Bus system operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the Boston metropolitan area
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Bus System| Company type | Public transit agency |
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| Industry | Public transportation |
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| Predecessor | Boston Elevated Railway, Metropolitan Transit Authority, Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway, Middlesex and Boston Street Railway, Service Bus Lines |
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| Founded | 1964 |
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| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
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Area served | Boston metropolitan region |
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| Products | Bus transit services, including local bus routes, express routes, Silver Line BRT |
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| Website | mbta.com |
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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus system manages 151 routes throughout the Boston metropolitan region, providing connections to MBTA subway lines, Commuter Rail services, and other bus networks. The majority of these routes evolved from former streetcar corridors or suburban transit companies such as the Eastern Massachusetts and Middlesex and Boston Street Railway. Of the total routes, the MBTA operates 147 directly, while four are run by private contractors; additionally, four suburban routes receive partial MBTA funding.
As of 2024, the standard fare for local bus rides is $1.70 per trip. The Silver Line waterfront services (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) apply the higher subway fare of $2.40. Express bus routes feature a two-tier fare system: passengers pay the local rate for travel within local zones and $4.25 for express segments on highways.
Bus service experienced interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic but was largely restored to pre-pandemic service levels by 2021, although some routes remain inactive. Since 2018, the MBTA has been engaged in a comprehensive bus network overhaul anticipated to conclude by 2028. The first phase commenced in December 2024, targeting improvements in route efficiency and frequency.
Silver Line
The Silver Line comprises six routes operating as a bus rapid transit (BRT) system branded as rapid transit. It consists of two main segments: the Waterfront branch (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW shuttle), which travels through the South Boston Transitway tunnel and charges subway fares; and the Washington Street branch (SL4, SL5), which runs on surface streets with standard bus fares. All Silver Line buses are articulated 60-foot vehicles; those on Waterfront routes utilize hybrid models equipped with extended battery capacity to operate electrically within tunnels.
The SL5 route replaced the Washington Street Elevated train line in 2002. The Shuttle service began in 2004, followed by SL2 and a previous iteration of SL3 that same year; SL1 started in 2005 using dual-mode buses capable of electric tunnel operation. The SL4 route launched in 2009 after plans for a tunnel extension were canceled. In 2018, a new SL3 route connecting to Chelsea was introduced.
Crosstown
The MBTA operates two crosstown (CT) routes that provide limited-stop service linking key subway stations and major bus transfer points. Initially launched in 1994 with three routes, one (CT1) was merged into route 1 in 2019.
Routes 1–121
The bulk of local transit service within Boston’s core area is provided by routes numbered between 1 and 121, many of which originated from Boston Elevated Railway streetcar lines. These numbers are generally assigned in a clockwise direction from southeast to northeast, covering areas from South Boston (#4) through East Boston (#121). The Boston Elevated Railway transitioned into the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1947 before becoming part of the MBTA in 1964. Although there have been some consolidations and additions over time, much of this foundational network remains intact.
Seven routes— , , , , , , and —serve western suburban communities such as Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These lines trace back to services acquired from the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway in 1972 and were assigned numbers previously unused.
In 2004, fourteen lines— , , , , , , , , , , , , , and —were designated as key bus routes due to their high ridership and role in supplementing subway service with frequent trips to densely populated urban neighborhoods. The ongoing Bus Network Redesign initiative starting in 2024 is phasing out the "key bus route" label while broadening the network of frequent service corridors. Notably, routes 28 and 39 operate with articulated buses measuring 60 feet.
Additionally, four early-morning round trips run over segments of multiple local routes between outlying stations and . Primarily intended for station agents but available to all riders, these trips are internally numbered 191 through 194 but appear as variants of local routes on schedules.
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131–137
Routes numbered 131 through 137 primarily serve the Melrose vicinity, originating from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were incorporated into the MBTA in 1968. The now-defunct routes 136 and 137 once extended temporarily to Lowell and Lawrence while under MBTA operation. Initially, route 132 was managed by Service Bus Lines until the MBTA assumed control in 1975.
171
Route 171 functions as a limited early morning service, substituting for the former CT3 extension to Logan Airport that was discontinued in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series were generally short-term services catering to industrial zones.
201–202
The original 20 belt route, created by the M.T.A. in 1962 from BERy routes, was restructured in 2005 into routes 201 and 202. This change aimed to clarify the loop directions serving Fields Corner.
210–245
The routes from 210 through 245 mainly operate within the Quincy area, tracing their roots back to Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines taken over by the MBTA in 1968. Following expansions of the Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these routes were adjusted to terminate at Red Line stations.
350–354
These routes operate in the Burlington and Woburn regions, originally part of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway’s Lowell–Boston corridor. The MBTA took over this line in 1968 and subsequently shortened it to Burlington.
411–465
These routes cover Lynn and the North Shore area, incorporating former Service Bus Lines routes (411, 430) acquired in 1975 alongside mainly Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway routes from 1968. On weekends, shorter trips identified with a W suffix end at Wonderland station.
501–558
These express services connect Newton with downtown Boston using the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Established during the 1960s to utilize the turnpike extension, the 500 series consists of routes originally run by the MBTA and former Middlesex and Boston Street Railway lines. While 550 series routes were extended into downtown Boston in the 1960s, they were shortened back to Newton Corner in 2020.
Privately operated routes
The MBTA provides partial subsidies for a number of suburban commuter lines located beyond its primary service zone, which connect to the MBTA transit network. Routes 712 through 716 were obtained from private companies such as Rapid Transit Inc., Nantasket Transportation, and Hudson Bus Lines. Furthermore, some municipally initiated local circulator routes benefit from MBTA funding support. Except for the Beverly Shuttle, managed by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, all these services are operated under private contracts.
| Route
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Description
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MBTA link
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| 501
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Federal Street & Franklin Street (Financial District, Boston)–Brighton Center
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Template:MBTA bus EL
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| 504
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Federal Street & Franklin Street (Financial District, Boston)–Watertown Yard
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Template:MBTA bus EL
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| 505
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Federal Street & Franklin Street (Financial District, Boston)–Waltham Center
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Template:MBTA bus EL
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