Looking for something fun to do this weekend in the city? Whether you are looking for family fun, a fun day-trip with friends, or a date idea – Here are some of our favorite places in Boston to enjoy spring blooms.
Accessible Cafés to get you through Day Light Saving Time
Are you ready for Day Light Saving Time? Remember to set your clocks back this Sunday! Losing an hour of sleep isn’t easy, so some of us may need a little extra help to Spring Forward! If you need a quick caffeine pick-me-up to get through the week, our staff shared some of their favorite local cafes that are accessible by Commuter Rail. Get your coffee (and maybe a snack or two) before or after you ride with us.
We put together a map of our staff’s favorite coffee shops from Commuter Rail Stations:
On New Year’s Eve, Commuter Rail will run on a Regular Weekday Schedule*
On New Years Day, Commuter Rail will run on a Regular Weekend Schedule
*On Friday, December 31, fares will be free after 8pm across all MBTA modes. Commuter Rail will run on a regular weekday schedule with the last trains being held until after 12 AM on all lines excluding Needham and Stoughton. For updated departure times, visit your line’s schedule at MBTA.com/cr or visit MBTA.com/holidays.
Bikes, including folding bikes, are not allowed on all inbound trains between 10 AM and 6 PM and on all outbound trains from 4 PM until the end of service.
As you plan your holiday travel, we want to offer some #TravelTips if you’re planning on taking the train home this holiday season. If you’re headed out on Christmas Day, remember to use $10 weekend tickets!
BePrepared
Face coverings on board
Masks are still required on all MBTA property even if you’re fully vaccinated. Visit MBTA.com/RideSafer to learn about our covid response.
Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Service:
On Christmas Eve, Commuter Rail will run on a Regular Weekday Schedule
On Christmas Day, Commuter Rail will run on a Regular Weekend Schedule
New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day Service
On New Year’s Eve, Commuter Rail will run on a Regular Weekday Schedule*
On New Years Day, Commuter Rail will run on a Regular Weekend Schedule
*On Friday, December 31, fares will be free after 8pm across all MBTA modes. Commuter Rail will run on a regular weekday schedule with the last trains being held until after 12 AM on all lines excluding Needham and Stoughton. For updated departure times, visit your line’s schedule at MBTA.com/cr or visit MBTA.com/holidays.
Bikes, including folding bikes, are not allowed on all inbound trains between 10 AM and 6 PM and on all outbound trains from 4 PM until the end of service.
Enter your origin and destination in the MBTA trip planner at MBTA.com/cr
This will create trip itineraries with the station and line information as well as give you an estimated fare. For full timetables and fare information, visit MBTA.com/cr
The trip planner will help navigate you if you’re traveling to/from Logan Airport.
If you don’t have a station close to your final destination look at our system map to find the furthest station (from all the city traffic) that is on your way and use that as your destination.
Getting tickets
To take Commuter Rail, you do not need to book your ticket in advance in order to secure your seat. Please be mindful of the space you’re using and give priority seating to those who need it.
We do suggest you buy your tickets prior to boarding. Here are all the ways you can buy Commuter Rail tickets:
The mTicket app for mobile tickets
MBTA Fare Vending Machines
Ticket windows at North, South, or Back Bay stations
On board from a conductor with cash or credit card
Stay alert throughout your trip and look and listen for your stop. Always wait for the conductor to open and close all doors.
Listen for your stop
Arrive at the platform 5-10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time and make sure you know if you’re traveling inbound or outbound.
BeRespectful
Since our trains run 365 days a year that means our in-station staff, customer service, and train crews work on holidays. Please treat them as well as other riders with respect if you’re riding with us on Christmas Day.
Storage
If you’re bringing bags or luggage, use the dedicated storage onboard and keep large personal items on the floor and out of the way or on overhead racks.
Enjoy the ride!
Commuter Rail services over 400 cities and towns, so some trips may be longer than others. To help pass the time, do what drivers can’t. Watch TV, read a book, catch up on “me” time. If you’re listening to something on your phone, tablet, computer, etc. please be courteous of others and use headphones.
Here is a list of ideas you can get the traveler and experience seeker:
🎫 $10 weekend tickets 🎤 Tickets for events they can take the train to 🏨 Hotel gift cards for places in Boston, Providence, Worcester, and beyond – accompanied with train tickets of course! 🕮 Activity books for their train ride, especially if they have kids!
For the train fan:
Here is a list of ideas you can get the railfanner in your life:
Take the train to shop this season to avoid parking hassles and traffic! Commuter Rail has more mid-day and evening service and weekend service is available on all lines.
Check out our malls and shopping plazas near Commuter Rail map here.
Before you head out:
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Kids 11 and under ride free
Ride unlimited all weekend with a $10 weekends ticket
Download mTicket for mobile tickets or buy on board from a conductor if you aren’t near a ticket office or vending machine
What is your favorite small business located near a Commuter Rail Station?
For this months Destination Station, Commuter Rail staff shared their favorite small businesses with us. With the responses, we created a Small Businesses Near Train Stations Interactive Mapwhere we mapped out all the submissions and showed how close they are to Commuter Rail stations in honor of #SmallBusinessSaturday so we can all support the communities we operate in.
Baba’s Original New York System – Providence Station
Beverly Depot Restaurant – Beverly Depot
Bunratty Tavern – Reading Station
Café La France – Providence Station
Copper City Coffee – Canton Junction
Lynwood Café – Holbrook/Randolph Station
Metzy’s Mexican Cantina – Newburyport Station
Nick’s Famous Roast Beef – North Beverly Station
Rivershed Restaurant – Greenbush Station
The Causeway Restaurant – West Gloucester
Tonno Restaurant – Wakefield
Tommy Floramo’s – Chelsea
Union Coffee Roaster – Ayer
Olives & Grace – Back Bay Station
What did staff say about places:
Union Coffee Roaster; Ayer: “Right across the street! Great place for caffeine pick me up for you ride into the city.”
The Scotty Dog; Beverly: “Chicago style hot dogs.
”The Rivershed; East Braintree/Weymouth Landing: “American fare and live music…directly across the street from the station!”
The Billiards Café; Ayer: “…. this place is very dear to me for one reason especially – it is home to one of only two snooker tables in the whole of New England.”
Katz Bagel Bakery; Chelsea: “Closest to New York bagels that I have had.”
So this #SmallBusinessSaturday, try to #shopsmall and if you’re taking the train, don’t forget about $10 weekends!
There are tons of events to celebrate the holidays across the Commuter Rail network. Here are some of our favorites and click here for the full Holiday Fun map. Don’t forget, kids 11 and under always ride free and $10 weekends are the best travel deal in town!
Holiday Trellis Lighting: Christopher Columbus Park
Date: Monday, November 22, 2021, 5 pm Event Details:www.foccp.org
Commuter Rail line: Any line Closest Station, South Station but you can also walk from North Station Distance from Station: .7 miles from South Station. .9 miles from North Station
Commuter Rail line: Providence/Stoughton Closest Station, Attleboro Distance from Station: 2 miles Rideshare time from Station: 6 minutes Walking time from Station: 40 minutes. We recommend ridesharing
Commuter Rail line: Any line Closest Station, South Station but you can also walk or take the subway or bus from North Station or Back Bay. Distance from Station: .6 miles from South Station. 1.2miles from North Station. .7 miles from Back Bay
Commuter Rail line: Framingham/Worcester Closest Station, Worcester Distance from Station: .6 miles Rideshare time from Station: 5 minutes Walking time from Station: 12 minutes
Commuter Rail line: Any line Closest Station, South Station but you can also walk or take the subway or bus from North Station or Back Bay. Distance from Station: .6 miles from South Station. 1.2miles from North Station. .7 miles from Back Bay
6. A Very Electric Christmas – Emerson Colonial Theatre
Commuter Rail line: Any line Closest Station, South Station but you can also walk or take the subway or bus from North Station or Back Bay. Distance from Station: .5 miles from South Station. 1.1miles from North Station. .8 miles from Back Bay
Commuter Rail line: Fitchburg or any line into Boston and then you would have to take a Subway or Bus connection Closest Station, Porter Square Distance from Station: 1 mile
Thanksgiving is around the corner which is typically the biggest travel day of the year in the region. Plus, Boston traffic is back to pre-pandemic numbers, so we encourage you to swap all or part of your drive home for the holidays for a Commuter Rail ride if you can.
If your end destination isn’t that close to your Thanksgiving plans, see if you can get picked up at a station to avoid traffic on all or even just part of your drive out of Boston.
On Thanksgiving Day, Commuter Rail will run on a Regular Weekend Schedule. Visit MBTA.com/holidays for more information.
Remember, masks are still required on all MBTA property even if you’re fully vaccinated. Visit MBTA.com/RideSafer to learn about our covid response.
A few tips to ensure that your Thanksgiving travel experience is stress-free:
MBTA Trip Planner
Enter your origin and destination in the MBTA trip planner at MBTA.com/cr
This will create trip itineraries with the station and line information as well as give you an estimated fare. For full timetables and fare information, visit MBTA.com/cr
If you don’t have a station close to your final destination look at our system map to find the furthest station (from all the city traffic) that is on your way and use that as your destination.
2. Getting tickets
To take Commuter Rail, you do not need to book your ticket in advance in order to secure your seat. Please be mindful of the space you’re using and give priority seating to those who need it.
We do suggest you buy your tickets prior to boarding. Here are all the ways you can buy Commuter Rail tickets:
The mTicket app for mobile tickets
MBTA Fare Vending Machines
Ticket windows at North, South, or Back Bay stations
On board from a conductor with cash or credit card
Arrive at the platform 5-10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time and make sure you know if you’re traveling inbound or outbound.
4. Storage
If you’re bringing bags or luggage, use the dedicated storage onboard and keep large personal items on the floor and out of the way or on overhead racks.
Commuter Rail services over 400 cities and towns, so some trips may be longer than others. To help pass the time, do what drivers can’t. Watch TV, read a book, catch up on “me” time. If you’re listening to something on your phone, tablet, computer, etc. please be courteous of others and use headphones.
6. Listen for your stop
Stay alert throughout your trip and look and listen for your stop. Always wait for the conductor to open and close all doors.
Recently, we surveyed our ridership about their experience with $10 weekends. Overall, it is clear you all love $10 weekends, but we wanted to clear up a few things we learned from your responses.
$10 weekends are permanent
That’s right, they aren’t going anywhere!
After our pilot launch in 2018, we proposed making the $10 weekend fare permanent to the FMCB board, and it was approved! $10 weekends became a permanent ticket option in July of 2019.
Tickets are available on board
$10 weekend tickets are available for purchase at ticket offices, on board from conductors and through the mTicket app. Unfortunately, they are not currently available from vending machines. Many of you purchased from vending machines due to a time crunch – next time, buy on board! You can purchase tickets from conductors on board with cash or credit, and you can also buy on your way to a station or on board through the mTicket app with a loaded credit card.
There’s more than just $10 weekends – Kids ride free
Did you know that kids 11 and under ride free on commuter ANY DAY OF THE WEEK?! If you and the whole family are heading out for weekend fun, adults and teens can use the $10 weekend ticket while kids can ride for free. That’s a whole lot of savings for admission to your favorite museum, snacks at the game, the perfect dessert and more.
If you aren’t sure where to go, we have ideas!
Many of you are ready to explore and want some suggestions. We have you covered. You can find suggested journeys as well as maps full of locations to explore and visit within a quick walk or rideshare of Commuter Rail.
Unlimited really means unlimited (for the weekend you activate/ride with your ticket)
With one $10 weekend ticket, you can ride anywhere you would like across the whole system however many times you would like for that entire weekend. Beginning with your first trip on Saturday or Sunday, you can ride as many times as you want until midnight that Sunday.
Commuter Rail employees know our system best, so we started “Destination Station”- the official Commuter Rail Staff Picks program.
Since we are entering peak fall foliage in Massachusetts we asked, “which spot on the network has the best views for fall foliage?”
The answer:
📍 Line: Fitchburg 🚆Stations: Lincoln, Concord, West Concord, and Wachusett
The Fitchburg line runs through areas of Massachusetts that are a leaf peepers’ dream. Take a trip out to Lincoln, Concord, West Concord, Littleton, or all the way to Wachusett to see all the fall colors.
If you’re traveling on the weekend, hop on/hop off at several stations on the line with $10 weekend tickets. Get unlimited both Sat. + Sun. Plus, kids 11 and under always ride free.
What other spots got votes for the best views for foliage from the train?
📍 Line: Newburyport/Rockport 🚆Station: Manchester
“Right next to a small shopping center offers coffee, a bank, a pharmacy…right in the center of the high street. Everything is within walking distance from [the Manchester Commuter Rail Station]. Beautiful ocean view and rustic style restaurants – [it’s] a peaceful place.” – Commuter Rail Assistant Conductor
📍 Line: Kingston 🚆Stations: Between South Weymouth and Kingston
📍 Line: Providence/Stoughton 🚆Stations: Between Wickford Junction and Providence
