Bus routes operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the Boston metropolitan area
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Bus Routes| Company type | Public transit service |
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| Industry | Public transportation |
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| Founded | 1964 |
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| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts , United States |
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Area served | Boston metropolitan region, Massachusetts |
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| Products | Bus transit services, including local routes, express buses, Silver Line BRT, and suburban routes |
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| Website | www.mbta.com/bus |
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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) manages 151 bus routes throughout the Boston metropolitan region in Massachusetts. Each route provides connections to the MBTA subway system, Commuter Rail lines, or other MBTA bus services. A significant number of these routes trace their origins to former streetcar lines operated by the Boston Elevated Railway or suburban transit companies such as the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway and the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway. Of these routes, 147 are directly run by the MBTA, while four are managed by private contractors; additionally, four suburban bus operations receive partial funding from the MBTA.
Most bus services require a local fare payment, which is $1.70 for a one-way trip as of 2024. The Silver Line waterfront routes (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) apply the standard subway fare of $2.40. Express buses charge a local fare for segments within neighborhoods and a higher fare of $4.25 for express trips into downtown Boston.
Service levels were significantly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic but have mostly returned to pre-pandemic standards by 2021, although certain routes remain suspended. Since 2018, the MBTA has been developing an extensive bus network redesign scheduled for completion in 2028, with initial modifications set to begin in December 2024.
Silver Line
The Silver Line is a bus rapid transit system consisting of six routes and is promoted as a rapid transit option. It features two main branches: the Waterfront service (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW), which operates through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and the Washington Street service (SL4, SL5), which runs on surface streets. The Waterfront routes charge fares consistent with subway pricing, whereas Washington Street routes maintain standard bus fares. All Silver Line vehicles are articulated buses measuring 60 feet in length; Waterfront buses are hybrid models equipped with extended battery capacity to enable electric operation within tunnels.
The SL5 route began service in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated rail line. The Shuttle route was introduced in 2004, followed by SL2 and the original SL3 later that year. SL1 started operations in 2005 using dual-mode buses. In 2009, SL4 was launched to substitute for a canceled tunnel project. A new SL3 route serving Chelsea commenced in 2018.
Crosstown
The two crosstown (CT) routes provide limited-stop service linking key subway stations and major bus transfer hubs. Initially launched with three routes in 1994, CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
1–121
These lines cover almost all local transit within the metropolitan center, with the majority originally established as streetcar routes under the Boston Elevated Railway. The BERy evolved into the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1947, which later transformed into the MBTA in 1964. Although there have been some consolidations and expansions, the fundamental network layout has stayed mostly unchanged since the BERy period.
Seven routes— , , , , , , and —serve the western suburban communities including Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These lines trace their origins to services acquired from the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway in 1972 and were assigned numbers that had previously been retired.
In 2004, fourteen routes—including , , , , , , , among others—were identified as key bus routes. These high-ridership corridors provide frequent service that complements the subway system by connecting Boston’s most densely populated zones. Beginning with the MBTA's Bus Network Redesign in 2024, this key route designation is being phased out in favor of a broader frequent route network. Notably, Routes 28 and 39 utilize 60-foot articulated buses.
There are four early-morning round trips operating between outlying stations and over segments of several local routes. These runs primarily serve station agents but are open to all riders; internally numbered 191–194, they appear as local route variants in official schedules.
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131–137
Routes numbered 131 through 137 operate within the Melrose region, stemming from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines absorbed into the MBTA system in 1968. The now-defunct routes 136 and 137 once extended service to their original endpoints in Lowell and Lawrence, respectively. Route 132 was incorporated from Service Bus Lines in 1975.
171
Route 171 functions as a limited early morning substitute for the discontinued CT3 service to Logan Airport since its cessation in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series were brief industrial shuttle services.
201–202
The original 20 belt route was created by the M.T.A. in 1962 by combining BERy's routes 20 and 21. This loop was split into routes 201 and 202 in 2005 to better distinguish between clockwise and counterclockwise directions.
210–245
Routes numbered 210 through 245 primarily cover the Quincy, Massachusetts region, tracing their origins to former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were integrated into the MBTA system in 1968. With the gradual inauguration of the Red Line's Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these routes were adjusted to conclude at rapid transit stations, predominantly at .
350–354
Serving the Burlington and Woburn regions, routes 350 to 354 stem from the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell to Boston corridor, which the MBTA acquired in 1968 and subsequently shortened to terminate in Burlington.
411–465
Operating within Lynn and the surrounding North Shore area, this group includes routes originally run by Service Bus Lines (notably 411 and 430), which became part of MBTA in 1975, as well as former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway routes incorporated in 1968. Weekend short-turn versions labeled with a W suffix terminate at Wonderland station.
501–558
The 500-series express buses provide direct service from Newton to Boston’s downtown area, utilizing the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) corridor. Established in the 1960s to take advantage of the turnpike’s extension, these routes offer a streamlined connection along this primary artery. The 550-series routes trace their origins to the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway lines that ran to Newton Corner, which were extended into downtown Boston during the 1960s and later integrated into the MBTA system in 1972; however, in 2020, these routes were shortened to terminate again at Newton Corner.
Privately operated routes
Beyond its core network, the MBTA partially funds suburban routes that link outlying areas with its transit system. Radial commuter services numbered 712 through 716 were originally operated by private companies—Rapid Transit Inc. (routes 712 and 713), Nantasket Transportation (714), and Hudson Bus Lines (716)—before being acquired by the MBTA.
Local circulator routes without numerical designations are typically launched by municipalities with financial support from the MBTA. Most of these services are managed by private contractors, with the exception of the Beverly Shuttle, which is run by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority.
Remaining privately operated services include:
- BED: Bedford Local Transit – managed by Town of Bedford
- BEV: Beverly Shuttle – operated by Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA)
- LEX: Lexington Lexpress (comprising four routes) – overseen by Town of Lexington
- MIS: Mission Hill LINK – run by volunteers
Through these collaborations with private entities and municipal agencies, the MBTA expands its service footprint into suburban and neighborhood markets, thereby strengthening regional transit accessibility.
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