List of MBTA bus routes

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus division operates bus routes in the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan area. All routes connect to MBTA subway, MBTA Commuter Rail, and/or other MBTA bus services. Many routes are descendants of the streetcar routes of the Boston Elevated Railway, or of suburban companies including the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway, Middlesex and Boston Street Railway, and Newton and Boston Street Railway.

Geographic map of MBTA bus service

Silver Line

A Silver Line bus leaves the Waterfront Tunnel on the SL1 route

The Silver Line is a bus rapid transit system marketed as rapid transit. It is divided into two branches: Waterfront service (SL1, SL2, SL3, and the rush-hour Shuttle) that runs through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and Washington Street service (SL4 and SL5) that runs on the surface via Washington Street. The Waterfront service costs the same as a subway fare, while the Washington Street service costs a regular bus fare.

The SL5 route was created in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated. The Shuttle route began operations in 2004, followed by the SL2 and SL3 (former) in 2004 and SL1 in 2005 when dual-mode buses became available. The SL4 was introduced in 2009 as a replacement for the canceled Phase III tunnel. A new SL3 route to Chelsea opened in 2018.[1]

Route	Description	MBTA link
SL1	Logan Airport–South Station	Link
SL2	Design Center–South Station	Link
SL3	Chelsea station–South Station	Link
Shuttle	Silver Line Way–South Station
SL4	Nubian station–South Station at Essex Street	Link
SL5	Nubian station–Downtown Crossing at Temple Place	Link

Crosstown

A CT2 bus leaves Sullivan station in 2007

The crosstown (CT) buses provide limited-stop service on two routes that connect major subway and bus transfer points. The routes were created by the MBTA in 1994.[1]

Route	Description	MBTA link
CT2	Sullivan Square station–Ruggles station	Link
CT3	Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Andrew station	Link

1–121

Two #1 buses at Central Square, Cambridge

#7 and #448 buses at Downtown Crossing

A #39 bus on Huntington Avenue at Northeastern University

A bus on the #43 route, one of the last to be converted from streetcar to bus

A #59 bus leaving Watertown Square

A Boston Elevated Railway bus on either the #60 or since-discontinued #58 route arrives at Kenmore Square in the 1940s

A #70 bus at Central Square, Cambridge

A #77A trolleybus on Massachusetts Avenue

A #89 bus on Broadway in Somerville

A #91 bus leaving Sullivan Square station

A #101 bus on Main Street in Somerville

These routes provide almost all local service in the core of the metropolitan area; most were originally Boston Elevated Railway streetcar routes. They were originally numbered roughly clockwise from southeast to northeast, with 4 the furthest south in South Boston and 121 the furthest north (roughly) in East Boston. The BERy folded into the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1947, and the M.T.A. in turn was reorganized as the MBTA in 1964. Despite some changes, including minor routes being merged into trunk routes, the core service network has remained roughly intact since the BERy eta. Several new routes, including the 1, 5, and 47, have been added during the M.T.A. and MBTA eras.[1]

Seven routes – the 52, 59, 62, 67, 70, 70A, and 76 – serve more distant western suburbs, such as Belmont, Lexington, and Needham; most were acquired from the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway in 1972, and subsequently renumbered using previously discontinued designations.[1]

Fifteen of these routes (those with the highest ridership in the system) are designated as key bus routes; they supplement the subway system to provide frequent service to the densest areas of the city. Key bus routes typically operate at higher frequencies than their undesignated cousins, and in March 2014 their hours of service were extended until 2:30AM on Friday and Saturday nights along with the rapid transit system.[2] In mid-2015, late-night service on some key bus routes was cut back, while other routes were dropped from late-night service.

Key bus routes are designated on this list with an *.

Route	Description	MBTA link
1*	Harvard Square–Nubian station	Link
4	North Station–Tide Street	Link
7	City Point–Otis Street & Summer Street	Link
8	Harbor Point–Kenmore station	Link
9	City Point–Copley station	Link
10	City Point–Copley Square	Link
11	City Point–Bedford Street & Chauncy Street	Link
14	Roslindale Square–Heath Street	Link
15*	Fields Corner station or Kane Square–Ruggles station	Link
16	Forest Hills station–Andrew station or Harbor Point	Link
17	Fields Corner station–Andrew station	Link
18	Ashmont station–Andrew station	Link
19	Fields Corner station–Kenmore or Ruggles station	Link
21	Ashmont station–Forest Hills station	Link
22*	Ashmont station–Ruggles station via Talbot Ave	Link
23*	Ashmont station–Ruggles station via Washington Street	Link
24	Wakefield Avenue & Truman Parkway–Mattapan station	Link
26	Ashmont station–Norfolk Street Loop	Link
27	Mattapan station–Ashmont station	Link
28*	Mattapan station–Ruggles station	Link
29	Mattapan station–Jackson Square station	Link
30	Mattapan station–Forest Hills station via Cummins Highway and Roslindale Square	Link
31	Mattapan station–Forest Hills station via Morton Street	Link
32*	Wolcott or Cleary Square–Forest Hills station	Link
33	River Street & Milton Street–Mattapan station	Link
34	Dedham Mall or Dedham Line–Forest Hills station	Link
34E	Walpole Center–Forest Hills station	Link
35	Dedham Mall or Stimson Street–Forest Hills station	Link
36	Millennium Park or VA Hospital–Forest Hills station	Link
37	Baker Street & Vermont Street–Forest Hills station	Link
38	Wren Street–Forest Hills station	Link
39*	Forest Hills station–Back Bay station	Link
40	Georgetowne–Forest Hills station	Link
41	Centre Street & Eliot Street–JFK/UMass station	Link
42	Forest Hills station–Nubian station	Link
43	Ruggles station–Park Street station	Link
44	Jackson Square station–Ruggles station	Link
45	Franklin Park–Ruggles station	Link
47	Central Square, Cambridge–Broadway station	Link
50	Cleary Square–Forest Hills station	Link
51	Reservoir station–Forest Hills station	Link
52	Dedham Mall–Watertown Yard	Link
55	Jersey Street & Queensberry Street–Park Street station	Link
57*	Watertown Yard–Kenmore station	Link
57A	Oak Square–Kenmore station	Link
59	Needham Junction–Watertown Square	Link
60	Chestnut Hill–Kenmore station	Link
61	North Waltham–Waltham Center	Link
62	Bedford VA Hospital–Alewife station	Link
64	Oak Square–University Park or Kendall/MIT station	Link
65	Brighton–Kenmore station	Link
66*	Harvard Square–Nubian station	Link
67	Turkey Hill–Alewife station	Link
68	Harvard Square–Kendall/MIT station	Link
69	Harvard Square–Lechmere station	Link
70	Market Place Drive or Waltham Center–University Park	Link
71*	Watertown Square–Harvard station	Link
72	Aberdeen Avenue–Harvard station	Link
73*	Waverley Square–Harvard Sttaion	Link
74	Belmont Center–Harvard via Concord Avenue	Link
75	Belmont Center–Harvard via Huron Avenue	Link
76	Lincoln Lab–Alewife station	Link
77*	Arlington Heights–Harvard station	Link
78	Arlmont Village–Harvard station	Link
79	Arlington Heights–Alewife station	Link
80	Arlington Center–Lechmere station	Link
83	Rindge Avenue–Central Square, Cambridge	Link
84	Arlmont Village–Alewife station	Link
85	Spring Hill–Kendall/MIT station	Link
86	Sullivan Square station–Reservoir station	Link
87	Clarendon Hill or Arlington Center–Lechmere station	Link
88	Clarendon Hill–Lechmere station	Link
89	Clarendon Hill or Davis station–Sullivan Square station	Link
90	Davis station–Assembly Row	Link
91	Sullivan Square station–Central Square, Cambridge	Link
92	Sullivan Square station–Downtown via Main Street	Link
93	Sullivan Square station–Downtown via Bunker Hill Street	Link
94	Medford Square–Davis station	Link
95	West Medford or Arlington Center–Sullivan Square station	Link
96	Medford Square–Harvard station	Link
97	Malden Center station–Wellington station	Link
99	Woodland Road–Wellington station	Link
100	Elm Street–Wellington station	Link
101	Malden Center station–Sullivan Square station via Winter Hill	Link
104	Malden Center station–Sullivan Square station via Ferry Street	Link
105	Malden Center station–Sullivan Square station via Newland Street Housing	Link
106	Lebanon Loop–Wellington station	Link
108	Linden Square–Wellington station	Link
109	Linden Square–Sullivan Square station	Link
110	Wonderland station–Wellington station	Link
111*	Woodlawn–Haymarket station	Link
112	Wellington station–Wood Island station	Link
114	Market Basket–Maverick station	Link
116*	Wonderland station–Maverick station via Revere Street	Link
117*	Wonderland station–Maverick station via Beach Street	Link
119	Northgate Shopping Center–Beachmont station	Link
120	Orient Heights station–Jeffries Point	Link
121	Wood Island station–Maverick station	Link

131–137

A #131 bus passing Melrose Highlands station

Numbers from 131 to 137 operate in the Melrose area; their routings are based on routes operated as part of the former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway, which was folded into the MBTA system in 1968. The 136 and 137 were briefly operated as far as Lowell and Lawrence, their original Eastern Mass terminals, while under MBTA control. The 132 was a Service Bus Lines route which was not operated by the MBTA until 1975.[1]

Route	Description	MBTA link
131	Melrose Highlands–Oak Grove or Malden Center station	Link
132	Redstone Shopping Center–Malden Center station	Link
134	North Woburn–Wellington station	Link
136	Reading Depot–Malden Center station via Lowell Street	Link
137	Reading Depot–Malden Center station via North Avenue	Link

170–171

A Dudley-bound route 170 bus (signed NO STOPS) at Back Bay station in 2017

170 and 171 are special low-service routes, the 170 a variant of the 70 introduced in 1968 and the 171 a replacement for early morning CT3 service when it was cut back from Logan Airport in 2002. Other numbers in the 170s were used for largely short-lived routes serving industrial areas.[1]

Route	Description	MBTA link
170	Waltham Center–Nubian station	Link
171	Logan Airport terminals–Nubian station	Link

191–194

Routes from 191 to 194 are single round trips in the early morning, mainly meant for subway fare collectors but open to the public. They were introduced by the M.T.A. in 1960.[1]

Route	Description	MBTA link
191	Mattapan station–Haymarket station	Link
192	Cleary Square–Haymarket station	Link
193	Watertown Yard–Haymarket station	Link
194	Clarendon Hill–Haymarket station	Link

195

Route 195 is a special low-service route not open to the general public nor shown on MBTA maps. It connects downtown Boston with the homeless shelter at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital. Until September 2015, the route was numbered 277 to match routes 274-276 (which connected downtown Boston to the Long Island Health Campus and were suspended due to the closure of Long Island Bridge in October 2014.)[1]

Route	Description	MBTA link
195	Lemuel Shattuck Hospital–Park Street & Tremont Street	Link

201–202

The 20 belt route was created by the M.T.A. in 1962 as a combination of the 20 and 21 stub routes inherited from BERy. In 2005, the MBTA redesignated the two directions of the loop as the 201 and 202 to avoid confusion about which way each bus ran.[1]

Route	Description	MBTA link
201	Fields Corner Loop via Neponset Ave	Link
202	Fields Corner Loop via Adams Street	Link

210–245

These routes operate in the Quincy area. Routes 210-245 are based on routes originally operated by the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway (folded into the MBTA in 1968) which mostly ran into Fields Corner station. When the Red Line's Braintree Branch opened in the 1970s, these routes were rerouted to terminate at the new rapid transit stations (principally Quincy Center).[1]

A #214 bus (with #230 and #211 buses behind) at Quincy Center station

A #225 bus at Quincy Center station

Route	Description	MBTA link
210	Quincy Center station–Fields Corner station	Link
211	Quincy Center station–Squantum	Link
212	Quincy Center station–North Quincy station	Link
214	Germantown–Quincy Center station	Link
215	Quincy Center station–Ashmont station via West Quincy	Link
216	Houghs Neck–Quincy Center station	Link
217	Quincy Center station–Ashmont station via Wollaston station	Link
220	Hingham Depot–Quincy Center station	Link
221	Fort Point–Quincy Center station	Link
222	East Weymouth–Quincy Center station	Link
225	Weymouth Landing–Quincy Center station	Link
226	Columbian Square–Braintree station	Link
230	Montello station–Quincy Center station	Link
236	South Shore Plaza–Quincy Center station	Link
238	Holbrook/Randolph station–Quincy Center station	Link
240	Avon Square–Ashmont station	Link
245	Quincy Center station–Mattapan station	Link

325–326

A #326 bus in Medford in July 2015

These routes operate express between Medford and downtown Boston. They were introduced by the MBTA in June 1973.[1]

Route	Description	MBTA link
325	Elm Street, Medford–Haymarket station	Link
326	West Medford–Haymarket station	Link

350–354

A #354 bus on Salem Street in Woburn

These routes operate in the Burlington area. They are the remains of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell Division, which was inherited intact by the MBTA in 1968 and gradually declined thereafter.[1]

Route	Description	MBTA link
350	North Burlington–Alewife station	Link
351	Bedford Woods Drive–Alewife station	Link
352	Burlington–State Street, Boston	Link
354	Woburn–State Street, Boston	Link

411–465

These routes operate in the Lynn area and the North Shore. Two routes that run to Haymarket have weekend short-turn variants (labeled with a W suffix) that terminate at Wonderland. The 411 and 430 were Service Bus Lines routes that were acquired by the MBTA in 1975; the other routes are largely Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway routes acquired in 1968.[1]

A route 430 bus leaving Malden Center station

A route 451 bus on Route 1A in Salem

Route	Description	MBTA link
411	Kennedy Drive or Jack Satter House–Malden Center station	Link
424	Eastern Avenue & Essex Street–Wonderland station	Link
426	Central Square, Lynn–Haymarket station	Link
426W	Central Square, Lynn–Wonderland station	Link
428	Oaklandvale–Haymarket station	Link
429	Northgate Shopping Center–Central Square, Lynn	Link
430	Saugus Center–Malden Center station	Link
434	Main Street, Peabody–Haymarket station	Link
435	Liberty Tree Mall–Central Square, Lynn via Peabody Square	Link
436	Liberty Tree Mall–Central Square, Lynn via Goodwin Circle	Link
439	Nahant–Wonderland station	Link
441	Marblehead–Wonderland station via Paradise Road	Link
442	Marblehead–Wonderland station via Humphrey Street	Link
450	Salem Depot–Haymarket station	Link
450W	Salem Depot–Wonderland station	Link
451	North Beverly station–Salem Depot	Link
455	Salem Depot–Wonderland station	Link
456	Salem Depot–Central Square, Lynn	Link
465	Danvers Square–Salem Depot	Link

501–558

These routes operate express between Newton and downtown Boston via the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). The 500 series routes were created by the MBTA in the 1960s to take advantage of the newly constructed turnpike extension into Boston. The 550 series routes were Middlesex and Boston Street Railway routes to Newton Corner that were extended to downtown Boston in the 1960s and taken over by the MBTA in 1972.[1]

A #502 bus (with a #10 behind) at Copley Square

Route	Description	MBTA link
501	Brighton Center–Federal Street & Franklin Street	Link
502	Watertown Yard–Copley station	Link
503	Brighton Center–Copley Square	Link
504	Watertown Yard–Federal Street & Franklin Street	Link
505	Waltham Center–Federal Street & Franklin Street	Link
553	Roberts–Federal Street & Franklin Street	Link
554	Waverley Square–Federal Street & Franklin Street	Link
556	Waltham Highlands–Federal Street & Franklin Street	Link
558	Riverside station–Federal Street & Franklin Street	Link

Privately operated routes

A Paul Revere Transportation bus operating the #712 route at Orient Heights station in 2015

A Blue Hill Bus Lines vehicle on the Canton–Mattapan route in 1967. This route went through several different operators and was designated as the #716 in 1999.[1]

The MBTA provides partial subsidy for some suburban routes outside its usual service area that connect with MBTA bus, subway, or commuter rail service. Routes 710-716 are radial commuter routes that accept MBTA passes on CharlieTickets only; they were taken over from various private operators (Hudson Bus Lines for the 710 and 716, Rapid Transit Inc. for the 712/713, and Nantasket Transportation for the 714).[1]

The non-numbered routes (listed here by their designator on MBTA maps) are local circulator services founded by the municipalities with partial MBTA subsidy.[1] All are operated by private companies under contract, except for the Beverly Shuttle which is operated by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority.

Route	Description	MBTA link
710	North Medford–Wellington station	Link
712	Point Shirley, Winthrop–Orient Heights station via Revere Street	Link
713	Point Shirley, Winthrop–Orient Heights station via Winthrop Center	Link
714	Pemberton Point, Hull–Station Street, Hingham	Link
716	Cobbs Corner–Mattapan station	Link
BED	Bedford Local Transit	Link
BEV	City of Beverly Shuttle	Link
BUR	Burlington Public Transit	Link
LEX	Lexington Lexpress (6 routes)	Link
MIS	Mission Hill LINK	Link

References

1. Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). NETransit.
2. "Service Delivery Policy" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 13 July 2006. pp. 3, 26–27. Retrieved 24 July 2014.

External links

• MBTA – Bus schedules and maps
• MBTA – System maps