$10 Unlimited Weekend Fare

[Kilo Echo]

In an effort to increase weekend ridership, the MBTA will offer $10 commuter rail passes: Coming This Summer: Unlimited Commuter Rail Rides All Weekend For $10 (WBZ-TV).

[Train60]

Link to the MBTA Press Release with further details...
https://mbta.com/news/2018-05-21/specia ... ins-june-9

Its a nice idea. Hope it gets more people on the trains.

[StefanW]

Its a nice idea. Hope it gets more people on the trains.

It's going to get me to Wickford Junction for the first time ever!!

[BandA]

Doesn't seem to include subway/trolley/bus service.

[GP40MC1118]

Too bad Lowell Line commuters get stiffed on this due to PTC weekend outages!

[Arborwayfan]

Good idea. I have used a fare like that in on Metra in Chicago.

They should also consider a non-family group rate, either just on weekends or also off-peak weekday. They do this in Salt Lake City: any x people (4, I think) can travel together for a cheap rate. Like a family fare, there is just one actual ticket, so the group has to stay together, which I assume keeps many daily commuters from using it to save money.

Both are good ideas to get more people on CR on trains that are currently far from full, because they make the price more attractive to people who might otherwise drive and park together in one car. Should invite Salem, Lowell, Rockport, other places that have both stations and tourist attractions, to advertise in SSta, NSta, and BBY, and the museums that are near those stations to advertise at outlying stations. Basically invite them to make posters that the T will put up free: take the family to the Children's Museum for just (admission price) and $10 weekend train pass, no parking...

[Trinnau]

Too bad Lowell Line commuters get stiffed on this due to PTC weekend outages!

They only have to pay subway fare, but deal with a longer ride. Worcester riders dealing with outages too.

It's going to get me to Wickford Junction for the first time ever!!

No weekend service beyond Providence.

[Lentinula]

Worcester riders dealing with outages too.

I think we've got "free busses" for most of the summer -__-

[bgl]

No weekend service beyond Providence.

There is no airport service to TF Green on the weekends? Really?

[Trinnau]

Nope, never has been regular service since the MBTA began providing service on behalf of Rhode Island. The schedule on the weekend doesn't go beyond Providence. The sole weekend offering has been the Quonset Air Show the last few years, which is just two weeks away.

[rethcir]

It’s not the prices that keep people from using the CR on the weekends, it’s the schedules. Too infrequent and/or doesn’t go late enough.

[KevinSun242]

I think it's a little bit of both, depending on who's going. If a group of friends is going to Boston from my zone, it would cost over $20 per person round trip, and that's not including potential subway fare. It would cost less than one person's transit fare to park in a garage for the day on a weekend.

[RenegadeMonster]

I think the All the Zones thing will definitely help out with the price.

But it's true, it's the schedule that is most limiting.


I went to Boston Calling this weekend (All 3 Days) and had to leave 30 minutes into the headliners 90 minute sets to make it back to North Station in time to catch the last train. I was bummed out about having to miss 2/3rds of Jack White on Saturday Night.


When ever I go into Boston on the weekend for Events I find that I'm either leaving early to catch the last train, or getting to North Station and having to wait an hour + for the last train as I just missed the train before because I didn't watch to ditch out early.


I know for many people this is a deal breaker of taking the CR.

Though I think we have a long way to go before more frequency and later trains are considered.

For example I got on train 2152 Saturday morning in Salem, 4 out of 5 cars were open and completely packed with people. It was pretty much only middle seats available when I got on at Salem.

Lots of people coming into town for the Red Sox and Boston Calling (You can tell by the Boston Calling Wrist Bands everyones wearing).

The last train home at 11:30pm. Only the double decker was open and was filled to barely 1/3 capacity. There were only a hand full of people coming home from Boston Calling. No where near as many that were coming in in the morning.

Probably because Jack White Played till 10:50 and it takes 40 minutes to an hour to get back to North Station depending on how long you have to wait for a red line train and green line train and the number. I'm willing to bet more people chose a different method of transportation home rather than caught earlier trains home from Boston Calling.


This goes to show CR on on the Weekend is not ideal for people coming home from Events. It just doesn't work out great and the rider numbers are very low. So they will use those figures to say more frequency and later trains aren't justified.

Edit: While this doesn't effect me because I get off at Salem, here is another major hinderance on the Newburyport Line. There is no last train equivalent like there is on weeknights where you have the Rockport Train leave at 12:10 and then Newburyport at 12:15. The last train home for Newburyport is 10:20pm where as Rockport is 11:30. All lines on the Northside have a 11:30 train except Newburyport on the Weekends. Why is that?

[R36 Combine Coach]

It would be ever better if the weekend pass has bus and subway included, like SEPTA's daily pass.

[Rbts Stn]

Too bad the last train out of Providence is too early to really enjoy a night at Waterfire