During theSumner Tunnel closureJuly 5 –August 5,Blue Linetrips will befree.SL3trips will be free at stations without fare gates.
Subway fares are valid on the Red, Orange, Green, and Blue lines, Mattapan Trolley, and Silver Line routes SL1, SL2, and SL3.
One-Way Fares
Subway One-Way
$2.40
with CharlieCard, CharlieTicket, or cash
$1.10
with reduced fare card
Learn more about reduced fares
Fare Calculator
Choose your origin and destination to calculate your fare with our Trip Planner.
Perq
Get monthly passes—at pre-tax rates—through your employer.
Learn more about Perq
Transfers
Subway and Bus
For Local Bus, Express Bus, Silver Line, and/or Subway, transfer up to two times and pay only the cost of the highest-priced service.
Commuter Rail and Ferry
Certain monthly Commuter Rail passes printed on a CharlieTicket include unlimited transfers to any mode. Single-ride Commuter Rail and ferry tickets generally do not include free transfers.
Note: Transfers are not available with store value CharlieTickets or cash payments.
Learn more about transfers
Passes
1-day and 7-day passes purchased on CharlieTickets are valid from the date and time of purchase. Those purchased on CharlieCards are valid from thefirst tap into a subway station.
You can buy monthly passes at fare vending machines starting the 15th of the prior month or you can sign up forAuto-pay.
1-Day Pass
$11.00
See AlsoSwitzerland Rail Pass Comparison Calculator | Holidays to SwitzerlandBest price finder: the new way to search for saver fares. Buy low-cost tickets hereHow to use your VIA Préférence points for a free VIA Rail ticketUnlimited travel for 24 hours
- CharlieCard and CharlieTicket valid on:
- Subway
- Local Bus
- Silver Line
Commuter Rail Zone 1A Pass on CharlieTicket also valid on:
Commuter Rail Zone 1A
Charlestown Ferry
East Boston Ferry (seasonal)7-Day Pass
$22.50
Unlimited travel for 7 days.
- CharlieCard and CharlieTicket valid on:
- Subway
- Local Bus
- Silver Line
Commuter Rail Zone 1A Pass on CharlieTicket also valid on:
Commuter Rail Zone 1A
Charlestown Ferry
East Boston Ferry (seasonal)Monthly LinkPass
$90.00
Unlimited travel for the remainder of the month
- CharlieCard and CharlieTicket valid on:
- Subway
- Local Bus
- Silver Line
CharlieTicket also valid on:
Commuter Rail Zone 1A
Charlestown Ferry
East Boston Ferry (seasonal)
Auto-pay Monthly Passes
Sign up for Auto-pay so you never have to worry about reloading your CharlieCard again. Signing up is quick and easy, and your pass renews automatically each month.
Learn more about Auto-pay
How to Pay Your Subway Fare
First, choose how you’ll pay your fare
The right way to pay for you depends on which modes you want to take, and how often.
CharlieCard
Best for frequent bus and subway riders
Load with cash value or passes
Easily tap intostations and vehicles
Online card management via MyCharlie
Use up to four times at once for one-way fareValid on:
Subway
Bus
Silver LineCharlieTicket
Best for visitors
Purchase at any subway station
Load with cash value or passes
Limited transfers with cash value
No online card management1-Day Pass, 7-Day Pass, and cash-value CharlieTickets valid on:
Subway
Bus
Silver LineMonthly LinkPass CharlieTickets valid on:
Subway
Bus
Silver Line
Commuter Rail Zone 1A
Charlestown Ferry
East Boston Ferry (seasonal)
You can also pay in cash on buses and at street level trolley stops, or use your EBT card to load value or passes onto a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket at fare vending machines, the CharlieCard Store, or MBTA retail sales locations that accept EBT cards.
Learn how to pay with your EBT card
Then, choose where to buy your ticket or pass
At fare vending machines, you can add cash value or 1-day, 7-day, or monthly passes to a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket. If you don’t already have a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket, your purchase will be printed on a new CharlieTicket.
Fare vending machines are located at all subway stations and at the Lynn and Worcester/Union Commuter Rail stations.
Most machines accept cash, major credit/debit cards, and EBT cards. Some machines only accept credit/debit/EBT cards and are marked to indicate that they don’t accept cash.
Learn more about getting a CharlieCard
At street-level trolley stops, you can add up to $20 cash value to a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket at the onboard fare boxes.
At select stores throughout Greater Boston and Providence, you can get a CharlieCard and load it with cash value or a pass. You can also add passes to a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket you already have.
Cash and credit/debit cards are accepted. Some locations also accept EBT cards.
Find a store near you
Learn more about CharlieCards
When you’re ready to board the subway
CharlieCard
To enter subway stations, tap your card on the fare gate target.
At street-level trolley stops, tap your card on the fare box near the front door of the trolley to board.
CharlieTicket
To enter subway stations, put your CharlieTicket into the slot on the fare gate with the orange arrow facing up and away from you.
At street-level trolley stops, put your ticket into the onboard fare box with the orange arrow facing up and away from you.
Tip! Fareboxes and faregates beep to indicate if your payment was accepted:
- 1 beep means your CharlieCard fare was paid.
- 2 beeps means your CharlieTicket fare was paid.
- 3 beeps means that the machine was not able to read your ticket or that there wasn’t enough money to pay the fare. You can try again or visit a fare vending machine to reload your ticket or pass.
At street-level Green Line and Mattapan Trolley stops, you can add cash value to your CharlieCard with coins or bills, up to $20.
Note: You cannot buy or reload 1-day, 7-day, or monthly passes at onboard fareboxes.
To pay your fare:
- Tell the driver you need to add value to your CharlieCard.
- Press the white button in the upper right corner on the fare box.
- Tap your CharlieCard on the farebox target.
- Insert cash or coins up to your desired value. Change is not returned from onboard fare boxes. You can load value and keep your change on your CharlieCard instead.
- Press the white button again.
- Tap your CharlieCard to complete the transaction.
- Tap your CharlieCard one more time to pay your fare.
View a tutorial to learn how to load a CharlieCard with cash onboard street-level trolleys
At street-level Green Line and Mattapan Trolley stops, you can pay your fare in cash with coins or bills, up to $20.
To pay your fare, tell the driver you are paying in cash, and insert the amount displayed on the fare box.
If a fare box takes your cash without accepting payment please call 617-222-3200for assistance.
Note: We encourage riders to pay with exact change or to load a CharlieCard at their nearest fare vending machine prior to travel. If you pay more than the required one-way fare at a street-level Green Line or Mattapan trolley, you will not receive change back.
At the new GLX stations, the fare validation process will be different than what riders may be used to. CharlieCards or new CharlieTickets should be tapped at the fare vending machines located at the stations.
These upgraded fare vending machines are at the following stations:
- Lechmere
- Union Square
- East Somerville
- Gilman Square
- Magoun Square
- Ball Square
- Medford/Tufts
Note: Old, insertable CharlieTickets can only be validated at onboard fare boxes.
How to validate your fare
- Tap your CharlieCard or tappable CharlieTicket on the target.
- Select “validation” from the on-screen menu.
- Tap your card or ticket again when prompted. The screen will then display the amount deducted from your balance.
- Keep your receipt in case MBTA staff need to see it.
For issues with payment or purchase at any fare point please call 617-222-3200.
Reduced Fares
Some customers are eligible for reduced fares or can ride the T for free.
Learn more about reduced fares
CharlieCard
CharlieCards are reusable plastic cards that can be loaded with cash value or 1-Day, 7-Day, or monthly passes.
Learn more about CharlieCards
