Logan Express
| Company type | Shuttle service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
Area served | Massachusetts suburbs and Boston's Back Bay |
| Products | Airport shuttle service |
| Owner | Massport |
| Website | www |
The Logan Express (LEX) is a shuttle service connecting Boston's Logan International Airport with various Massachusetts suburban locations. Sponsored by the Massport, it operates four suburban routes linking park-and-ride facilities in Braintree, Danvers, Framingham, and Woburn, along with an urban route serving Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. Since its inception in 1986, starting from what was then Quincy Adams station (now Braintree), the network has progressively grown.
Routes
The Logan Express network comprises five distinct routes: four serve suburban areas and one connects to Boston's Back Bay. Each route makes stops at every airport terminal. Most routes operate from early morning until late evening, maintaining intervals of approximately 30 minutes; the Danvers line is an exception, running on an hourly schedule. Fares are deliberately priced below typical market rates to incentivize travelers to choose the shuttle over parking at the airport. As of 2025, one-way fares on suburban routes are $9, while the Back Bay route charges $3 for trips to Logan and offers free return rides. The suburban services utilize motorcoach-style buses with unique route color schemes, whereas the Back Bay service employs transit buses owned by Massport.
| Route | Terminal(s) | Operator | Color | 2019 ridership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back Bay | Prudential Center, Copley Place | Academy Bus | Orange | 250,477 |
| Braintree | Lot near Braintree Split | Paul Revere Bus | Blue | 820,495 |
| Danvers | Liberty Tree Mall | McGinn Bus Company | Purple | 94,563 |
| Framingham | Natick Mall (temporary) | Fox Bus Lines | Red | 616,211 |
| Woburn | Anderson Regional Transportation Center | Paul Revere Bus | Green | 420,074 |
Early operations
In November 1985, the MBTA provided complimentary shuttle service from both Quincy Adams station and Riverside station to Logan Airport. Full fare-based operations commenced on the Quincy Adams route in September 1986. By 1990, the terminal relocated from Quincy Adams to a parking facility in Braintree near South Shore Plaza and the Braintree Split. Operational control shifted to Paul Revere in 1998. Massport acquired the Braintree terminal property for $47.1 million in 2014. By 2018, this route ranked as the second busiest with approximately 580,000 passengers annually. Service frequency was enhanced to every 20 minutes starting May 2019.
The Framingham line began service in November 1986 originating from Shopper's World, initially managed by Peter Pan Bus Lines. The original terminal offered limited parking and operated under a decade-long lease. Throughout the early 1990s, Massport proposed multiple relocations due to mall redevelopment projects and community concerns. In October 1994, it temporarily moved within the mall premises before settling at a site on Burr Street in July 1995; a dedicated terminal building was inaugurated in February 1997.
Service to Woburn launched in November 1992 from Mishawum station, initially run by Peter Pan before Paul Revere assumed operations in 1995. The terminal transitioned to the newly opened Anderson Regional Transportation Center in April 2001.
A route serving Peabody started in September 2001 near I-95 on Route 1 but experienced low ridership following declines in air travel after September 11; consequently, service frequency was reduced by half in November of that year.
Expansions
By 2001, the 350-space parking area in Framingham was no longer adequate, prompting Massport to rent additional parking spaces in nearby commercial lots. Early that year, approval was granted for a four-story parking structure accommodating 1,081 vehicles; however, these plans were delayed following the events of September 11. The initiative was renewed in the early 2010s as ridership increased significantly. On June 23, 2014, service was temporarily relocated to a lot on the Mathworks campus in Natick to facilitate construction. The new garage officially opened on April 16, 2015. By 2018, the Framingham route had become the busiest Logan Express line, serving approximately 740,000 passengers annually. Starting January 6, 2025, operations were temporarily moved to the Natick Mall due to construction adding three extra levels to the garage. The expanded facility is anticipated to be completed by late 2025 and will support bus departures every 20 minutes.
On April 28, 2014, the Back Bay route commenced as a two-year pilot project during the closure of Government Center station. It ran with 20-minute intervals between buses and included stops at Hynes Convention Center and Copley station. By 2019, Massport had plans to introduce routes serving North Station and an additional suburban location. On May 1, 2019, the Copley stop was replaced by a Back Bay station stop located on Dartmouth Street; fares for trips to the airport were reduced from $7.50 to $3.00, while rides toward Back Bay became complimentary. Passengers on this route were also given priority access through airport security checkpoints. These adjustments led to a doubling of Back Bay ridership by October of that year. Both Back Bay stops were relocated on February 1, 2020: the Hynes stop shifted to the entrance of the Prudential Center, and the Back Bay station stop moved across Dartmouth Street to Copley Place.
COVID-19 changes
Service to Peabody was halted on March 18, 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; meanwhile, Braintree and Back Bay routes saw their frequencies reduced to buses every 30 minutes. On March 27, Back Bay service was suspended entirely, and remaining routes were further cut back to hourly intervals. Woburn service ceased on January 1, 2021, but resumed on June 1 that year alongside expanded early-morning services from Braintree and Framingham. By mid-2022, the Woburn, Framingham, and Braintree routes had returned to half-hourly schedules.
Although Back Bay service was initially slated to resume in July 2021, it was postponed until October 3, 2022 due to a shortage of bus drivers; service restarted under new operator Academy Bus. Peabody service recommenced on February 13, 2022 with a new terminal located at Northshore Mall. This terminal was later relocated to Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers on August 6, 2024.