How does the T work? (Boston, Orange: credit card, how much, transfer)

[SoCalMomma]

Ok, this may sound like a really stupid question, but..

We have never really used public transportation, let alone a subway! How does the T work?

• Do you pay each time you are going to use it, or do you buy a pass?
• How much does it cost?
• Do you just go to any stop & get on?
• Is it like the subways on tv, all the doors open and you just pick one and go in?
• How do you know when to get off?
• Changing 'lines': When you get off one color line and want to go on another, do you get off and go to a different location to get on the other?
• How long is it before the subway leaves and the next one comes?
• Are there round trips or do they each only go one way?
• Are the subway stops clearly marked, can you see them from any distance?

Thanks for any info you'd like the share! I know I must sound like a complete idiot, but its just something we have never experienced & I would like to look like I sort of know what I am doing once we get there.

[LovelyBoston]

You buy a pass, called the Charlie Card, when you go underground. Each trip, from anywhere to anywhere one way, costs 1.70 (with a few exceptions you won't have to worry about). You can put however much you want on the Card, and refill it when you run out. You buy your pass at machines, right down the stairs of each station, before you go through the turnstiles.

Go to any stop and get on. The doors open up like on TV and you just get on any car.

To know when to get off, get a map at a visitors center so you know the station name near wherever you are going; once on the car, you'll see a little map for the line you're on, right over the doors, so you can count down to your station. The stations are also marked, on the inside, so you can peak out the windows and doors of the car to doublecheck. SOmetimes you can hear the conductor announce the stations, but the audio is often garbled so don't count on that.

To change lines, there are certain stations where the lines intersect:
The Green and Red lines both stop at Park Street.
Green and Blue both stop at Government Center.
Orange and Red both stop at Downtown Crossing.
Orange and Blue both stop at State Street.
Green and Orange both stop at Haymarket and North Station.

If you want to change lines, do not go above ground or go through the turnstiles -- once you go through the turnstiles, you have to pay to get back in. Stay in the station and follow signs to the other line.

Pay attention to the direction -- inbound and outbound; if you want the Green line towards Park Street, look for a sign saying "inbound"; away from Park Street, head "outbound." (For the Blue Line, inbound is towards Gov't Center, outbound is away).

FYI: Green Lines will sometimes have different destinations because each subway will not always go to the very end of the line. Look for the label, on the the cars themselves -- one direction, the trains will say either North Station or Lechmere or Science Park; it means that some will stop at North Station and then will turn around, and won't keep going to Science or Lechmere stations, so if you want to go to the Museum of Science (at the Science Park station), do not get on a North Station train. Get on a Science Park or Lechmere train.
Going the other way, you'll see some Green Line trains labeled B, C, D, or E line trains. If you are going that direction, it does not matter which one you get on, if you are going no further than Copley. They all go to Copley. After Copley, the B,C, and D trains go to Kenmore. Then they diverge -- but you are really not likely to need or want to go past Copley as a tourist, so it won't matter.

During rush hour, the subway comes every few minutes. During non-rush hour times, it is every 10 minutes or so.

They are round trip trains, but you will never need to go from one end to the other. If you need to change direction, get off as soon as you realize you need to, and then, staying underground, follow the signs for either "inbound" or "outbound" trains -- whichever is the opposite of the one you were on before.

The stations are sort of clearly marked, with a tall, round, black and white sign with a big T on it. When you get close you'll see a smaller sign with the name of the station. But it helps if you have a map. :-)

[Hatless Wonder]

Do you pay each time you are going to use it, or do you buy a pass?
You can pay per ride, but that can get expensive. The T offers 1-day and 7-day visitor passes that offer unlimited trips on the bus and subway. The T has an automated fare collection system called "Charlie." You have to put money on a paper ticket (Charlie Ticket) or a re-usable plastic card (Charlie Card), and put that through the gates. There are Charlieticket machines at every T stop and every terminal at Logan. They take cash and credit cards.

How much does it cost?
With a Charlie Ticket, it's $2.25 for the subway and $1.50 for the bus. With the Charlie Card, it's $2 for the subway and $1.25 for the bus, with free subway-bus transfers and 40 cent bus-subway transfers. A 1-day visitor pass is $9, and 7-day pass is $15.

Do you just go to any stop & get on?
No. It depends on where you are and where you're going. From the Airport, you can ride a free Massport shuttle to Airport or ride the Silver Line (a bus) to South Station.

Is it like the subways on tv, all the doors open and you just pick one and go in?

Yes. Please move into the train, especially during rush hour. Don't block the doors, especially if you have bags or a stroller.

How do you know when to get off?

There's usually an announcement.

Changing 'lines': When you get off one color line and want to go on another, do you get off and go to a different location to get on the other?

Yes. Get off the train and follow the signs to the next line. The lines are clearly marked: trains on each line have a big stripe on them. Remember the shows "Spence for Hire" and St. Elsewhere", which show a train with a big red stripe going over a bridge? That's the Red line.

How long is it before the subway leaves and the next one comes?

During rush hour, trains leave every 3-4 minutes. After that's it's a crapshoot, especially on the Green Line. If a train pulls in bursting at the seams, there will probably an almost empty train right behind it.

Are there round trips or do they each only go one way?

They're one-way.

Are the subway stops clearly marked, can you see them from any distance?
Yes. they have a large black "T" inside a white circle.

Check out the mbta website (www.mbta.com) for maps and tips, including a trip planner and how to use a Charlie Card vending machine.

[LovelyBoston]

Originally Posted by Hatless Wonder

Do you pay each time you are going to use it, or do you buy a pass?
How much does it cost?
With a Charlie Ticket, it's $2.25 for the subway and $1.50 for the bus. With the Charlie Card, it's $2 for the subway and $1.25 for the bus, with free subway-bus transfers and 40 cent bus-subway transfers. A 1-day visitor pass is $9, and 7-day pass is $15.

.

Actually looks like we were both wrong on the fare. The web site appears to say now that it is $1.70 with a Charlie Card, and $2 with a Charlie Ticket, at least as of January '07.
Either way, the 1 day or 7 day pass might be the best idea, of you're going to be travelling by T a lot during your stay.

[SoCalMomma]

Thanks guys, I feel a lot better about it now. I think I will try to get the map printed out ahead of time and spend some time figuring out the paths we'll need to take.

You've been very helpful!!!

[shrimplet]

Hi there,

Here's a link to the transport system for Boston someone kindly posted to me recently: http://www.mbta.com/

It's an excellent website and tells you current prices and has maps too.