CapeFlyer
| Company type | Seasonal passenger rail service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) |
| Headquarters | Massachusetts , United States |
Area served | Boston, Cape Cod, Massachusetts |
| Parent | Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA), Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) |
The CapeFlyer (marketed as CapeFLYER) is a seasonal passenger rail operation in Massachusetts that links Boston with Cape Cod. It commenced service in 2013 and is managed by the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The train runs on weekends, starting Friday evenings and continuing through holidays, between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
During its debut season in 2013, CapeFLYER transported 16,586 passengers, which led to an extension of service through the Columbus Day weekend. Building on this success, MassDOT established the train as a permanent seasonal service beginning in 2014. Ongoing discussions are exploring the possibility of expanding to year-round weekend operations and full MBTA Commuter Rail service reaching Buzzards Bay.
The CapeFLYER represents the first scheduled passenger rail connection to Cape Cod since Amtrak discontinued the Cape Codder in 1996. It also marks the first direct rail link from Boston's South Station to Cape Cod since 1961. Earlier, from 1984 to 1988, the Cape Cod & Hyannis Railroad ran services between Braintree—located south of Boston—and Cape Cod but did not offer direct service into Boston.
Route
The CapeFLYER travels along the Middleborough Main Line starting at Boston's South Station to Middleborough, then proceeds to Hyannis by crossing the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge and following the Cape Main Line, a rail corridor owned by the state. This line also accommodates freight traffic operated by the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad as well as heritage excursions run by the Cape Cod Central Railroad.
The journey covers approximately 78 miles between Boston and Hyannis, with a scheduled duration of around two hours and twenty minutes. The slower travel speed is due to track conditions on the segment between Buzzards Bay and Hyannis, where trains are restricted to a maximum of 30 mph. Nevertheless, track improvements completed in early 2013 have enhanced speeds on the stretch from Middleborough to Buzzards Bay.
Cape Cod is separated from the mainland by the Cape Cod Canal, which is spanned only by two highway bridges: the Sagamore and Bourne Bridge. Although plans for a third crossing exist, they have not progressed. These bridges frequently experience heavy traffic congestion during peak periods; however, the CapeFLYER avoids such delays by utilizing its own dedicated railroad bridge over the canal.
Fare and ticket information
Adult tickets for travel between Boston and Hyannis cost $22 for one-way trips and $40 for round-trip journeys. Tickets for the CapeFLYER are unreserved and can be purchased at South Station’s ticket counter, onboard without additional fees, or through the MBTA mTicket mobile application.
On-board services
Passengers can enjoy refreshments including beer and wine in the Cafe Car. A specially designated bicycle car offers storage space and maintenance facilities for bicycles brought aboard. Additionally, complimentary Wi-Fi is accessible throughout the train.
Early railroads on Cape Cod
Passenger rail service on Cape Cod began with the arrival of trains operated by the Cape Cod Railroad Company, which reached Hyannis on July 8, 1854, providing three daily trips to Boston. Continuous year-round direct passenger service between Boston and Hyannis persisted until June 30, 1959, when passenger operations on the Old Colony Division were terminated by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad (NH). Prior to this cessation, daily trains served both Hyannis and Woods Hole under names such as The Cranberry, The Sand Dune, and The Buttermilk Bay. Service extending to Provincetown ended earlier in 1941. Shortly thereafter, a fire damaged a bridge over the Neponset River, hindering swift restoration of Old Colony Main Line services.
The NH trains operating year-round stopped at several stations no longer served by CapeFLYER today: Sandwich, West Barnstable, Barnstable, and Yarmouth. The Woods Hole branch connected passengers with ferry services bound for Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket through stops at Monument Beach, Pocasset, North Falmouth, Falmouth, and Woods Hole stations.
From the 1930s until the early 1960s, NH ran various summer-only Cape Codder trains originating from New York City to Cape Cod—including daily Day Cape Codder, Friday afternoon Neptune, Friday night Night Cape Codder, as well as Sunday night return services. By 1955, New York City service was limited to summer months; however, daily year-round Boston-South Station service continued.
Between 1960 and 1964, NH offered weekend trains from New York to Hyannis/Woods Hole. Travelers from Boston often transferred at Attleboro or Providence; a short-lived Boston-Hyannis route via Stoughton and Taunton operated briefly in mid-1961.
Multiple initiatives have since been undertaken to reinstate regular passenger rail service. In 1974, officials from Penn Central engaged with state and local representatives about potential restoration efforts. To preserve infrastructure for freight operations and future passenger use, Massachusetts acquired most remaining Cape trackage in 1976. After rehabilitating tracks, a trial passenger train ran between Hyannis, Buzzards Bay, and Falmouth for one week during summer 1979; political leaders aimed to establish regular service by 1981.
Cape Cod & Hyannis Railroad
Between 1984 and 1988, the Cape Cod & Hyannis Railroad operated seasonal passenger trains connecting Braintree with Cape Cod, making stops at Hyannis and Falmouth. The journey to Hyannis took approximately 2 hours and 25 minutes one way. In its final year of service, the route between Braintree and Cape Cod transported 89,000 passengers. This service represented the last passenger rail connection to Falmouth; tracks south of North Falmouth, which had fallen into disrepair, were dismantled in 2007 and replaced by an extension of the Shining Sea Bikeway, despite opposition from local residents.
Operations ended in February 1989 after the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation withdrew financial support amid a statewide budget crisis.
Amtrak's Cape Codder and other service
From 1986 through 1996, Amtrak ran the Cape Codder, which linked Washington, DC and New York City to Hyannis via former Taunton Branch Railroad lines. Passengers traveling between Boston and Cape Cod transferred at Providence. Although the service experienced moderate patronage, it was discontinued after 1996 when state funding was withdrawn.
In September 1997, the Middleborough/Lakeville Line commenced operations alongside the Plymouth/Kingston Line, reinstating passenger rail service over approximately 60 miles of the Old Colony network. Plans to fully extend service to Buzzards Bay were curtailed due to financial constraints and uncertain ridership forecasts. A 2007 study by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization projected weekday ridership ranging from 1,766 trips with four daily trains to 2,750 trips if all trains extended to Buzzards Bay.
Excursion trains were offered by the Cape Cod Railroad from 1989 until 1997, followed by the Cape Cod Central Railroad beginning in 1999. However, these excursions did not operate north of Buzzards Bay or Wareham, limiting their accessibility for travelers coming from more distant locations.
CapeFLYER
In early 2011, the CCRTA engaged Transportation Planning and Resource Group to evaluate obstacles and funding options for reintroducing passenger rail service to Cape Cod. Originally aiming for a summer 2012 launch, the start date was postponed to 2013 to prevent financial strain on the MBTA.
By late 2012, CCRTA confirmed that passenger train service would resume between Boston South Station and Cape Cod starting Memorial Day weekend in 2013. The Patrick-Murray administration formally announced this initiative on April 2, 2013.
A test run occurred on May 18, 2013—marking the first direct train from Boston to Cape Cod since 1961 and the first via the Old Colony main line since 1959. The inaugural CapeFLYER trip departed South Station on May 24, 2013, carrying roughly 200 passengers bound for Buzzards Bay and Hyannis. Since then, it has operated one round trip each weekend from Friday through Sunday annually.
Initially, stops included South Station, Braintree, Middleborough/Lakeville, Buzzards Bay, and Hyannis. Subsequent additions were made at Wareham Village (2014), Brockton (2015), and Bourne (2019).
Ridership
In 2013, the total number of passengers reached 16,586, generating $293,000 in fare income (including post-Labor Day service) alongside $27,000 earned through advertising. The following year, ridership dropped to 12,625 passengers, with fare revenue declining to $221,000 while advertising income increased to $93,000.
Ridership experienced a modest recovery in 2015, rising to 13,278 passengers and producing $223,000 in fare revenue. By 2016, over 15 weekends (compared to 16 weekends in 2015), ridership climbed to 13,663, reflecting a 9.2% growth in per-trip passenger numbers; total revenue for that year was $230,000.
Finances
During its first operational season, CapeFlyer earned $290,756 from fares against operating expenses estimated between $180,000 and $190,000. Marketing costs ranged from $110,000 to $120,000. These expenditures were balanced by income from ticket sales, onboard concessions, and advertising.
Initial capital investments for launching CapeFlyer in 2013 amounted to roughly $3.4 million. This funding covered track resurfacing, replacement of ballast and ties, upgraded signage, station enhancements at Buzzards Bay and Hyannis, as well as repairs to grade crossings along the Cape Main Line.
MassDOT’s preliminary Capital Investment Plan for FY2014-FY2018 designated $31 million toward track and signal improvements necessary for maintaining permanent seasonal CapeFlyer operations.
In 2014, platform construction took place in Wareham and expansions were completed at Buzzards Bay and Hyannis stations at a total cost near $2.5 million.
Service changes
In October 2013, MassDOT officially designated the CapeFLYER as a permanent seasonal service and initiated evaluations for potential year-round weekend operation.
For the 2015 season, a dedicated trainset was introduced on Fridays to allow more favorable departure times and reduce the number of stops. Additionally, all trains began servicing Brockton commuter rail station, establishing a direct link between Brockton and Cape Cod.
Following increased demand after a sold-out trip in August 2019, MassDOT added an additional bi-level passenger car ahead of the weekend starting August 9.
The commencement of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic; service ultimately began on June 26, more than one month later than originally scheduled.
To ensure efficient travel times to Hyannis, the CapeFLYER does not make stops at Sandwich or West Barnstable stations.
In 2021, a first-class car featuring reclining leather seats and seat-side food and beverage service was introduced for an additional $10 fee. This premium option was suspended during the 2022 and 2023 seasons but reinstated for the 2024 season.
Wareham Village station
Shortly after CapeFLYER’s launch, Thomas Cahir, Administrator of CCRTA, announced that the train would begin stopping at Wareham starting in 2014. Although MassDOT initially expressed reservations about the financial viability of this stop, both CCRTA and MassDOT proceeded with plans. Construction of a high-level platform commenced in April 2014, and CapeFLYER service at Wareham began by late June.
Bourne station
In September 2014, MassDOT explored adding a CapeFLYER stop at Bourne for the upcoming season. The proposal included building a 400-foot platform near the railroad right-of-way beneath the Bourne Bridge approach. Plans also involved restoring a siding north of the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge and installing a new double-ended passing siding approximately 4,000 feet long south of the canal to support multiple train movements during single bridge openings.
However, in February 2015 the station opening was postponed by one year due to heavy winter snowfall and local community concerns. After the conclusion of the 2015 season, these plans were put on hold. The Bourne station eventually opened in 2019 with a prefabricated high-level platform installed instead of constructing a full station facility.
Commuter rail extension to Buzzards Bay
Following the CapeFLYER's positive reception, interest grew in expanding the Middleborough/Lakeville Line. By September 2013, the Wareham Chamber of Commerce had endorsed extending commuter rail service to Buzzards Bay. This support was soon echoed by Buzzards Bay town officials and reinforced through a public meeting held in early 2014.
In 2014, Bourne's Transportation Advisory Committee commenced an evaluation of the potential extension, collaborating with MassDOT's Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS). A Local Impact Report issued in 2015 recommended constructing an 800-foot elevated platform along with parking facilities accommodating between 120 and 600 vehicles. CTPS projected a daily ridership of approximately 875 passengers if all Middleborough trains were extended to Buzzards Bay.
Bourne officially joined the MBTA district in 2015, beginning to pay assessments from mid-2016 despite no confirmed plans for service expansion due to budget limitations. For fiscal year 2017, Bourne contributed $41,707 to the MBTA and an additional $88,429 to the CCRTA for bus operations. Although MassDOT intended to launch a pilot commuter rail service in FY 2017, these proposals did not come to fruition.
In autumn 2020, the MBTA launched a feasibility study on commuter rail service to Buzzards Bay concurrent with the ongoing construction of the South Coast Rail. The study released in spring 2021 outlined two possible endpoints: terminating at Buzzards Bay station or extending further to Bourne station.
In September 2023, State Representative Dylan Fernandes introduced legislation requiring at least three weekday round trips between Boston and Buzzards Bay within one year. The bill also calls for a feasibility analysis of further extensions reaching Falmouth, Bourne, Barnstable, Yarmouth, and Sandwich.
Station list
CapeFLYER fares do not follow the MBTA Commuter Rail's traditional numbered fare zones. Instead, the route is segmented into three distinct fare areas: Boston–Brockton, Lakeville–Bourne, and Hyannis. Ticket prices vary depending on the boarding and destination points.
| Mile (km) | Location | Station | Connections and notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 (0) | Boston |
|
Template:Ric: Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl Template:Ric: multiple lines including Fairmount, Fall River/New Bedford, Framingham/Worcester, Franklin/Foxboro, Needham, Greenbush, Kingston, Providence/Stoughton Template:Ric: Red Line, Silver Line (SL1–SL4) Template:Ric: South Station routes Intercity bus services available at South Station Bus Terminal | ||
| 10.9 (17.5) | Braintree |
|
Template:Ric: Red Line Template:Ric: Fall River/New Bedford and Kingston Lines Template:Ric: Braintree local routes | ||
| 20.0 (32.2) | Brockton |
|
Template:Ric: Fall River/New Bedford Line Brockton Area Transit Authority buses | ||
| 35.6 (57.3) | Lakeville |
|
Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority bus connections | ||
| 49.1 (79.0) | Wareham |
|
Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority bus services | ||
| 54.7 (88.0) | Buzzards Bay |
|
'Cape Cod Central Railroad' heritage train operations Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority buses Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority buses Intercity bus connections |
| Railway milepost#Mile (km) | Location | Station | Connections and notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56.4 (90.8) | Bourne, Massachusetts#Bourne |
|
Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority bus services and local shuttle options | ||
| 79.1 (127.3) | Hyannis, Massachusetts#Hyannis | Hyannis Transportation Center | 'Cape Cod Central Railroad' heritage rail operations Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority and intercity bus connections |
See also
- Cannonball – A similar route operated by the Long Island Rail Road that links New York City with Montauk.
- Berkshire Flyer – An Amtrak service running between New York City and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, available on summer weekends and inspired by the CapeFlyer model.
Further reading
External links
- Articles with short description
- Redirects from moves
- 2013 establishments in Massachusetts
- Barnstable, Massachusetts
- Bourne, Massachusetts
- Brockton, Massachusetts
- Lakeville, Massachusetts
- Wareham, Massachusetts
- Transportation in Barnstable County, Massachusetts
- Rail transportation in Boston
- Transportation in Braintree, Massachusetts
- Transportation in Plymouth County, Massachusetts
- MBTA Commuter Rail
- Railway services introduced in 2013