FAQs

The $10 Weekend Pass allows a rider to board the Commuter Rail and make unlimited stops on all zones and Commuter Rail Lines. You can also switch lines at no extra cost, making it an efficient way to travel across multiple lines. The $10 Weekend Passes are available every weekend of the year and make it cost-effective to visit stops on any of the Commuter Rail Lines. Hop on and off as you desire and use it both Saturday and Sunday of each weekend purchased.

Similar to the $10 Weekend Pass, the $10 Holiday Weekend Pass includes not just the Saturday and Sunday of the weekend for unlimited rides but also the attached holiday. For example, Memorial Day Weekend includes the Saturday, Sunday and Monday when the Pass can be used.

The fixed holidays that are included in this program include: 

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Third Monday in January)
• Washington’s Birthday (Third Monday in February)
• Patriots’ Day (Third Monday in April)
  • Note that this replaces the historically offered $15 Marathon Monday Pass
• Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
• Labor Day (First Monday in September)
• Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Second Monday in October)
• Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November)
  • Black Friday (Friday After the Fourth Thursday in November)

The $10 Holiday Pass can be used on the Commuter Rail to make unlimited stops on holidays that are not attached to a weekend. These holidays include:

• New Year’s Day (January 1)
• Juneteenth National Independence Day (June 19)
• Independence Day (July 4)
• Veterans Day (November 11)
• Christmas Day (December 25)

Buy your $10 Weekend Pass on the mTicket app, available from iTunes and Google Play. Or you could stop by the ticket windows at North, South, and Back Bay stations. It is also possible to buy on board with cash or credit. 

Weekend passes are not available at fare vending machines or retail sales locations.

Each Commuter Rail station is in a “Zone,” determined by its location. Stations in Boston and nearby communities are in Zone 1A, while stations at the end of each line are in Zones 8, 9, or 10.

Your fare will depend on how far you’re traveling, between $2.40 – $13.25 each way. There are no discounts for buying round trip tickets. If traveling on the weekend, ride unlimited across all zones with the $10 weekend pass.

To see how much your trip will cost, just enter your origin and destination stations into our Commuter Rail fare finder.

Commuter Rail fares depend on which zones your boarding and exiting stations are located in. Zone 1A stations are closest to Boston and some have connections to other MBTA modes such as subway/bus lines. The Zone 1A fare is $2.40 one-way within Zone 1A. There are 17 Zone 1A Stations to explore at the same cost as the subway or bus. Please check schedules and fees to be certain you are accessing them correctly.

At the Fairmount Line Zone 1A stations, riders can tap their CharlieCards on fare validators. No other line accepts CharlieCards unless the Month and Zone are printed on them.

Another benefit of Zone 1A is if you have the right Zone 1A ticket type, you can transfer to the subway/bus. When you buy a Zone 1A daily, weekly, or monthly pass at Fare Vending Machines or Ticket offices at North, South, and Back Bay you can travel seamlessly from Commuter Rail to subway/bus if needed. However, note: mTicket is only valid on Commuter Rail and you will need to buy a separate  Zone 1A fare if you need to make a subway/bus connection.

Destinations such as parks, museums, coffee shops and attractions vary greatly by Commuter Rail stop. To give a fair representation of the distance from each station, distance in miles has been noted in itineraries and listings. It is the user’s responsibility to determine the walkability and accessibility of individual destinations.

Click on the heart symbol to like and save a listing to “Favorites”. Favorites can be accessed through the small yellow tab on the right side of your screen. Click on the tab to view your saved listings and share them with your family and friends! Send yourself a copy of it as well–your favorites are saved within your browser settings and will be lost if your cache is cleared.

Commuter Rail Stations offer 3 types of platforms: full high-level, mini high-level, and low-level platforms.

• Full high-level platforms allow for level boarding at all cars of the train.
• Mini high-level platforms allow for level boarding at 2 cars of the train.
• Low-level platforms require customers to climb 3-4 steps to board the train. 

At both full high-level and mini high-level platforms, the conductor can deploy a bridge plate upon request to span the gap between the train and the platform.

Always check station accessibility features before you start your trip, and the Accessibility Commuter Rail Guide here. Plan an accessible journey on the T with the MBTA trip planner.

Keolis massAdventures is a new weekend tour company that explores Massachusetts with day trips and adventure tours. Whether you’re a visitor or live in the city and want to get out and explore, Keolis massAdventures makes it easy by combining your Commuter Rail ticket, curated experiences, and transportation in comfortable, air-conditioned sprinter vans with professionally trained drivers from the Commuter Rail station to the activity and back.

The train ticket you receive when you book is valid for travel on the Commuter Rail Saturday-Sunday the weekend of your tour, or Saturday-Monday of holiday weekends such as Memorial Day. Tours originate at North and South Stations. Visit KeolismassAdventures.com for a full list of upcoming tours or check out our events page.

Bostonians refer to the underground subway system as the T, which primarily serves the urban areas of Boston. It has multiple lines and underground stations such as the Red Line, Blue Line, Orange Line and Green Line. 

The MBTA Commuter Rail connects communities in Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island to Downtown Boston, with 137 stops throughout the region. The service area includes 12 Lines that run 7 days a week, plus special service to Gillette Stadium from Boston and Providence for sporting events and concerts.

Each Commuter Rail line runs on a set timetable, with service beginning as early as 5 AM and ending as late as 1 AM at some stops. Each line has a dedicated schedule that is the same Monday – Friday and on Saturday and Sunday the schedule is different. Be sure to check your lines’ timetable on the specific day you’re traveling at MBTA.com/cr

Schedules are adjusted every 3 months to account for service demands. Timetables are always available on our website, so you can plan ahead for a trip you’re taking tomorrow or in a few weeks!

Please note that schedules list departure times, and trains are expected to leave at exactly that time. We recommend arriving at the station at least 10 minutes before your scheduled departure time.

In Boston, all trains originate at North Station or South Station, where it’s easy to make connections to or from the MBTA subway and bus, Amtrak, and regional bus services. There are also 20 Commuter Rail stations in Boston with connections to subway and bus service.

Hop on board with your children as kids 11 and under always ride for free. Groups including 10 or more children (regardless of the number of chaperones), must register their travel using the field trip form.