Bus network serving the Boston metropolitan area in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Bus Network| File:MBTA logo.svg MBTA logo |
| Company type | Public transit bus network |
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| Industry | Public transportation |
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| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
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Area served | Boston metropolitan region, Massachusetts |
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| Products | Bus services, Bus rapid transit (Silver Line) |
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| Owner | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) |
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| Parent | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) |
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| Website | mbta.com/bus |
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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus network encompasses 151 routes serving the Boston metropolitan region in Massachusetts. These routes provide connections to the MBTA subway, Commuter Rail, and other bus lines within the system. Many of the current bus lines trace their origins to former streetcar corridors or suburban transit operators such as the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway. The MBTA operates 147 of these routes directly, while four are run by private contractors; additionally, four suburban routes receive partial financial support from the MBTA.
As of 2024, the standard local bus fare is set at $1.70 per one-way trip. The Silver Line waterfront services (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) charge a subway-equivalent fare of $2.40. Express buses feature both local and express service segments, with fares of $1.70 for local travel and $4.25 for the express portion.
Bus operations faced interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic but had largely restored pre-pandemic service levels by 2021, although certain routes remain suspended. Since 2018, the MBTA has been developing an extensive redesign of its bus network, aiming for completion by 2028. The first phase of modifications commenced in December 2024.
Silver Line
The Silver Line is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system composed of six routes and promoted as a form of rapid transit. It operates two distinct branches: the Waterfront corridor (SL1, SL2, SL3, and the rush-hour SLW shuttle), which travels through the South Boston Transitway tunnel and charges subway fares; and the Washington Street corridor (SL4 and SL5), which runs on surface streets and applies standard bus fares. All Silver Line vehicles are articulated buses; those servicing the Waterfront routes utilize hybrid models equipped with extended battery capacity to enable electric operation within the tunnel.
The SL5 route was introduced in 2002 as a successor to the Washington Street Elevated line. The SLW shuttle began service in 2004 alongside the original SL2 and SL3 routes; SL1 followed in 2005 with dual-mode buses capable of operating both electrically and on diesel power. The SL4 route started in 2009 after plans for a Phase III tunnel were cancelled. A new SL3 extension reaching Chelsea opened in 2018.
Crosstown
The MBTA operates two crosstown (CT) bus routes that provide limited-stop service linking key subway stations and major bus transfer hubs. Originally launched with three crosstown routes in 1994, route CT1 was consolidated into route 1 in 2019.
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1–121
These routes cover almost all local transit within the metropolitan center, with many originally established as streetcar lines by the Boston Elevated Railway. 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 – extend service to western suburbs including Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These lines trace their origins to former Middlesex and Boston Street Railway routes that were incorporated in 1972.
In 2004, fourteen routes – such as , , , , , , , , , , , , , and – were identified as key bus routes. These high-demand lines enhance subway service by offering frequent connections within the most densely populated urban zones. With the MBTA’s 2024 Bus Network Redesign, this classification is being phased out while frequent service coverage is broadened. Notably, routes 28 and 39 utilize 60-foot articulated buses.
Four early morning round trips (routes 191–194) link outer stations to across several local lines. Designed primarily for station staff, these trips are accessible to all riders.
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131–137
Serving the Melrose vicinity, routes 131 through 137 originated from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines absorbed into the MBTA in 1968. Route 136 (now discontinued) and route 137 briefly extended service to Lowell and Lawrence during MBTA operation. Route 132 was initially run by Service Bus Lines before MBTA assumed control in 1975.
171
Route 171 operates as a limited-service substitute for the early morning CT3 route, which was truncated from Logan Airport in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series generally provided brief service to industrial areas.
201–202
The M.T.A. created the 20 belt route in 1962 by combining former BERy lines; in 2005 it was divided into routes 201 and 202 to better distinguish directional loops around Fields Corner.
210–245
The routes numbered 210 through 245 operate within the Quincy region, originating from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that the MBTA incorporated in 1968. Following the gradual introduction of the Red Line's Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these bus routes were realigned to primarily conclude at major rapid transit stations such as .
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350–354
These lines operate within the Burlington and Woburn region, tracing their origins to the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell–Boston corridor. The MBTA took over these routes in 1968, subsequently shortening service to terminate in Burlington.
411–465
Covering Lynn and the North Shore area, these routes include former Service Bus Lines (411, 430) that were incorporated in 1975, along with Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines absorbed in 1968. Weekend short-turn versions, indicated by a W suffix, divert service to Wonderland station instead of Haymarket.
501–558
Express services link Newton and downtown Boston through the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Introduced by the MBTA during the 1960s to capitalize on the turnpike's expansion, the 500 series includes routes originally operated by Middlesex and Boston Street Railway to Newton Corner. These were extended downtown during the 1960s and integrated into MBTA operations in 1972 but were scaled back to Newton Corner as of 2020.
| 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)–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)–Watertown Yard
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Template:MBTA bus EL
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| Route
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Description
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MBTA link
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Privately operated routes
The MBTA provides partial funding for suburban services beyond its central network that connect with MBTA transit options. Routes 712 through 716 represent commuter lines extending outward, originally managed by private companies: Rapid Transit Inc. (712/713), Nantasket Transportation (714), and Hudson Bus Lines (716).
Local circulator routes without assigned numbers are established by municipalities and receive some MBTA financial support. Except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is run by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, all these services are operated under private contracts.
