Bus division of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority managing bus routes in Boston metropolitan area
MBTA Bus Division| Company type | Division |
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| Industry | Public transportation |
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| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
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Area served | Boston metropolitan area |
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| Products | Bus transit services (151 routes) |
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| Owner | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) |
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| Website | www.mbta.com/bus |
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The MBTA bus division of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority manages 151 routes throughout the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan region. Each route offers connections to MBTA subway, MBTA Commuter Rail, or other MBTA bus lines. The majority of these routes have their origins in historic streetcar networks operated by the Boston Elevated Railway and suburban transit firms such as the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway and the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway. The MBTA operates 147 of these routes directly, while four are managed by private contractors. Additionally, four suburban services receive partial funding from the MBTA.
As of 2024, local bus fares are set at $1.70 for a one-way trip. The Silver Line waterfront services (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) apply the standard subway fare of $2.40. Express buses feature two fare zones: a local portion charging the standard local fare and an express highway segment costing $4.25 per one-way ride.
Service interruptions occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic but were mostly resolved by 2021; however, some routes remain out of operation. Since 2018, the MBTA has been undertaking a comprehensive redesign of its bus network aimed at enhancing service frequency and operational efficiency, with full rollout anticipated by 2028. The first phase of changes commenced in December 2024.
Silver Line
The Silver Line comprises six bus rapid transit (BRT) routes promoted as a rapid transit option. It is divided into two segments: the Waterfront service (SL1, SL2, SL3, and the rush-hour SLW shuttle) which travels through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and the Washington Street service (SL4 and SL5) that operates on surface streets. Waterfront routes charge fares aligned with subway pricing; meanwhile, Washington Street routes maintain regular bus fare levels. All Silver Line vehicles are articulated buses measuring 60 feet in length; those on Waterfront routes utilize hybrid buses capable of electric operation within tunnels.
The SL5 route was introduced in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated. The Shuttle service began in 2004, followed later that year by SL2 and SL3. SL1 launched in 2005 with dual-mode buses entering service. After plans for a tunnel extension were abandoned, SL4 started operating in 2009. A new SL3 route connecting to Chelsea was inaugurated in 2018.
Crosstown
The MBTA operates two crosstown (CT) routes providing limited-stop service that links key subway stations and major bus transfer hubs. Initially launched with three routes in 1994, route CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
1–121
These routes cover almost all local transit within the metropolitan center, many originating from the streetcar lines of the Boston Elevated Railway. Arranged approximately in a clockwise manner from the southeast to the northeast, these services have largely persisted through organizational changes from BERy to the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1947, and later to the MBTA in 1964. Additional routes were introduced during both the M.T.A. and MBTA periods.
Seven routes— , , , , , , and —operate in the western suburban areas including Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These lines stem from former Middlesex and Boston Street Railway routes acquired in 1972 and were reassigned numbers previously retired.
A group of fourteen routes— , , , , , , , , , , , , , and —were identified as key bus routes in 2004. These high-ridership lines complement the subway system by offering frequent service to the most densely populated urban zones. Beginning in 2024, the MBTA’s Bus Network Redesign is eliminating the key route designation while broadening the network of frequent service lines. Notably, routes 28 and 39 operate with 60-foot articulated buses.
Four early morning round trips (routes 191–194) provide connections between outlying stations and over multiple local services, primarily intended for station staff but accessible to all riders.
... [list truncated for brevity] ...
131–137
Routes numbered 131 through 137 serve the Melrose vicinity and trace their origins to former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that became part of the MBTA system in 1968. The now-defunct routes 136 and 137 once extended briefly to Lowell and Lawrence during MBTA operation. Initially, Route 132 was run by Service Bus Lines before MBTA assumed control in 1975.
171
Route 171 functions as a limited-service substitute for early morning CT3 service, having been shortened from its previous extension to Logan Airport in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series were short-lived lines serving industrial areas.
201–202
Originally established by the M.T.A. in 1962 as the 20 belt route, combining BERy's routes 20 and 21, these services were renumbered to 201 and 202 in 2005 to better distinguish the loop travel directions.
210–245
Operating primarily around Quincy, Massachusetts, routes numbered 210 through 245 originated from former lines of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway, which the MBTA incorporated in 1968. After the gradual launch of the Red Line's Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these routes were adjusted to terminate at rapid transit stations, predominantly at .
350–354
These routes service the Burlington and Woburn regions, tracing their origins back to the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell–Boston line, which was acquired by the MBTA in 1968 and subsequently shortened to serve Burlington.
411–465
Serving Lynn and the North Shore region, these routes incorporate lines formerly operated by Service Bus Lines (routes 411, 430), which were acquired in 1975, along with those from the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway obtained in 1968. On weekends, shortened trips marked with a W suffix conclude at Wonderland station.
501–558
These express routes provide service between Newton and downtown Boston utilizing the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Initiated during the 1960s to capitalize on the turnpike's extension into Boston, the 500 series also incorporates former Middlesex and Boston Street Railway routes (550 series), which were integrated into the MBTA in 1972 and shortened back to Newton Corner as of 2020.
Roberts (Brandeis/Roberts station) to Newton Corner
Waverley Square to Newton Corner
Waltham Highlands to Newton Corner
Riverside station to Newton Corner
| Route
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Description
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MBTA link
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| 501
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Brighton Center to Federal Street & Franklin Street in the Financial District, Boston
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Template:MBTA bus EL
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| 504
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Watertown Yard to Federal Street & Franklin Street in Boston’s Financial District
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Template:MBTA bus EL
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| 505
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Waltham Center to Federal Street & Franklin Street in Boston’s Financial District
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Template:MBTA bus EL
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Privately operated routes
The MBTA provides partial funding for suburban bus routes beyond its primary service area that connect with MBTA transit options. Routes 712 through 716 are radial commuter lines formerly managed by private companies—specifically, Rapid Transit Inc. operated routes 712 and 713, Nantasket Transportation ran route 714, and Hudson Bus Lines managed route 716.
Local circulator routes without assigned numbers are established by municipalities and receive some MBTA financial support. Except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is managed by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, all these routes are run by private contractors.
