Alternative Travel Options During July Red Line Closure
Updated on July 25, 2:40 PM
Red Line service between Alewife, Kendall/MIT and Park Street will be replaced by shuttle buses Friday, July 12 through Sunday, July 28.
The weekend of July 13 – 14, the closure will overlap with Green Line closures.
The weekends of July 13 – 14 and July 27 – 28, closures will extend through JFK/UMass.
During the closure, we'll address seven speed restrictions as part of the Track Improvement Plan. We'll perform additional work at each of the impacted stations, including lighting repairs, painting, and deep cleaning.
Transit Ambassadors and other MBTA personnel will be available to assist riders. We recommend planning for extra travel time and walking or biking when possible.
July 12 – 26: Shuttles Replace Service between Alewife and Kendall/MIT, Alewife and Park Street
Alternative Service
Red Line: No service between Alewife and Kendall/MIT starting Friday, July 12. Free shuttles will replace service.
Red Line: No service between Alewife and Kendall/MIT and Alewife and Park Street July 15 – 26. There will be three kinds of shuttles during the closure.
- Free local shuttles will replace service between Alewife and Kendall/MIT weekdays before 8:30 PM and between Alewife and Park Street after 8:30 PM and on weekends.
- Free express shuttles will make stops at Alewife, Porter, and Kendall/MIT on weekdays before 8:30 PM.
- There will be an additional loop shuttle for Harvard, Central, and Kendall/MIT stations on weekdays before 8:30 PM.
Bus: Riders will have a number of options for alternative service via bus connection. The 77 bus will be free during the closure.
- 69: Connections from Harvard to Lechmere
- 77: Connections from Harvard to Porter
- 86: Connections from Harvard to Union Square, East Somerville, and Sullivan Square
- 87 and 88: Connections from Davis to Lechmere
- 91: Connections from Central to Union Square, East Somerville, and Sullivan Square
Commuter Rail: Riders commuting downtown are encouraged to take the Fitchburg Line. Service will be free between Porter and North Station. Additional service will be added on weekdays to accommodate the closure.
Shuttle Stop Locations
Note: There will be a temporary stop at Davis Station to accommodate the arts festival on July 14. Check below for stops at Davis Square.
July 27 – 28: Shuttle Service Extends to JFK/UMass
Alternative Service
Red Line: No service between Alewife to JFK/UMass the weekend of July 27 – 28. Free shuttles will replace service between these stations.
There will be two shuttle routes available:
- The Alewife to Park Street shuttle will stop at all stations between Alewife and Park Street.
- The Harvard to JFK/UMass shuttle will stop at all stations between Harvard and JFK/UMass except for Park Street and Downtown Crossing.
- This shuttle will make indirect stops near Downtown Crossing at Otis St @ Summer St (Southbound) and Federal St @ Franklin St (Northbound). Each stop is about a 5-minute walk from Downtown Crossing.
- This shuttle will also stop at Haymarket and State for connections to the Orange, Green, and Blue lines.
To transfer between these two shuttle routes, we recommend transferring at Kendall/MIT.
Commuter Rail: Riders commuting downtown are encouraged to take the following lines for free to travel between South Station, JFK/UMass, Quincy Center, and Braintree:
Alewife to Park Street Shuttle Stop Locations
Harvard to JFK/UMass Shuttle Stop Locations
An accessible van will be available for the July 27-28 weekend between Kendall/MIT and Broadway Stations.
Additional Transportation Options, July 12 – 28
During the closure, we encourage riders to consider walking and cycling as alternative transportation options. You can use your own bike, or travel using a Bluebike.
Learn more about biking on the T
Learn more about Massachusetts bike laws
To operate a Bluebike, you'll need to create an account and have a credit or debit card to use for payment. It costs $2.95 to unlock a bike and ride for 30 minutes.
During the closure, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is sponsoring five, free unlocks for the duration of the closure. You can redeem this with a code found on the Bluebikes website starting July 13.
Download the Rider's Guide
Questions?
For questions, comments, or complaints about this closure, or to request a reasonable accommodation:
- Call Customer Support at 617-222-3200 (MA Relay 711).
- Share feedback online.
For questions or comments about accessibility, email the Department of System-Wide Accessibility at swa@mbta.com.