75 (MBTA bus)

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus system
Company type	Public transit agency
Industry	Public transportation
Headquarters	Boston, United States
Area served	Boston metropolitan region
Products	Bus services, including Silver Line bus rapid transit, local, express, and crosstown routes
Owner	Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
Website	mbta.com

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article 75 (MBTA bus), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 7 August 2025

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus system manages 151 routes throughout the Boston metropolitan region, all of which connect to MBTA subway lines, Commuter Rail services, or other bus routes. Of these, 147 are operated directly by the MBTA, while four are managed by private contractors. Additionally, the MBTA partially supports four suburban routes.

The standard one-way fare on most buses is $1.70 as of 2024. The Silver Line waterfront routes (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) require the subway fare of $2.40. Express buses apply a dual fare structure: local segments cost $1.70 and the express highway portion is priced at $4.25.

Bus service experienced interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic but was mostly restored to pre-pandemic levels by 2021, although some routes have yet to resume. Since 2018, the MBTA has been implementing a comprehensive bus network redesign planned for completion by 2028, with initial modifications launched in December 2024.

Silver Line

The Silver Line is a bus rapid transit system with six routes, promoted as rapid transit service. It comprises two distinct segments: the Waterfront branch (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW shuttle) that operates through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and the Washington Street branch (SL4, SL5) running on surface streets. Waterfront routes charge fares consistent with subway pricing; Washington Street routes maintain standard bus fares. All Silver Line vehicles are articulated 60-foot buses; those on the Waterfront routes are hybrid models equipped with extended battery capacity for electric operation within tunnels.

The SL5 began service in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated line. The Shuttle route was introduced in 2004, followed by SL2 and the original SL3 in the same year, and SL1 in 2005 utilizing dual-mode buses. The SL4 was added in 2009 following cancellation of Phase III tunnel plans. A new SL3 route to Chelsea started operating in 2018.

Route	Description	MBTA link
SL1	Logan Airport terminals–South Station	Template:MBTA bus EL
SL2	Drydock Avenue–South Station	Template:MBTA bus EL
SL3	Chelsea–South Station	Template:MBTA bus EL
SLW	Silver Line Way–South Station	Template:MBTA bus EL
SL4	Nubian station–South Station	Template:MBTA bus EL
SL5	Nubian station–Downtown Crossing (Temple Place)	Template:MBTA bus EL

Crosstown

The MBTA operates two crosstown bus routes (CT), which offer limited-stop service linking key subway stations and major bus transfer hubs. Initially, three crosstown routes were introduced in 1994; however, CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.

Route

Description

MBTA link

CT2

REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system

–

REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system

Template:MBTA bus EL

CT3

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center–

REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system

Template:MBTA bus EL

Routes 1–121

These routes cover nearly all local service within Boston’s metropolitan core and mostly originated as streetcar lines operated by the Boston Elevated Railway. Their numbering roughly follows a clockwise pattern from southeast to northeast and has remained largely consistent since the BERy era despite some mergers and additions during both M.T.A. and MBTA administrations.

Seven routes—namely , , , , , , and —serve western suburban areas such as Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These routes descend from those acquired from the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway in 1972 and were renumbered accordingly.

Fourteen lines—including , , , , , , , , , , , , , and —were identified as key bus routes in 2004 due to their high ridership levels. These heavily used corridors provide frequent service complementing the subway system by connecting dense urban neighborhoods. Starting in 2024, the MBTA is transitioning away from the "key bus route" designation toward a broader frequent route network classification. Routes 28 and 39 operate with articulated 60-foot buses.

Additionally, four early morning round trips run between outlying stations and over segments of various local routes primarily for station agents but open to all passengers. These trips carry numbers 191 through 194 but appear as variants of local services.

Route

Description

MBTA link

1

Harvard Square–

REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system

Template:MBTA bus EL

4

REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system

–Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park

Template:MBTA bus EL

7

REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system

–Downtown Crossing station#Otis Street & Summer Street

Template:MBTA bus EL

131–137

Routes numbered 131 through 137 cater to the Melrose region, tracing their origins back to former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were incorporated into the MBTA system in 1968. Under MBTA oversight, routes 136 and 137 once extended service briefly to Lowell and Lawrence before being discontinued. Prior to MBTA operation commencing in 1975, route 132 was managed by Service Bus Lines.

Route	Description	MBTA link
131	Melrose Highlands to Oak Grove or Malden Center station	Template:MBTA bus EL
132	Redstone Shopping Center to Malden Center station	Template:MBTA bus EL
134	North Woburn to Wellington station	Template:MBTA bus EL
137	Reading Depot to Malden Center station	Template:MBTA bus EL

171

Route 171 functions as a limited early morning substitute for CT3 trips, which were shortened from Logan Airport starting in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series were temporary services catering primarily to industrial areas.

Route	Description	MBTA link
171	Logan Airport terminals to Nubian station	Template:MBTA bus EL

201–202

The original 20 belt route was established by the M.T.A. in 1962, merging former BERy routes 20 and 21. To improve clarity in routing, the MBTA divided this loop into two separate directions in 2005, now designated as routes 201 and 202.

Route	Description	MBTA link
201	Fields Corner Loop via Neponset Avenue	Template:MBTA bus EL
202	Fields Corner Loop via Adams Street	Template:MBTA bus EL

210–245

The collection of routes from 210 through 245 primarily serves the Quincy area, originating from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines absorbed into the MBTA in 1968. With the gradual introduction of the Red Line's Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these services were realigned to terminate mainly at rapid transit stations such as Quincy Center.

Route	Description	MBTA link
210	Quincy Center station to Fields Corner station	Template:MBTA bus EL
211	Quincy Center station to Squantum	Template:MBTA bus EL
215	Quincy Center station to Ashmont station via West Quincy	Template:MBTA bus EL
216	Houghs Neck to Quincy Center station via Germantown	Template:MBTA bus EL
217	Quincy Center station to Ashmont station	Template:MBTA bus EL
220	Hingham Depot to Quincy Center station	Template:MBTA bus EL
222	Weymouth to Quincy Center station	Template:MBTA bus EL
225	Weymouth Landing/East Braintree station to Quincy Center station	Template:MBTA bus EL
226	Weymouth to Braintree station	Template:MBTA bus EL
230	Montello station to Quincy Center station	Template:MBTA bus EL
236	South Shore Plaza to Quincy Center station	Template:MBTA bus EL
238	Holbrook/Randolph station to Quincy Center station	Template:MBTA bus EL
240	Avon to Ashmont station	Template:MBTA bus EL
245	Quincy Center station – Mattapan station	Template:MBTA bus EL 245

350–354

These lines operate within the Burlington and Woburn regions, originally part of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell–Boston corridor. The MBTA took over these routes in 1968, subsequently shortening service to terminate in Burlington.

Route	Description	MBTA link
350	Alewife station–North Burlington	Template:MBTA bus EL
351	Third Avenue–Bedford Woods Drive	Template:MBTA bus EL
354	State Street, Boston–North Burlington	Template:MBTA bus EL

411–465

Operating throughout Lynn and the North Shore, these routes include former Service Bus Lines services (411, 430) acquired in 1975, as well as primarily Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway routes absorbed in 1968. Weekend variants marked with a W suffix provide short-turn service, ending at Wonderland station.

Route	Description	MBTA link
411	Malden Center station–Kennedy Drive or Jack Satter House	Template:MBTA bus EL
424	Wonderland station–Eastern Avenue & Essex Street	Template:MBTA bus EL
426	Haymarket station–Central Square, Lynn	Template:MBTA bus EL
426W	Wonderland station–Central Square, Lynn (short-turn weekend)	Template:MBTA bus EL
428	Haymarket station–Oaklandvale	Template:MBTA bus EL
429	Central Square, Lynn–Northgate Shopping Center	Template:MBTA bus EL
430	Malden Center station–Saugus Center	Template:MBTA bus EL
435	Central Square, Lynn via Peabody Square–Salem Depot	Template:MBTA bus EL
436	"Liberty Tree Mall" to Central Square, Lynn via Goodwin Circle	Template:MBTA bus EL
439	Wonderland station–Nahant	Template:MBTA bus EL
441	Wonderland station via Massachusetts Route 1A–Marblehead ("Paradise Road")	Template:MBTA bus EL
442	Wonderland station via Humphrey Street–Marblehead	Template:MBTA bus EL
450	Haymarket station–Salem Depot	Template:MBTA bus EL
450W	Wonderland station–Salem Depot (weekend short-turn)	Template:MBTA bus EL
451	Salem Depot–North Beverly station	Template:MBTA bus EL
455	Wonderland station–Salem Depot	Template:MBTA bus EL
456	Central Square, Lynn–Salem Depot	Template:MBTA bus EL

501–558

These express services link Newton with Boston's downtown area via the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). The MBTA launched the 500 series during the 1960s to capitalize on the newly extended turnpike. Routes in the 550 series originated from Middlesex and Boston Street Railway lines to Newton Corner, which were extended downtown in the 1960s before MBTA acquisition in 1972; these were later reduced back to Newton Corner in 2020.

Route	Description	MBTA link
501	Federal Street & Franklin Street (Financial District)–Brighton Center	Template:MBTA bus EL
504	Federal Street & Franklin Street (Financial District)–Watertown Yard	Template:MBTA bus EL
505	Federal Street & Franklin Street (Financial District)–Waltham Center	Template:MBTA bus EL
553	Newton Corner–Roberts (Brandeis/Roberts station)	Template:MBTA bus EL
554	Newton Corner–Waverley Square	Template:MBTA bus EL
556	Newton Corner–Waltham Highlands	Template:MBTA bus EL
558	Newton Corner–Riverside station	Template:MBTA bus EL

Privately operated routes

The MBTA provides partial funding for suburban routes beyond its central service area that connect with MBTA transit options. The commuter lines numbered 712 through 716 were originally owned by private companies—Rapid Transit Inc. operated routes 712 and 713, Nantasket Transportation managed route 714, and Hudson Bus Lines ran route 716—before being incorporated into the MBTA system.

Routes without numerical designations serve as local circulators initiated by municipalities and receive some MBTA financial support. Except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is managed by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, all these services are delivered by private contractors.

Route

Description

MBTA link

Operator

Template:MBTABus

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