The blog that started it all! Check out reviews of every bus route and train station in Boston, as well as ongoing reviews of the regional bus systems in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Recent Posts from Miles on the MBTA
Service Change: Portugal, Part 5 – Lisbon Bus 729 (Alges – B.o Padre Cruz)
Okay, we've steadily been getting less touristy and more local here. The 28 was pretty much entirely for tourists, while the 15 was a mix. Well, now we're on the 729, and this bus route is all locals. Yes, you're not gonna find any tourists on this well-used bus...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 4 – Lisbon’s Tram 15 (Pc. Figueira – Alges (Jardim))
While the 28 runs primarily as a tourist attraction, Lisbon's other main tram line, the 15, gets strong local traffic, too. The 15's only real tourist appeal is that it serves Belem, which has a few attractions - other than that, the line serves local neighborhoods to...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 3 – Lisbon’s Tram 28 (Martim Moniz – Prazeres)
I'll be honest, the 28 is almost entirely meant for tourists. During the summer, all the trams are packed with out-of-towners taking pictures and seeing the sights. That's completely justified, though, since this tram line is incredibly scenic. The line is windy and...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 2 – Lisbon Aerobus
The Metro isn't the only way to get from Lisbon's airport to downtown. Another option is the Aerobus, run by Yellow Bus Tours. While Line 2 runs every half hour to the northwestern part of the city, Line 1 goes every 20 minutes to the center. The advantage of taking...
Portugal or No Portugal?
I realize it took forever to get out that post about the Lisbon Metro, and I'm sorry about that. I'm wondering, though, if you guys want to see more. If I were to continue with Portugal posts, you guys would see some buses, some trams, some trains, another metro...
Service Change: Portugal, Part 1 – The Lisbon Metro
Okay, it's been a quite a lot longer than a week - sorry about that. But I went to Portugal! And I rode a lot of public transportation over there! The Lisbon Metro, for example, as you can see by the post's title. Since most of it is underground, I figured I'd cover...
503 (EXPRESS BUS Brighton Center – Copley Square via Oak Square and Mass Turnpike)
I think I was WAY too harsh when I reviewed the 501. This was before I started using the Blue Book for bus ridership, so just because MY bus didn't have a lot of people on it, I didn't realize that the 501 is the busiest I-90 express! My rant about the Cambridge...
502 (EXPRESS BUS Watertown Yard – Copley Square via Newton Corner and Mass Turnpike)
When I reviewed the 504, I talked about how it serves Copley Square most of the time. During rush hours, however, it runs completely express from downtown to Watertown. What bridges that Copley Square gap? Why, the 502, of course! The bus at Copley Square. The 502...
Copley
Man, you've gotta love Copley Square. Trinity Church, the Boston Public Library, the John Hancock Building...there are a lot of great sites to see here. But does its subway station compare? Well, let's find out. The outbound entrances on two sides of the street....
Arlington
Okay, serious question: which do you prefer, the Boston Common or the Public Gardens? I'm of two minds - the Common has much more historical significance, but the Gardens are a lot nicer to walk through. Well, I'll say this...Arlington is a much better subway station...
Boylston
Boylston was one of the original two stations on America's first subway, which may be why it's lacking in necessities. Free crossovers? Not here. Accessibility? Nuh-uh. Vintage trolley cars? Oh...yes, actually. The inbound entrance. Boylston's entrances are...
Brandeis/Roberts
Wow, Brandeis University gets its own Commuter Rail station! That's great! Well, wait, both Harvard and MIT get subway stops. And actually, there are many universities in the Boston area with frequent subway access. Huh...well, here's Brandeis/Roberts, anyway. I love...
553 (Roberts – Downtown Boston via Newton Corner and Central Square, Waltham)
Although this is an express bus, it gets a surprising amount of local traffic, too. Like its companion, the 554, the 553 serves a college on its independent section (Brandeis University), as well as a Commuter Rail station. So let's take a look at yet another I-90...
505 (EXPRESS BUS Central Square, Waltham – Downtown via Moody Street and Mass Turnpike)
The 505 is just another commuter bus that runs on the Mass Pike. This one is special, though, in that it's an "outer express bus". That's right, an extra $1.60 gives you a slightly longer express section! This is admittedly the fastest bus route from downtown to...
Service Change: Waltham’s Tick Tock Trolley
It was a complete coincidence that I had about 20 minutes to kill in downtown Waltham on a Thursday night and happened to notice a sign for the Tick Tock Trolley. What is the Tick Tock Trolley, you may ask? Well, I had no idea it even existed until seeing a laminated...