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South Coast Rail

Bi-level Commuter Rail coaches at the newly-completed Freetown Station

Status: Phase 1 construction is in progress along the Fall River Secondary Line, Middleborough Secondary Line, and New Bedford Main Line

See the South Coast Rail construction activity update

 Test Trains Now Operating

Test trains are now running on the South Coast rail, reaching up to 80 miles per hour.

Please remember:

  • Practice caution when crossing the tracks. This applies to residents, pedestrians, and drivers.
  • Don't walk on or along the tracks. It’s both illegal and life threatening.

View our Downloads section to learn more about the test trains

About This Project

The South Coast Rail project will offer a reliable transit connection between southeastern Massachusetts and Boston. Riders will be able to take a one-seat trip—no transfers needed—for the first time since the late 1950s.

Taunton, New Bedford, and Fall River are the only major cities within 50 miles of Boston that do not currently have Commuter Rail access to Boston. 

The project will be rolled out in phases:

  • Phase 1: Extends a secondary line west from the existing Middleborough/Lakeville Line, and create the New Bedford and Fall River lines
  • Full Build: Extends the Stoughton Line south to connect more communities to the New Bedford and Fall River lines

Learn more about the South Coast Rail Program

Building a Better T

As part of our $9.6 billion, 5-year capital investment plan, we're renovating stations, modernizing fare collection systems, upgrading services for our buses, subways, and ferries, and improving the accessibility of the entire system.

Learn more

Safety First Program

Safety First is a program that educates people on how to stay safe around train tracks. Our goal is to bring an understanding of safety rules to all residents in every Southeastern Massachusetts city and town.

Through presentations, brochures, videos, meetings, and conversations, you’ll learn safety basics, including:

  • Stay clear of the railroad right-of-way (ROW). It is illegal and very dangerous to trespass onto it.
  • Only cross tracks in designated locations.
  • Obey all warning signs and signals.
  • It is never safe to be near or on railroad tracks.

As we near testing and service, we’ll be sharing these and other safety basics with schools, libraries, organizations, and neighborhoods. In the meantime, watch our safety videos, and please think Safety First. For more information or to request a presentation, send us an email at SouthCoastRail@dot.state.ma.us with “Safety First” in the subject line.

You can watch and share our Safety Video Series developed for children, teens, and the general public to learn about the importance of safety for everyone throughout the region.

Download a Safety First fact sheet


Phase 1

A map of the South Coast Rail Phase 1 corridor showing the Fall River Secondary, New Bedford, and Middleborough Secondary lines and stations

See a full map of the Phase 1 Corridor

  • Commuter Rail service will be extended on the Middleborough Secondary Line to provide a one-seat ride to New Bedford, Fall River, and Taunton.

Phase 1 broke ground in July 2019, with major construction beginning in 2020. Construction is expected to be substantially complete by the end of 2023. We anticipate passenger service to start in summer 2024. This change in targeted launch date is necessary to complete rigorous testing in order to meet safety certifications and qualifications requirements.

Construction is divided into two contracts, with early action work preceding both:

  • Construction of the Fall River Secondary Line, which will connect Fall River to Boston
  • Construction of the New Bedford Main Line, the Middleborough Secondary Line, and the signal system for the entire Phase 1 corridor, which will connect Taunton, New Bedford, and Fall River to Boston

See how this work will affect property abutters

Commuter rail coach at Freetown Station
A Commuter Rail coach at Freetown Station during the ribbon-cutting event celebrating the substantial completion of the Fall River Secondary Line contract (December 2022)

Related Materials

View progress videos and updated fact sheets about the South Coast Rail project.

See videos and downloads


Full Build

Conceptual design work and preliminary engineering are currently underway.

We plan to extend Commuter Rail service to travel on the Stoughton Main Line and Northeast Corridor (north of Canton Junction), connecting more communities in the region.

See a PDF map of the full build corridor

Past Events

View all events

Notices for Abutters

Surveyors are preparing to clear vegetation along the right-of-way (ROW). If you’re an abutter of the ROW, please ensure all personal property is removed from the area.

Read the ROW encroachments FAQ for abutters

The South Cost Rail project has developed a noise mitigation program for eligible property owners who will be contacted by the project in spring or summer 2022.

Read the MBTA South Coast Rail noise mitigation program FAQs

Stay Informed

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Recent Updates

View all project updates

Building a Better T

As part of our $9.6 billion, 5-year capital investment plan, we're renovating stations, modernizing fare collection systems, upgrading services for our buses, subways, and ferries, and improving the accessibility of the entire system.

Learn more

Related Materials

View progress videos and updated fact sheets about the South Coast Rail project.

See videos and downloads

Recent Updates

View all project updates