Subway Fares

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 register for a MyCharlie account, you can add cash value and passes to your CharlieCard online. We recommend registering for a MyCharlie account to protect your card if it is lost, stolen, or damaged.

Sign up or login to MyCharlie

Reload your card without creating an account

You can also sign up for Auto-pay, a monthly LinkPass that automatically renews each month.

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 or CharlieTicket with coins or bills, up to $20.

You cannot buy or reload 1-day, 7-day, or monthly passes at onboard fareboxes. 

To pay your fare:

1. Tell the driver you need to add value to your CharlieCard or CharlieTicket.
2. Press the white button in the upper right corner on the fare box.
3. Tap your CharlieCard on the farebox target, or insert your CharlieTicket into the machine with the orange arrow facing up and away from you.
4. Insert cash or coins up to your desired value. Change is not returned from onboard fare boxes, so any cash you insert will be loaded onto the card or ticket.
5. Press the white button again.
6. Tap your CharlieCard to complete the transaction, or remove your CharlieTicket from the machine.
7. Tap your CharlieCard or insert your CharlieTicket 1 more time to pay your fare.

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. 

Tip! If you pay $0.50 or more over the required one-way fare, the change will be returned on a CharlieTicket. You can then use it to pay your fare on another mode of transit, or reload it at a fare box or fare vending machine.

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.

View a video tutorial on how to validate your fare