Bus network operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan area
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Bus Network| Company type | Public transportation |
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| Industry | Public transit |
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| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
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Area served | Boston metropolitan area, Massachusetts |
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| Products | Bus services, including local, express, Silver Line BRT |
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| Owner | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority |
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| Parent | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority |
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| Website | mbta.com/bus |
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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's bus network encompasses 151 routes throughout the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan region, all of which provide connections to the MBTA subway, MBTA Commuter Rail, or other MBTA bus lines. A majority 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 Middlesex and Boston Street Railway. While the MBTA directly manages 147 routes, four are operated under contract by private entities. Additionally, four suburban bus services receive partial funding from the MBTA.
As of 2024, local bus fares stand at $1.70 per one-way trip. The Silver Line waterfront routes (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) apply the subway fare of $2.40. Express buses charge a two-tier fare structure: a local fare for community segments and an elevated $4.25 fare for express portions traveling via highway into downtown Boston.
Although service levels were interrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, operations largely resumed to pre-pandemic standards by 2021; however, some routes have yet to be reinstated. Since 2018, the MBTA has been developing a comprehensive redesign of its bus network, targeting completion by 2028, with initial modifications commencing in December 2024.
Silver Line
The Silver Line operates as a six-route bus rapid transit system designed to function similarly to rapid transit services. It consists of two primary segments: the Waterfront branch (SL1, SL2, SL3, and the rush-hour SLW shuttle), which runs through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and the Washington Street branch (SL4 and SL5), which travels along surface streets. Waterfront routes require payment of subway fares, whereas Washington Street routes charge standard bus fares. All Silver Line vehicles are articulated buses; those serving the Waterfront are hybrids equipped with extended battery capabilities for electric operation within tunnels.
The SL5 route was introduced in 2002 as a replacement for the former Washington Street Elevated. The SLW shuttle service began in 2004, alongside the initial SL2 and original SL3 routes introduced that same year. The SL1 route started in 2005 employing dual-mode buses. Following cancellation of a Phase III tunnel project, the SL4 launched in 2009. A new SL3 alignment serving Chelsea commenced operations in 2018.
Crosstown
The two crosstown (CT) lines provide limited-stop service linking key subway stations and major bus transfer hubs. Initially, three crosstown routes were launched by the MBTA in 1994; however, route CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
1–121
These routes cover nearly all local transit within the metropolitan center, with the majority originally established as Boston Elevated Railway streetcar lines. Numbered approximately in a clockwise sequence from the southeast to the northeast, they have largely remained consistent since the BERy period, despite some consolidations and expansions during the M.T.A. and MBTA administrations.
Seven routes – , , , , , , and – serve the western suburbs such as Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These lines trace their origins to routes acquired from the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway in 1972 and were reassigned using previously retired numbers.
Fourteen routes – including , , , , , , , , , , , , , and – were identified as key bus routes in 2004. These heavily utilized lines complement the subway network by offering frequent service to the most densely populated urban zones. Beginning in 2024, the MBTA’s Bus Network Redesign is gradually replacing the key bus route classification with a more inclusive frequent route network. Routes 28 and 39 operate with 60-foot articulated buses.
Four early morning round-trip services (191–194) link outlying stations with via multiple local routes. Primarily intended for station personnel but accessible to all riders, these trips are listed as variants of standard local routes.
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131–137
Routes numbered 131 through 137 operate in the Melrose vicinity, originating from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were incorporated into the MBTA system in 1968. The now-discontinued routes 136 and 137 once extended to their original endpoints in Lowell and Lawrence. Route 132 was initially run by Service Bus Lines prior to MBTA assuming control in 1975.
171
Route 171 offers limited early morning trips replacing the CT3 service that was reduced from Logan Airport in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series generally provided short-term service focused on industrial zones.
201–202
Originating from the BERy routes and established by the M.T.A. in 1962 as the 20 belt route, this service was restructured in 2005 into Routes 201 and 202 to better distinguish the directions of the loop.
210–245
Serving the Quincy, Massachusetts region, Routes 210 through 245 are based on former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were incorporated in 1968. After the Red Line’s Braintree Branch opened incrementally during the 1970s and 1980s, these routes were adjusted to conclude at rapid transit stations, predominantly .
350–354
These routes cover the Burlington and Woburn areas, tracing their origins back to the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway’s Lowell–Boston line, which was taken over by the MBTA in 1968 and subsequently shortened to Burlington.
411–465
Serving Lynn and the North Shore area, these routes encompass former Service Bus Lines paths acquired in 1975 (routes 411 and 430) along with mainly Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines dating back to 1968. On weekends, abbreviated versions of these routes bearing the W suffix conclude at Wonderland station.
501–558
These express routes provide transit between Newton, Massachusetts and downtown Boston via the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Originating in the 1960s to take advantage of the turnpike's extension, the 500 series includes services initially operated by the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway, which the MBTA absorbed in 1972. Since 2020, routes in the 550 series have been shortened to terminate at Newton Corner.
Privately operated routes
The MBTA provides partial funding for suburban bus routes beyond its primary service zone that connect with MBTA transit facilities. Routes 712 through 716 are radial commuter services originally operated by private companies—specifically, Rapid Transit Inc. managed routes 712 and 713, Nantasket Transportation handled route 714, and Hudson Bus Lines ran route 716 before acquisition.
Unnumbered routes serve as local circulators created by municipalities with some financial assistance from the MBTA. Except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is managed by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, all these services are privately run under contractual agreements.
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