Weekend Service Returns to All Commuter
Rail Lines on July 3rd

Expanded service hours to provide a new weekend transit option for shift workers.

The MBTA and Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), the agency’s operating partner for Commuter Rail, are reminding passengers that weekend service will resume on all Commuter Rail lines effective Saturday, July 3. Schedules are now available to view on mbta.com/commuterrail.

Rail service on Saturdays and Sundays will return to the Fitchburg, Franklin, Greenbush, Haverhill, Kingston, Lowell, and Needham lines. Saturday and Sunday service will be identical across all lines.

“The resumption of weekend service represents a major milestone in the MBTA’s aggressive plans to restore service to meet rider demand,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “With the public’s health and safety of paramount importance, we remind our customers that face coverings are still required while using all MBTA services. As we navigate the ‘new normal,’ we are designing our service schedules to best serve riders who have used the system throughout the pandemic as well as returning and new customers.”

In January, the MBTA initiated plans to match service with lower ridership levels resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic while ensuring access for essential workers and transit-critical communities. As a result of these plans, weekend service was suspended on all lines except the Newburyport/Rockport, Framingham/Worcester, Fairmount, Providence, and Middleborough lines.

New Saturday and Sunday schedules will take effect on all lines, including those that have continued to operate on weekends since January. Passengers should visit mbta.com/commuterrail to view timetables and plan their trips. New schedules will represent an increase in the overall number of weekend trains operating with new, earlier options that match the needs of shift workers like essential employees in the healthcare industry.

“We believe weekend service across all lines will contribute to the steady growth in ridership seen on Commuter Rail during the pandemic recovery,” said John Killeen, Acting CEO and General Manager of Keolis. “Shift workers who previously worked Saturdays and Sundays early in the morning will now find they have more convenient options that better align with their schedules.”

Ridership on weekends has recovered with more than 50% of pre-pandemic ridership returning to Commuter Rail routes that have maintained weekend service.

Passengers are reminded that face coverings are required when riding any MBTA service or when in stations, to stay home if they are feeling unwell, and to wash their hands frequently. In addition to regular cleaning, trains are sanitized every 24 hours and many as frequently as every 12 hours. For additional information, please visit mbta.com/ridesafer or mass.gov/COVID19.

Passengers are also reminded that $10 weekend tickets are available for purchase on mTicket, on board with cash or a credit card, or in ticket offices located at Boston’s Back Bay, North, and South Stations. Tickets are valid for unlimited travel across all lines for one weekend, from the first scheduled train Saturday morning until the last Sunday evening.

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MassDOT and MBTA Launch Survey to Understand Travel Needs of Region

Today MassDOT and the MBTA launched an online survey in support of Bus Network Redesign, which is a data-driven process that uses Location-Based Services data to understand how the bus network can better reflect the travel needs of the region. Through the survey, MassDOT and the MBTA hope to hear from riders to confirm the data is reflective of their travel experience. The survey is focused on answering two fundamental questions:

• Does the MBTA take you to the places that you need or want to go?
• Is riding the MBTA a good option for you when you need to get somewhere?

The results from the survey will directly inform the design and evaluation of the new redesigned bus network.

The survey is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), and is also available in a fully accessible format. MassDOT and the MBTA are also partnering with the MBTA’s Office of Systemwide Accessibility, Mass Senior Action Council, and other local community-based organizations to plan for targeted outreach to seniors and people with disabilities. The survey will remain open until July 30, 2021, and is available at here on the MBTA website.

More Information:

An initiative of the Better Bus Project, the MBTA and MassDOT’s Bus Network Redesign project is a complete re-imagining of the MBTA’s bus network to reflect the travel needs of the region and create a better experience for current and future riders.

The redesign reflects rider feedback collected during one of the early phases of the Better Bus Project. It builds on the work already accomplished through the 2019 route changes, and guides recommendations for an improved bus network that aims to create a more equitable network, simplify a complicated network, maximize access to opportunities, and make transit a competitive alternative to driving. This project prioritizes riders in transit-critical communities and is a once-in-a-generation attempt to make bold, foundational improvements to the bus network for the people who depend on it most.

The above press releases were submitted to us by the MBTA.

For service updates passengers are reminded to sign up for T-Alerts at MBTA.com, follow @MBTA_CR on Twitter or call 617-222-3200. For more information, please visit mbta.com, or connect with the T on Twitter @MBTA, on Facebook /TheMBTA, or on Instagram @theMBTA.