Bus routes operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the Boston metropolitan area
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Bus Routes| File:MBTA logo.svg MBTA logo |
| Company type | Public transit service |
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| Industry | Public transportation |
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| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
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Area served | Boston metropolitan area, Massachusetts, United States |
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| Products | Bus transit services, including local, express, crosstown, and bus rapid transit (Silver Line) |
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| Owner | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority |
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| Website | www.mbta.com/bus |
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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority manages 151 bus routes throughout the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan region. Each route provides connections to the MBTA subway, MBTA Commuter Rail, or other MBTA bus lines. The majority of these routes trace their origins to former streetcar services operated by the Boston Elevated Railway or suburban transit companies such as the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway and 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 financial support from the MBTA.
As of 2024, the standard fare for local buses is $1.70 per one-way trip. The Silver Line waterfront routes (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) apply the standard subway fare of $2.40. Express buses incorporate a two-part fare: the local segment is charged at the local fare rate, while the express highway portion costs $4.25.
Bus service experienced interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, with most routes restored to their previous levels by 2021; however, some remain out of service. Since 2018, the MBTA has been developing an extensive bus network overhaul scheduled for completion by 2028. The initial phase commenced in December 2024, focusing on increasing frequency and optimizing route efficiency.
Silver Line
The Silver Line consists of six routes operating as a bus rapid transit system promoted as rapid transit service. It features two main branches: Waterfront service (SL1, SL2, SL3, plus the rush-hour SLW shuttle) which travels through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and Washington Street service (SL4, SL5) that runs on surface streets. Waterfront routes charge fares equivalent to subway prices, whereas Washington Street routes utilize standard bus fares. All Silver Line vehicles are articulated buses measuring 60 feet in length; Waterfront services employ hybrid buses equipped with extended battery capacity to enable electric operation within tunnels.
The SL5 route was introduced in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated. The SLW shuttle started operating in 2004, followed by SL2 and the original SL3 also in 2004, with SL1 launching in 2005 featuring dual-mode buses. The SL4 route began service in 2009 after a planned tunnel project was canceled. A new SL3 route serving Chelsea opened in 2018.
Crosstown
The MBTA operates two crosstown (CT) routes that provide limited-stop service linking major subway stations and bus transfer hubs. Initially, three crosstown routes were launched by the MBTA in 1994; however, CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
1–121
These routes cover almost all local transit within the metropolitan center, with the majority originally established as Boston Elevated Railway streetcar lines. Arranged approximately in a clockwise sequence from the southeast to the northeast, this system has 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 suburban areas 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 numbers that had previously been retired.
In 2004, fourteen routes—including , , , , , , , , , , , , , and —were identified as key bus services. These heavily utilized routes provide frequent connections that complement the subway network, focusing on Boston’s most densely populated neighborhoods. Starting in 2024, the MBTA will phase out the "key bus route" label in favor of a more comprehensive frequent route system. Routes 28 and 39 operate using 60-foot articulated buses.
Four early morning round trips run between outlying stations and over segments of several local routes. Although primarily intended for station personnel, these trips are available to all riders. Internally numbered 191–194, they appear as variants of local routes in published schedules.
... [routes continued as listed] ...
131–137
Routes numbered 131 through 137 serve the Melrose region and originate from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines incorporated into the MBTA system in 1968. The now-discontinued routes 136 and 137 once extended service to Lowell and Lawrence under MBTA management. Route 132 was obtained from Service Bus Lines in 1975.
171
Route 171 provides limited service as a substitute for early morning CT3 trips that were truncated from Logan Airport in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series were short-term industrial shuttles.
201–202
The 20 belt route was formed by M.T.A. in 1962 by combining BERy’s routes 20 and 21; it was renumbered as routes 201 and 202 in 2005 to clearly distinguish loop directions.
210–245
The routes numbered 210 through 245 primarily operate within the Quincy, Massachusetts region. These lines were initially part of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway system before being integrated into the MBTA network in 1968. Following the inauguration of the Red Line's Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these services were adjusted to end at newly established rapid transit stations, predominantly .
350–354
Serving the Burlington and Woburn locales, routes 350 to 354 trace their origins to the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell to Boston line. This corridor was transferred to the MBTA in 1968 and subsequently shortened to terminate at Burlington.
411–465
Operating throughout Lynn and the North Shore region, these routes include two weekend-specific short-turn versions (marked with suffix W) that conclude at Wonderland. The 411 and 430 lines were incorporated into the MBTA system from Service Bus Lines in 1975, while other routes originated from Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway acquisitions in 1968.
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501–558
These express bus routes provide a connection between Newton and downtown Boston via the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Established in the 1960s to take advantage of the newly extended turnpike, the 500 series consists of routes initially operated by the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway. The MBTA assumed control in 1972, with some routes shortened as of 2020.
Privately operated routes
The MBTA provides subsidies for several suburban routes outside its primary service zone that link with MBTA transit. Routes 712 through 716 were acquired from private companies—Rapid Transit Inc. (712/713), Nantasket Transportation (714), and Hudson Bus Lines (716)—and function as radial commuter lines.
Additional local circulator services, initiated by municipalities and partially funded by the MBTA, are mostly operated by private contractors. The Beverly Shuttle is an exception, being managed by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority.
