Transfers | Fares Overview

On the MBTA, the cost of a transfer depends on how you pay your fare and the modes of transit you take.

Most Common Transfers

Generally, your trip includes 1 free transfer to a mode that costs the same or less than your first fare payment. For example, your subway fare includes 1 free transfer to a Local Bus route within 2 hours of your first trip.

Note that SL1, SL2, and SL3 are subway fares, while the SL4 and SL5 are Local Bus fares.

Subway to Local Bus: With a CharlieCard, 1 free transfer to Local Bus within 2 hours of the first tap
With a CharlieTicket, 1 free transfer to SL4 or SL5 from a nearby subway stop within 2 hours
With a 1-day, 7-day, or monthly LinkPass, unlimited transfers to Local Bus
No free or discounted transfers with a CharlieTicket or cash
Local Bus to Subway: With a CharlieCard, pay the fare difference, up to $2.40 for the entire trip
Allows for one additional transfer back to a bus route
With a 1-day, 7-day, or monthly LinkPass, unlimited transfers to subway
No bus to subway transfers with a monthly Local Bus pass
No free or discounted transfers with a CharlieTicket or cash
Local Bus to Local Bus: With a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket, 1 free transfer to Local Bus within 2 hours of first tap
With a monthly Local Bus pass, unlimited Local Bus transfers
With a 1-day, 7-day, or monthly LinkPass, unlimited Local Bus transfers
No free or discounted transfers with cash
Subway to Subway: Transfers at subway stations are free
If you exit the station, you will pay the full subway fare to enter another subway station
Subway or Local Bus to Commuter Rail: With printed monthly Commuter Rail pass, unlimited transfers between subway, bus, and Commuter Rail
With 1-day, 7-day, or monthly LinkPass, unlimited transfers to Commuter Rail Zone 1A
Cash value CharlieCards and CharlieTickets not valid on Commuter Rail
Commuter Rail to Subway or Local Bus: With a monthly pass on a CharlieTicket, unlimited transfers
No free or discounted transfers to subway or bus with 1-way tickets or cash
mTickets and 10-ride tickets not valid on subway or bus

All Transfer Types

To learn more about paying your fare for a transfer not listed above, find your fare payment method below.

Tickets or Passes Loaded with Cash Value

CharlieCard

CharlieCards (including Reduced Fare CharlieCards) loaded with cash value include the following transfers for no additional cost within 2 hours of the first tap:

Subway to Local Bus
Local Bus to Local Bus
Express Bus to Subway
Express Bus to Local Bus

Additionally, riders can transfer from the Local Bus to Subway to Local Bus for the cost of a subway fare within 2 hours of their first tap.

Transfers between Express Bus routes 352, 354, 505 and another Express Bus route are also free if you tell the driver before you tap.

For all other combinations, you will pay the full CharlieCard fare for each mode you travel on.

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Note that SL1, SL2, and SL3 are subway fares, while the SL4 and SL5 are Local Bus fares.

CharlieTicket

CharlieTickets loaded with cash value include 1 free Local Bus to Local Bus transfer within 2 hours of the first fare payment.

Transfers between the Silver Line and subway are available on a limited basis with a CharlieTicket:

Between SL3 and Blue Line at Airport Station
To SL4/SL5 from nearby subway stops

Transfers between the Red Line and Mattapan Trolley are available at Ashmont Station with a CharlieTicket.

For all other combinations, you will pay the full CharlieTicket fare for each mode you travel on.

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Note that SL1, SL2, and SL3 are subway fares, while the SL4 and SL5 are Local Bus fares.

Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Passes

1-day, 7-day, and Monthly LinkPass

LinkPasses, including Reduced Fare monthly passes, are valid for travel on the following modes, and include unlimited transfers between them:

Subway
Local Bus
Silver Line
Charlestown Ferry (CharlieTicket passes only)
Commuter Rail Zone 1A (CharlieTicket passes only)

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Monthly Local Bus

Monthly Local Bus passes are valid for travel on all Local Bus routes, SL4, and SL5, and include unlimited transfers between them.

Please note that Local Bus passes are not valid on SL1, SL2, and SL3—you will need to pay the full subway fare for these routes.

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Monthly Express Bus

Monthly Express Bus passes are valid for travel on the following routes, and include unlimited transfers between them:

Express Bus
Local Bus
Subway
Silver Line
Charlestown Ferry (CharlieTicket passes only)
Commuter Rail Zone 1A (CharlieTicket passes only)

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Monthly Commuter Rail

Monthly Commuter Rail passes printed on CharlieTickets are valid for travel on the following modes, and include unlimited transfers between them:

Commuter Rail, up to your zone
Subway
Local Bus
Silver Line
Express Bus, with Zone 1 pass or higher
Charlestown Ferry
Hingham/Hull Ferry, with Zone 6 – 10 pass

mTickets do not include transfers to any other mode.

Interzone passes are only valid for transfers to Local Bus.

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Monthly Commuter Ferry (Hingham/Hull)

Monthly Commuter Ferry passes printed on CharlieTickets are valid for travel on the following modes, and include unlimited transfers between them:

Subway
Local Bus
Silver Line
Express Bus
Charlestown Ferry
Commuter Rail, up to Zone 5

mTickets do not include transfers to any other mode.

See all MBTA fares