MBTA Announces March Service Changes

Service changes are taking place to support critical signal upgrade work on the Orange and Red lines, MassDOT’s Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Superstructure Replacements project, Maintenance of Way work at Bowdoin, and signal upgrade work at North Station.

The MBTA today announced service changes in March on the Orange, Red, Blue, Newburyport/Rockport, Haverhill, and Lowell lines.

Riders can find more information on service changes through in-station signage, in-station public announcements, and at mbta.com/alerts. Transit Ambassadors and MBTA staff will be available on-site to offer information and assistance during these service changes. Riders are encouraged to subscribe to T-Alerts or to follow the MBTA on X @MBTA, @MBTA_CR, and @MBTA_CR_Alerts for up-to-date service information.

On the Orange Line:

Orange Line service will be suspended between Jackson Square and North Station during the weekend of March 1 – 2.
- Free and accessible shuttle buses will make all stops between Jackson Square and Back Bay. Riders can connect to the Green Line at Copley, which is less than a two-minute walk from Back Bay, for continued service through downtown toward North Station.
- There will be free fares at Copley (inbound only) and at Jackson Square with the fare gates open.
- Accessible van service will be available between North Station and Back Bay on the Orange Line as well as to Copley on the Green Line for continued subway service. Riders should see station personnel for assistance.
- Riders should note that the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line is suspended between Oak Grove and North Station during the weekend of March 1 – 2.
- The Commuter Rail will be fare-free between Forest Hills and South Station.
- This service change is in place to accomplish signal upgrade work on the Orange Line. The new upgraded signal system will allow for more frequent service, improved scheduling, and enhanced safety. By upgrading its signals, the MBTA expects to significantly increase operational efficiency, reducing wait times and improving scheduling reliability for all riders.
Orange Line service will be suspended between Oak Grove and North Station beginning at approximately 8:30 PM on Friday, March 7, and continuing through the entire weekend of March 8 – 9.
- Free and accessible shuttle buses will make all stops between Oak Grove and North Station.
- Express shuttle buses will stop at Oak Grove, Malden Center, and North Station.
- The Haverhill Commuter Rail Line will be fare-free after 8:30 PM on March 7.
- Riders should note that the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line is suspended between Ballardvale and North Station during the weekend of March 8 – 9.
- This service change is in place to support critical work as part of MassDOT’s Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Superstructure Replacements project, which will replace the two deteriorated bridge superstructures and improve bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities.

On the Red Line:

Red Line service will be suspended between JFK/UMass and Braintree during the weekends of March 8 – 9, March 22 – 23, and March 29 – 30.
- Free and accessible shuttle buses will make all stops between JFK/UMass and Braintree.
- Riders are strongly encouraged to use the Middleborough, Kington, and Greenbush Commuter Rail lines for fare-free service between Braintree, Quincy Center, JFK/UMass, and South Station. Commuter Rail schedules are available on mbta.com.
  - Travelling between Braintree and South Station on the Commuter Rail is about 24 minutes.
- Riders should note that regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected for travel beyond Braintree.
- These service changes are in place to accomplish signal upgrade work on the Red Line. The new upgraded signal system will allow for more frequent service, improved scheduling, and enhanced safety. By upgrading its signals, the MBTA expects to significantly increase operational efficiency, reducing wait times and improving scheduling reliability for all riders.

On the Blue Line:

Blue Line service will terminate at Government Center with Bowdoin station closed during the following dates and times:
- Beginning at approximately 7 PM on Friday, March 7, continuing through the weekend of March 8 – 9, and all day Monday, March 10.
- Beginning at approximately 7 PM on Friday, March 21, and continuing through the weekend of March 22 – 23, and all day Monday, March 24.
- Riders can board and disembark the Blue Line at Government Center station, which is less than a quarter mile or about a four-minute walk from Bowdoin.
- Riders should anticipate slightly longer time between trains of about 7 – 8 minutes beginning at 7 PM through the end of service on March 7 and March 21.
- This service change is in place for Maintenance of Way crews to perform critical infrastructure upgrade work.

On the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line:

Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line service will be suspended between North Station and Swampscott during the weekends of March 1 – 2 and March 8 – 9.
- A dedicated diversion schedule will be available on mbta.com.
- Express shuttle buses will operate directly between Swampscott and North Station.
- Shuttle buses will also make local stops between Swampscott, Lynn within the busway at the legacy station, Wonderland for connections to the Blue Line subway, Chelsea Station for connections to the Silver Line 3 (SL3), and North Station.
- The last outbound shuttle bus will also make a special late-night stop at Salem and Beverly Depot.
- Commuter Rail will be fare-free between Swampscott and Newburyport or Rockport.
- Passengers may utilize the SL3, which travels through Chelsea and East Boston to Logan Airport, the Seaport District, and South Station, making connections to many area bus routes (including the 111, 112, and 116) as well as the Blue and Red lines.
- This service change was in place to support critical signal upgrade work at North Station as well as critical work as part of MassDOT’s Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Superstructure Replacements project, which will replace the two deteriorated bridge superstructures and improve bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities.

On the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line:

Haverhill Commuter Rail Line service will be suspended between Oak Grove and North Station during the weekend of March 1 – 2.
- A dedicated diversion schedule will be available on mbta.com.
- Orange Line subway service can be utilized between Oak Grove and North Station. Passengers are encouraged to utilize Green Line service between North Station and Copley for service through the downtown area. Free and accessible shuttle buses are also replacing Orange Line service between Jackson Square and Back Bay, which is less than a two-minute walk from Copley on the Green Line.
- This service change is in place for crews to perform critical signal upgrade work at North Station.
Haverhill Commuter Rail Line service will be suspended between Oak Grove and North Station during the weekend of March 8 – 9.
- A dedicated diversion schedule is available on mbta.com.
- Free and accessible shuttle bus service will replace train service between Oak Grove and North Station.
- Regular Commuter Rail fares will be collected between Bradford and Oak Grove.
- Bus Route 137 will be fare-free.
- This service change was in place to support critical signal upgrade work at North Station and work as part of MassDOT’s Maffa Way/Mystic Avenue Bridge Superstructure Replacements project, which will replace the two deteriorated bridge superstructures and improve bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities.

On the Lowell Commuter Rail Line:

Lowell Commuter Rail Line service will be suspended between Anderson/Woburn and North Station during the weekends of March 1 – 2 and March 8 – 9.
- A dedicated diversion schedule will be available on mbta.com.
- Free and accessible shuttle bus service will replace train service between Anderson/Woburn and North Station. Local and express shuttle bus services will be available. Local shuttle bus service will not serve Winchester Center Station.
- This service change is in place for crews to perform critical signal upgrade work at North Station.

The MBTA previously announced service changes in February. More information is available here.

The MBTA understands how these service changes affect riders’ daily travels during this period, but we are committed to improving your travels long term with more reliable, timely, and safe service. We thank riders for their patience as we deliver this important work and for continuing to ride our system.