|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
If you’ve never taken a commuter rail train before, fares and tickets might be confusing. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about paying your fare when South Coast Rail starts up on March 24.
Fares and parking will be free for passengers riding to and from South Coast stations when service begins. The fares are free every day through the end of March, then every weekend through the end of April, including the Patriots’ Day holiday on April 21.
To receive the free fare, just share your origin and destination stations with the conductor.
Parking at South Coast stations is also free every day through the end of April.
How much is the standard fare?
The standard fare for a one-way trip from New Bedford Station to Boston’s South Station on a weekday will be $12.25, but will be free through the end of March. Children aged 11 and younger don’t need a ticket.
Unlimited weekend passes are available for $10. The passes also work on some holidays.
If you’re not headed all the way to South Station, your fare might be different. That’s because fares are based on which of the commuter rail network’s 11 fare zones you board and exit in.
All of the South Coast Rail stations are in Zone 8. South Station is in Zone 1A, the center of the commuter rail network in Boston. Any trip that doesn’t start or end in Zone 1A will have an “interzone fare” based on the number of zones you pass through.
For example: If you ride the train from New Bedford to Brockton, which is in Zone 4, you’ll pay an “Interzone 5” fare of $4.75 because you move through five zones. You can find all the interzone fares at the MBTA’s commuter rail fare zone webpage.
Monthly passes for those commuting from the South Coast to Boston are $388 roundtrip. You can get a $10 discount by buying your pass on the MBTA’s fare app (more on that later).
How do I buy a commuter rail ticket or pass?
Let’s start with the ways you can’t pay your fare: South Coast stations won’t have ticket kiosks because they are often vandalized, an MBTA official explained at a recent meeting. And your CharlieCard for Boston subways won’t work on a commuter rail train unless it’s a card with a monthly commuter rail pass.
Now, here’s how you can pay your fare if you’re traveling to or from South Coast Rail stations.
The MBTA mTicket app allows you to buy tickets and monthly passes on your phone. Activate your ticket in the app when you board — it will be valid for three hours, and you can’t deactivate it. Note that mTicket is separate from the MBTA Go app, which provides live information on MBTA service.
If you don’t want to download the app, you can buy one-way tickets with cash or card onboard the train. You can order physical monthly passes in the mail on the MBTA website.
If you make your way to a station that does have a ticket kiosk, you can buy one-way, round-trip, and monthly passes that will be stored on a printed CharlieTicket. Paying your fare with cash or card after you board at a station that has a ticket kiosk could come with a $3 surcharge.
How do I qualify for free or reduced fare?
Fares are free for these riders:
- Children 11 years old and younger
- People who are legally blind (apply for a Blind Access CharlieCard on the MBTA website)
- Active-duty military personnel in uniform or with a military ID
- Police officers and firefighters in uniform, plus plainclothes police detectives with an official badge
- State Department of Public Utilities employees and elevator inspectors with a Public Official ID.
Reduced fares are available for these riders:
- People with disabilities and Medicare cardholders
- People age 65 and older
- Some students at participating schools
- People age 18 to 64 who are enrolled in state assistance
To qualify for reduced fares, you have to apply for a special CharlieCard. The application process is a little different for each category, but you can find more information and an online application on the MBTA’s reduced fare webpage.
One-way reduced fares from South Coast Rail stops to South Station are $6, while a reduced monthly pass is $190. You can get a $5 discount on the monthly pass by buying your ticket on the MBTA’s fare app.
Once you get to Boston, one-way reduced fares are $1.10 on subways and $0.85 on local buses.
How do I pay fares on buses and subways once I get to Boston?
For commuter rail riders traveling around Boston on buses and subways, the MBTA recommends buying a printed CharlieTicket at any subway station. One-day and seven-day passes are available.
If you ride the bus or subway regularly, the MBTA recommends getting a CharlieCard, a reusable card that you load money onto. The MBTA’s website has a list of locations in Boston where you can get one for free, including public libraries, Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Charlie Service Center at 296 Washington St.
If your credit card or phone supports contactless payments, you can use it to pay on MBTA buses, Green Line and Mattapan trolleys, and at gated subway stations.
One-way fares are $2.40 on subways and $1.70 on local buses. You can transfer up to two times and pay only the cost of the highest-priced service.
A one-day pass, good for unlimited travel for 24 hours, is $11. A seven-day pass, good for a week of unlimited travel, is $22.50.
Where can I find more information about riding the MBTA?
The MBTA has a beginner’s guide on its website. Rules and etiquette tips are on this MBTA webpage.
Email Grace Ferguson at gferguson@newbedfordlight.org
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Thursday, March 20, 2025, with new information by the MBTA on parking and fare promotions.
Thank you for info. This makes it all easier to understand including subway/bus fare costs.
Thank you for the fine article on the Southcoast Rail.
So clear! Thank you. As an added bit of info: you should be able to get 65+ reduced fare if you pay on board and show your license to the conductor proving your age.