BOSTON, MA – MARCH 24: A mask-wearing passenger sits alone on the MBTA Green “B” Line trolley on Commonwealth Avenue on March 24, 2020.
The MBTA on Thursday announced changes to some of its fares in an effort to improve flexibility and offer more options for reduced fare and low-income riders.
The public was asked to weigh in on potential changes to the fare system earlier this year.
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The agency has approved a price reduction on the 1-day LinkPass, lowering the cost from $12.75 to $11. The MBTA notes that these passes, which allow unlimited travel on the subway, bus and Silver Line for 24 hours, are often purchased by lower income riders because of the flexibility they offer.
The MBTA will also have more options for reduced fare riders, which include people with disabilities and Medicare cardholders, people 65 and older, some middle and high school students, and people 18 – 25 with low income. Changes include the addition of a 7-Day LinkPass for reduced fare riders, now available for $10. Currently, these reduced fares were only available in the form of one-way tickets and monthly LinkPasses. The new option will allow riders who may not need the frequency of a monthly pass an option that expands beyond a single day.
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The T will also begin offering monthly passes for reduced fare riders on Commuter Rail, Ferry and Express Bus and expand the availability of LinkPass for reduced fare riders on Commuter Rail Zone 1A and Inner Harbor Ferry.
There will also be changes to transfer options, expanding options for transferring between bus and/or subway and Express Bus.
All of the above changes will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
Also among the changes is the permanent addition to the 5-Day FlexPass, which is available on mTicket for Commuter Rail riders. This is a bundled fare -- offered at 10% off the cost of 10 one-way trip tickets -- that is valid for any five days within a 30-day period of its activation. Each pass is good for unlimited travel within a 24-hour period. The aim of the program, which began during the pandemic, is to offer riders more flexibility, especially for those who now work on hybrid schedules. This change is effective immediately.
For more specifics on the changes, click here.
