by telephone

If you can't find the Boston subway information that you need on the MBTA website or if you'd simply prefer to speak with someone in person, you can get customer support by phone during certain hours. 

MBTA customer support representatives are available by phone on Monday through Friday 6:30am to 8:00pm, and Saturday-Sunday from 7:30am to 6:00pm.

Customer support phone numbers:  617-222-3200; 800-392-6100
Deaf or hard of hearing:  TTY 617-222-5146
Accessibility hotline for elevator/escalator/lift updates:  800-392-6100 - press 6 

Boston Subway FAQs

Here are a few FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) based on questions that I've received about Boston's T:

Can you bring your pet on the T?

Yes, with some restrictions. 

During "peak" hours, when traffic is busiest, you can bring what MBTA calls "small domestic" animals in lap-sized containers. 

During "off-peak" hours, you can bring non-service dogs at the discretion of the T operators.  The dogs must be on a leash, and must not annoy other passengers or take up a seat.

The well-behaved cutie in this photo, taken on the Red Line, provided lots of entertainment for the passengers.

The T welcomes service animals at all times.

Check the MBTA website to read all the details of their pet policy MBTA website. and definition of peak vs non-peak hours for each line.

Can you bring your bicycle on the T?

The short answer is that during non-peak hours, yes.  A number of restrictions apply, so you should check the MBTA bicycle guidelines carefully.  My impression is that policy is evolving rather quickly as more and more people are using bikes for transportation and the T finds ways to accommodate them, so you should check the MBTA policy periodically for updates if you want to bring a bicycle.

Bike cages at the Red Line's Alewife station have proven so popular that cages have just been added at the Forest Hills station.  Funding for more bike parking facilities has just become available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - so stay tuned for future developments as the Boston subway becomes even more bike-friendly.

Bicycle rider heading toward Charles - MGH station on Boston T - photographed from Charles Street on Beacon Hill