As of 2024, the standard fare for local bus rides is $1.70 per trip. The Silver Line services along the waterfront (routes SL1, SL2, SL3, and the SLW shuttle during peak hours) charge the subway fare of $2.40. Express buses incorporate a two-tier fare system: a local fare for regular segments and a premium $4.25 fare for travel on highway portions.
Bus service experienced significant interruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was largely reinstated to pre-pandemic capacity by 2021, although some routes continue to be suspended. Since 2018, the MBTA has been undertaking a comprehensive redesign of the bus network slated for completion by 2028, with initial modifications commencing in December 2024.
Silver Line
The Silver Line comprises six routes operating as a bus rapid transit system promoted as rapid transit service. It consists of two main branches: the Waterfront services (SL1, SL2, SL3, and the SLW shuttle during rush hours) that utilize the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and the Washington Street services (SL4 and SL5) that run on surface streets. The Waterfront routes apply subway fare pricing, whereas Washington Street routes charge standard bus fares. All Silver Line vehicles are articulated buses measuring 60 feet in length; those on Waterfront routes 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. The SLW shuttle was introduced in 2004, followed by SL2 and the original SL3 also in 2004, with SL1 launching in 2005 utilizing dual-mode buses. After plans for a tunnel extension were canceled, SL4 started operations in 2009. A new SL3 route connecting to Chelsea was inaugurated in 2018.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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Two crosstown (CT) routes provide limited-stop service linking key subway stations and bus transfer points. Originally launched in 1994 with three crosstown routes, route CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
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These routes cover almost the entire local transit service within the metropolitan core, many tracing their origins back to Boston Elevated Railway streetcar lines. Arranged approximately in a clockwise sequence from the southeast to the northeast, this network has largely persisted since the BERy period, despite some consolidations and expansions under the Metropolitan Transit Authority and MBTA administrations.
Seven routes—, , , , , , and —serve western suburban communities such as Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These lines stem from the 1972 acquisition of Middlesex and Boston Street Railway operations, which were subsequently renumbered.
Designated as key bus routes in 2004, fourteen lines—including , , , , , , , , , , , , , and —are among the highest ridership corridors. These routes provide frequent service to densely populated urban zones, effectively supplementing the subway system. Beginning in 2024, the MBTA’s Bus Network Redesign is replacing the key route classification with a broader frequent route network. Notably, routes 28 and 39 operate with 60-foot articulated buses.
A set of four early morning round trips (routes 191–194) connect peripheral stations with via multiple local lines; these trips primarily serve station staff but are accessible to all riders.
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Routes numbered 131 through 137 serve the Melrose region, originating from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were absorbed into the MBTA system in 1968. The now-defunct routes 136 and 137 once extended to their original endpoints in Lowell and Lawrence, respectively. Route 132 initially operated under Service Bus Lines before its integration into MBTA services in 1975.
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Route 171 functions as a limited early morning substitute for the CT3 service to Logan Airport, which was truncated in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series formerly served industrial districts but generally had short operational durations.
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Established by the M.T.A. in 1962, these routes originated from the former BERy lines 20 and 21, initially known as the "20 belt" loop. In 2005, they were renumbered as routes 201 and 202 to better indicate their travel directions.
Serving the Quincy region, routes numbered 210 through 245 trace their origins to former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were incorporated into the MBTA in 1968. Following the gradual inauguration of the Red Line's Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these routes were adjusted to primarily end at rapid transit stations such as .
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
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When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
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These routes cover the Burlington and Woburn localities and stem from the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell–Boston route. The MBTA took over this route in its entirety in 1968 before later shortening it to Burlington.
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Serving Lynn and the North Shore area, these routes include two with weekend short-turn options (designated by the W suffix) that terminate at Wonderland station. The 411 and 430 routes trace their origins to Service Bus Lines, which was acquired in 1975. Other routes in this group stem from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines purchased in 1968.
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Express services in this series link Newton with downtown Boston utilizing the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Introduced during the 1960s, the 500 routes were designed to take advantage of the newly extended turnpike. The 550 series originated from Middlesex and Boston Street Railway lines serving Newton Corner; these were extended downtown in the 1960s and integrated into the MBTA system in 1972. In 2020, these routes were shortened back to Newton Corner.
Route
Description
MBTA link
501
Brighton Center to Federal Street & Franklin Street in Boston’s Financial District
Roberts station (Brandeis/Roberts) to Newton Corner
Privately operated routes
The MBTA provides partial funding for several suburban routes beyond its main service region that connect with MBTA transit systems. The commuter lines numbered 712 through 716 were originally owned by private companies and later acquired: Rapid Transit Inc. operates routes 712 and 713, Nantasket Transportation runs route 714, and Hudson Bus Lines manages route 716.
In addition, local circulator services without route numbers, initiated by local governments, receive some MBTA financial support. These services are generally run by private contractors, except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is overseen by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
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From a page move: This is a redirect from a page that has been moved (renamed). This page was kept as a redirect to avoid breaking links, both internal and external, that may have been made to the old page name.
When appropriate, protection levels are automatically sensed, described and categorized.
