Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus division| Company type | Public transit agency division |
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| Industry | Public transportation |
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| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
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Area served | Boston metropolitan region |
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| Products | Bus services, including local routes, express routes, Silver Line BRT |
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| Owner | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) |
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| Website | mbta.com/bus |
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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus division manages 151 routes throughout the Boston metropolitan region. Every route provides connections to MBTA subway lines, Commuter Rail services, or other bus routes. Many of these lines have origins tracing back to historic streetcar operations or suburban transit companies such as the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway. Of these, the MBTA directly operates 147 routes, while four are managed by private contractors. Additionally, four suburban services receive partial funding from the MBTA.
As of 2024, the standard local fare for most bus routes is $1.70 per one-way trip. The Silver Line waterfront routes (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) charge the regular subway fare of $2.40. Express buses apply a local fare for segments within neighborhoods and a premium express fare of $4.25 for highway travel into downtown Boston.
Bus service faced interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic but was mostly restored by 2021, although some routes were permanently eliminated. Since 2018, the MBTA has been developing a comprehensive bus network redesign slated for completion by 2028. The initial phase launched in December 2024 to enhance frequency and streamline route efficiency.
Silver Line
The Silver Line is a bus rapid transit system comprising six routes and is promoted as rapid transit service. It consists of two main branches: the Waterfront service (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW), which runs through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and the Washington Street service (SL4, SL5), operating on surface streets. The Waterfront routes charge fares equivalent to the subway system, whereas the Washington Street routes use standard bus fares. All Silver Line buses are articulated 60-foot vehicles; Waterfront buses are hybrids featuring extended battery capacity to enable electric operation within tunnels.
In 2002, the SL5 route replaced the Washington Street Elevated train line. The Shuttle service began in 2004 along with SL2 and the original SL3 routes; SL1 started in 2005 utilizing dual-mode buses. After plans for a tunnel extension were canceled, SL4 commenced operations in 2009. A new SL3 route connecting Chelsea to South Station was introduced in 2018.
Crosstown
The two crosstown (CT) routes provide limited-stop connections between key subway stations and major bus transfer points. Initially launched with three crosstown lines in 1994, route CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
Routes 1–121
This group comprises most local services within Boston’s core metropolitan area, many of which originated as streetcar lines operated by the Boston Elevated Railway. Numbering generally follows a clockwise pattern from southeast to northeast and has remained relatively stable since the BERy period, despite some consolidations and additions during subsequent M.T.A. and MBTA transitions.
Seven routes— , , , , , , and —serve western suburban communities including Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These were formerly part of the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway network acquired in 1972 and were renumbered using previously retired numbers.
Fourteen routes—including , , , , , , , , , , , , , and —were designated as key bus routes in 2004 due to their high ridership levels. These lines complement the subway system by offering frequent service through Boston’s most densely populated neighborhoods. Key bus routes typically run at increased frequencies; however, this classification is being phased out starting in 2024 under the MBTA's Bus Network Redesign initiative and will be replaced by a broader frequent-route network. Routes 28 and 39 utilize articulated buses measuring 60 feet in length.
Additionally, four early morning round trips connect outlying stations with , overlapping several local lines. Primarily intended for station agents but accessible to all passengers, these trips are internally numbered 191–194 but appear as variants of local routes on schedules.
131–137
Routes numbered 131 through 137 operate within the Melrose vicinity, tracing their origins to former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were incorporated into the MBTA network in 1968. Under MBTA oversight, the now-defunct route 136 and the existing 137 briefly extended service to Lowell and Lawrence. Initially, Service Bus Lines managed route 132 until the MBTA assumed control in 1975.
171
Route 171 functions as a limited early morning substitute for CT3 services, which were curtailed from Logan Airport in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series were short-term industrial shuttle services.
201–202
The 20 belt route was established by the M.T.A. in 1962, evolving from BERY’s original routes 20 and 21 stubs. In 2005, this loop service was split into routes 201 and 202 to better distinguish the directions of travel.
210–245
Serving the Quincy region, routes numbered from 210 to 245 originated from Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines absorbed by the MBTA in 1968. Following the introduction of the Red Line Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these routes were adjusted to terminate predominantly at rapid transit stations such as .
350–354
These lines provide service to Burlington and Woburn, originally part of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell–Boston corridor. The MBTA took over these routes in 1968 and subsequently shortened the line to terminate at Burlington.
411–465
Operating within Lynn and the North Shore region, these routes include former Service Bus Lines (411, 430) acquired in 1975, alongside primarily Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines taken over in 1968. Weekend short-turn versions (marked with W) on two Haymarket routes end service at Wonderland.
501–558
These express services link Newton, Massachusetts with downtown Boston via the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). The MBTA introduced the 500 series in the 1960s to utilize the turnpike's extension into Boston. The 550 series originated from Middlesex and Boston Street Railway routes serving Newton Corner station, extended downtown during the 1960s, incorporated by MBTA in 1972, and later shortened back to Newton Corner in 2020.
Privately operated routes
Certain suburban bus routes extending beyond the MBTA's main system receive partial funding from the MBTA and provide connections to its services. The radial commuter lines numbered 712 through 716 were originally operated by private companies before being acquired: Rapid Transit Inc. runs routes 712 and 713, Nantasket Transportation operates route 714, and Hudson Bus Lines manages route 716.
Routes without assigned numbers function as local circulator services initiated by municipalities with some financial support from the MBTA. Except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is managed by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, all these services are contracted to private operators.
