Worcester Line Weekend Bus Replacement for 11 Weekends Begins May 26

Highlights

Weekend buses between Worcester and Framingham Stations from May 26 – June 17.
No weekend train service between Framingham and South Stations from June 23 – August 5; weekend buses between Framingham and Wellesley Farms Stations; buses will connect to Green Line at Riverside Station.

The MBTA will replace weekend Worcester Line train service with free bus service during 11 weekends in 2 phases that begin the weekend of May 26, to accommodate the installation of federally mandated Positive Train Control (PTC) infrastructure.

Phase 1

The first phase will occur from May 26 through June 17 with free bus service replacing train service between Worcester and Framingham Stations. The second phase will occur immediately following the first phase from June 23 through August 5 with no weekend train service between Framingham and South Stations. Free bus service will be available between Framingham and Wellesley Farms during the second phase with the bus also connecting to the Green Line at Riverside Station.

The first phase’s free weekend bus service between Worcester and Framingham Stations will make stops at all stations. Buses will connect to regular Worcester Line train service at Framingham Station where trains will make all stops between Framingham and South Station for a Zone 5 fare.

For weekends May 26 to June 17, bus shuttles replace train service between Worcester and Framingham stations.

Phase 2

The second phase’s free weekend bus service will make all stops between Framingham and Wellesley Farms Stations with the bus extending to Riverside Station on the Green Line for customers intending to connect to subway service to Boston destinations. Train service between Worcester and Framingham during these weekends will also be free with a standard one-way Green Line fare at Riverside Station costing $2.25 on a CharlieCard or $2.75 with cash/CharlieTicket.

There will be no train service or bus service to or from Auburndale, West Newton, Newtonville, Boston Landing, Yawkey, Back Bay, or South Stations during these weekends with customers encouraged instead to utilize nearby transit services or the bus connection at Riverside.

For weekends June 23 to July 29, bus shuttles replace train service between Framingham and South Station.

About Bus Shuttles

The replacement bus schedule will be similar to the Worcester Line weekend train schedule, though customers should check the MBTA website for exact bus departure times. In some cases, buses may be unable to enter or turn around at stations with space limitations. Directional signage will be posted at every station and on the street to aid customers. All buses are accessible for persons with disabilities. Bicycles are prohibited on all buses during all service hours.

About PTC

This shutdown of Worcester Line train service during these 11 weekends from May 26 to August 5 is necessary for crews to begin installation activities that include installing poles, fiber optic cables, signal houses, and antenna for the federally mandated PTC system. PTC is a safety control system designed to reduce train speeds when needed and prevent train-on-train collisions.

The first MBTA PTC installation began the weekend of July 8, 2017, on the Newburyport/Rockport Line, with various Commuter Rail lines across the system currently at various stages of PTC hardware installation. The MBTA's PTC Implementation Plan submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration provides for the installation of hardware on all commuter rail lines and 2 pilot lines (Stoughton Line and Lowell Line) by the end of 2018, with full PTC implementation by December 31, 2020.