MBTA
The MBTA is the greater Boston area’s public transportation system. Usually referred to as “the T,” the MBTA operates all of the subway trains, bus lines, and commuter rail systems in the complex Boston metropolitan area. For most students in Boston, as well as a large chunk of the population at large, the T is the way you get around Boston.
The T runs four main subway lines, which form the basis for a lot of the transportation around Boston. The four lines are separated into the east-west lines (the Green line and the Blue line), and the (roughly) north-south lines (the Red line and the Orange line). At T stations throughout the city, the subways are divided into those going inbound, or towards downtown Boston, and those going outbound, or away from the city towards one of the end destinations of the particular line. Right in the heart of downtown Boston, at Park Street and Government Center, trains are are designated by their end destinations (since all trains arriving at those two stops are already downtown).
Unlike a number of other subway systems in the country, like the New York subway or the Chicago L, many of the T’s trains are technically trolleys, meaning they run above and below ground. Trains that run above ground are particularly prominent on the Green line, west of the Kenmore Square station. While the Green line serves many of the neighborhoods on the western end of Boston, as well as Brookline, it does tend to move a bit slower because it has to wait for traffic lights when above ground.
As of 2007, the T uses a new fare system for all of its vehicles. Riders can pay the regular fare when they board a train or bus on the street. The standard fare is $2.00 for a train and $1.50 for a bus. When getting on the T from a station, though, riders can purchase a Charlie Ticket or a Charlie Card. A Charlie Ticket is (usually) a stored value holder – you can put $10.00 onto a Charlie ticket so you don’t have to constantly fish change out of your pocket when you get on a train or bus. Every time you get on a train or bus, the card will automatically deduct the cost of the trip from the balance you have remaining. It’s a really convenient way to ride the T.
A Charlie Card is a little different. A Charlie Card is a plastic card about the same size as a credit or debit card. In the card is a computer chip that keeps track of your balance automatically, as well as your transfers. To use a Charlie Card, all you have to do is tap the card to the sensors located on every T farebox. The sensor will let you know if you have enough money on your card to pay for your current trip. Aside from being a really fast way to pay for your ride, the Charlie Card comes with a few other advantages: it’s a little more durable than a Charlie Ticket (being plastic), and it gives you a small discount every time you use it – the fare when you use a Charlie Card is $1.70 for the subway and $1.25 for a bus. It doesn’t seem like much, but over time, the cheaper fare adds up.
Most regular commuters in Boston, students and professionals alike, will choose to get a different sort of card called a Link Pass. The Link Pass allows you unlimited use of the entire subway and bus system for a month, and costs about $60. If you find that you are using the train more than 30 times a month, or if you like to travel around the city a lot, the Link Pass can save you a lot of cash on transportation. Link Passes sometimes takes the form of a Charlie Card, but can also be a Charlie Ticket, as well. Students at BU can get their Link Passes through TranSComm, and get an 11% discount on the card.
The MBTA website is a wealth of information for getting around Boston. One of the best features is the trip-planning system that lets you put in two different locations in the city and get back two itineraries using only public transportation. If you don’t know for sure where something in Boston is located, the trip planner system can really help you plot your course.
MBTA website and trip planner.
The Medical Campus is close to a number of specific bus and subway lines. Below are the maps and schedules for a few of the more commonly used lines that come to the South End:
CT1 Bus
#1 Bus
#8 Bus
#47Bus
Subway Schedule (Silver Line is closest to campus
