New England - BOS Airport T fares

The Massport site describes the shuttle bus between the BOS terminals and the Airport Bllue Line station as "complimentary," but when you use the MBTA Trip Planner for a trip from the airport involving that route, they quote the fare as $3.50, while a regular T ride, even from Airport station, is $2.00. So how does that work? I kind of know about the Charlie Ticket system, and the machines in the terminals directed to Silver Line passengers; if taking the Blue Line, would one be advised to buy the tickets there, and would it call for putting $3.50 on the card?

The shuttle bus to the Blue Line Airport T station is free, then you should be able to just put $2 on the card there, at the subway station. I just did that a few weeks ago. The options at the kiosk aren't really intuitive, since they suggest that you put $5, $10, $20, or "other amount" onto the card. Even people around here get confused by it.

I'm not too familiar with the Silver Line -- I took it once when it first opened; I don't think I know anyone who would take it twice, since it takes so long. (At least, going TO the airport; perhaps it's quicker the other way.)

Not wishing to hijack the thread, but wondered if I could ask for a clarification. I'll be in Boston for the first time for a week in August and need to get from Logan to the area around Tufts Medical area and back (plus some other bits of dashing around to make best use of rather limited free time). I gather from this discussion that grabbing the Blue line and change to the Orange is quicker than going via the Silver line?

I planned to get a week-long Charlie ticket; noting your comments about the kiosks above, I presue these are easy enough to purchase, or is there a better option? Am I right in thinking I pick up the ticket at the T staton, not before I board the shuttle bus?

Thanks for your advice.

Yes, IMHO, I'd do Blue + Orange instead of Silver. Others may disagree, but my office and my commuter rail connection are served by both options, and I take Blue+Orange personally.

As for your other question, I assume that you can buy a weeklong pass at the kiosk, but I never have. Maybe someone else knows; usually I just take the "stored value card" option, and I charge it with $2 or $4. (Or I have a monthly pass that gets me way outside of town.)

The kiosk I'm talking about is an unstaffed touchscreen computer sales terminal at the subway station itself, after the shuttle bus drops you off.


Not wishing to hijack the thread, but wondered if I could ask for a clarification. I'll be in Boston for the first time for a week in August and need to get from Logan to the area around Tufts Medical area and back (plus some other bits of dashing around to make best use of rather limited free time). I gather from this discussion that grabbing the Blue line and change to the Orange is quicker than going via the Silver line?

I planned to get a week-long Charlie ticket; noting your comments about the kiosks above, I presue these are easy enough to purchase, or is there a better option? Am I right in thinking I pick up the ticket at the T staton, not before I board the shuttle bus?

Thanks for your advice.

Thanks, so I guess it's just a mistake when the Trip Planner quotes a $3.50 fare. I've stuffed in my checkbook a Charlie Ticket acquired in December 2008; it has no value on it, but in the interest of conservation should I be able to add value to it? (In theory, knowing that the elements may have harmed its readability.)

The Massport site describes the shuttle bus between the BOS terminals and the Airport Bllue Line station as "complimentary," but when you use the MBTA Trip Planner for a trip from the airport involving that route, they quote the fare as $3.50, while a regular T ride, even from Airport station, is $2.00. So how does that work? I kind of know about the Charlie Ticket system, and the machines in the terminals directed to Silver Line passengers; if taking the Blue Line, would one be advised to buy the tickets there, and would it call for putting $3.50 on the card?

My guess is that they are showing a bus connection at the other end, after you get off the T. If you use a Charlie Ticket instead of a Charlie Card, you pay full bus fare of $1.50 after a tranfer from the rail.

There are also some outlying T-stations where you get charged an extra fare when exiting. I know this is the case at Quincy, for example.

I'm not too familiar with the Silver Line -- I took it once when it first opened; I don't think I know anyone who would take it twice, since it takes so long. (At least, going TO the airport; perhaps it's quicker the other way.)Probably not appropriate to be giving advice based on a single trip many years ago. I take the Silver Line to and from Logan a lot (I live near Central Square, so I take the Red Line to the Silver Line and vice versa), and it works quite well.

I'll be in Boston for the first time for a week in August and need to get from Logan to the area around Tufts Medical area and back (plus some other bits of dashing around to make best use of rather limited free time). I gather from this discussion that grabbing the Blue line and change to the Orange is quicker than going via the Silver line?The Orange Line does bring you closest to Tufts, but both the Silver Line (to South Station) and the Silver Line connecting to the Red Line (to Downtown Crossing) bring you reasonably close. Were it me, I'd take whichever comes first -- the Silver Line bus or the MassPort shuttle bus to the Blue Line. If I took the Silver Line, I'd probably just walk to Tufts from South Station rather than change to the Red Line. On the other hand, for someone less familiar with the city, the Blue Line to the Orange Line probably is the safest bet.

My guess is that they are showing a bus connection at the other end, after you get off the T. If you use a Charlie Ticket instead of a Charlie Card, you pay full bus fare of $1.50 after a tranfer from the rail.


No, at mbta.com search Logan Airport to Aquarium Station: no bus at the end, and they quote a fare of $3.50. I guess the site considers the bus from the terminals to be a paid bus, but it isn't accurate.

Thanks, so I guess it's just a mistake when the Trip Planner quotes a $3.50 fare. I've stuffed in my checkbook a Charlie Ticket acquired in December 2008; it has no value on it, but in the interest of conservation should I be able to add value to it? (In theory, knowing that the elements may have harmed its readability.)

Mine is probably older than that, and it works perfectly. In fact, I don't think I have ever taken it out of my wallet.

Mine is probably older than that, and it works perfectly. In fact, I don't think I have ever taken it out of my wallet.
If you haven't taken it out of your wallet, how do you know it works? ;)

Charlie TICKET subway fare is $2 However, a Charlie CARD fare is $1.70 and includes a free transfer to a local bus if you so need.

To get a Card, which are free, if there is a T rider service person at the airport station (I would assume there would be since it's a lot of first time riders), ask them for a Charlie CARD (or how I would say it, "Chahlie Cahd"). In any event the Charlie card is a tap and go card that you keep and is way easier than dealing with those paper tickets that always fall apart in your wallet. More than one person can use the card, just put the corresponding fare on it, ex, two people would be $3.40. Then you tap it to the black reader at the fare gates.

And to the person going to New England Medical Center (Tufts), take the Blue line to State and then change for the Orange line in the Forest Hills direction to New England Medical Center. That was just recently changed to Tufts, so I doubt the T has bothered to update any signs yet.

There are also some outlying T-stations where you get charged an extra fare when exiting. I know this is the case at Quincy, for example.

All T rides cost the same regardless of distance. The exit fare policy and different prices on the D branch of the green line were abolished a few years ago when they got rid of tokens in favor of the Charlie Cards. Note, that the commuter rail is zone fare based, but most tourists wouldn't ride that anyway.

No, at mbta.com search Logan Airport to Aquarium Station: no bus at the end, and they quote a fare of $3.50. I guess the site considers the bus from the terminals to be a paid bus, but it isn't accurate.

You're not kidding. The Mp22 the T's trip planner shows, however, is a free bus, so the fare to Aquarium is $2 Charlie Card/$1.70 Charlie Ticket. This is far from the first time the trip planner is wrong.

To get a Card, which are free, if there is a T rider service person at the airport station (I would assume there would be since it's a lot of first time riders), ask them for a Charlie CARD (or how I would say it, "Chahlie Cahd").


You can probably get one at the Blue Line station now. But there definitely is not any way to get a Charlie Card at Logan Terminal B. (I generally use the Silver Line since the connection to the Red Line from it is easier. And I have had several occassions to go to South Station itself to get commuter rail.)


All T rides cost the same regardless of distance. The exit fare policy and different prices on the D branch of the green line were abolished a few years ago when they got rid of tokens in favor of the Charlie Cards. Note, that the commuter rail is zone fare based, but most tourists wouldn't ride that anyway.

I just looked and this is a welcome change for those of us who have had occassion to go to the far southern reaches of the Red Line. (Admittedly, the last time I went to Quincy was about 3 or 4 years ago.)

It is not that unusual for tourists to use the commuter rail, at least the line that goes to Concord.

I planned to get a week-long Charlie ticket; noting your comments about the kiosks above, I presue these are easy enough to purchase, or is there a better option? Am I right in thinking I pick up the ticket at the T staton, not before I board the shuttle bus?

Thanks for your advice.

Yes, you can buy a weekly pass right from a kiosk. "Buy a pass" is one of the options on the main screen. You'll be issued a paper ticket/pass that you'll simply insert into any of the subway gates or bus fare boxes. It will clearly state how long it's valid right on the front (i.e. exactly 7 days - to the minute - from the time of purchase).

There are kiosks at each of the airport terminals (usually near baggage claim near where the MBTA shuttle bus picks up. Alternatively, you can wait and purchase at the Airport T station after you get off the shuttle bus. If there's nobody at the airport terminal kiosk, just pick up one there.