Need guidance on using MBTA from pier to South Station and beyond!
August 17, 2024 3:51 PM

In September I will be taking a cruise out of Boston and returning. Getting to the ship from my hotel at the airport doesn't look too hard (probably use Uber for convenience). At the cruise's end I will be using the bus/rail system to go to the suburbs and visit family. More details follow...

From the Flynn Cruiseport I need to go to South Station and the Silver Line 2 bus looks like the way to go. However, how do I pay my fair? I won't have Charlie cards or anything so can I just pay with cash? card? once I get on the bus?

I assume when I get to South Station I can just use a vending machine with a credit card to pay for a ticket for commuter rail. Does that sound right?

Any advise given will be greatly appreciated!
posted by Rad_Boy to Travel & Transportation (5 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
All non-commuter rail MBTA services are now tap-to-pay via phone or contactless credit card.
posted by bowbeacon at 4:18 PM on August 17


And at south station you can use a machine or the mTicket phone app.
posted by bowbeacon at 4:19 PM on August 17


The MBTA has just (like, in the last couple of weeks) rolled out contactless payments for credit cards and mobile wallets (Apple, Google, Samsung) on your smartphone/smartwatch for the bus and subway. Cash remains an option as well.

For the commuter rail, you'll still be able to use a machine to purchase your commuter rail fare once you get to South Station, or you can download the mTicket app (scroll down to "How to Pay Your Commuter Rail Fare" for the app links) to your phone and buy your ticket that way.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 4:23 PM on August 17


Cash remains an option as well.

On all busses, yes. On the subway lines, only on surface-level Green Line and Mattapan Trolley stops.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 5:59 PM on August 17


On all busses, yes. On the subway lines, only on surface-level Green Line and Mattapan Trolley stops.

I mean, yes, you can't literally pay on the vehicle, but you can definitely buy a CharlieTicket/CharlieCard with cash from a machine at any subway stop.
posted by mskyle at 6:38 AM on August 18


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