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
220 (Quincy Center Station – Hingham Center via Fore River Bridge)
Getting to Hull by bus is a bit of a complicated matter, in that you have to take two of them. The first of those is the 220, which will take you as far as Hingham. And even though the ride to Hull is much more scenic, the 220 does have a few pleasant views for...
Random Photos: A Star is Born
It's been a while since a Random Photos! I mean, how could I not post this...interesting vandalism of a "Stairs" sign at Quincy Adams? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Needham Heights
And here we are at the end of the Needham Line! Is there a big shiny terminus? Well, unfortunately not. There's just Needham Heights. The station's shelter. Firstly, this station does have official MBTA parking, with 100 spaces. It may not seem like much, but it's...
Needham Center
Alright, we're moving north to the middle of the three Needham Commuter Rail stations (or at least the ones with "Needham" in their name - sorry, Hersey). Nestled right in downtown Needham, Needham Center may not be tranquil like its southern counterpart, Needham...
Needham Junction
I've been to a few Commuter Rail stations so far with old station buildings. They always look very nice, but have relatively boring uses functionally. I mean, we've seen old buildings used as a club, a barbershop, and a closed visitor's center - nothing too...
Bellevue
On the Needham Line between Roslindale Village and West Roxbury, there's a clump of really close stops serving the West Roxbury neighborhood. Bellevue is the least-used one, and it feels very suburban in nature. But can it be considered suburban when it's still in...
36 (Charles River Loop or VA Hospital – Forest Hills Station via Belgrade Ave and Center Street)
There's a clump of bus routes, numbered 35-37, that basically parallel the Needham Commuter Rail from Forest Hills to West Roxbury. The 36 is the one in the middle, both numerically and geographically. Also, for a short route, it's incredibly confusing. It can...
38 (Wren Street – Forest Hills Station via Centre and South Streets)
I have a few Commuter Rail stations to review, but I figured I'd get some more buses out of the way first. The 38 is interesting in that it's the only West Roxbury bus that avoids Washington Street, opting for a route down Centre Street instead. Let's take a look at...
59 (Needham Junction – Watertown Square via Newtonville)
I was super excited on the 504, because the trip I was on was timed perfectly to arrive at Watertown a few minutes before the departure of a 59. But it turned out I was looking at the 59's Sunday schedule, and totally missed that bus, as it was actually a Saturday....
504 (EXPRESS BUS Watertown/Newton Corner – Downtown via Mass Turnpike)
The Federal and Franklin Street stop is always busy on weekdays, particularly at rush hour. This is where all the I-90 express buses go, so during peak periods lots of routes come here to transport commuters along the Pike. On Saturdays, though, the stop is...
136/137 (Reading Depot – Malden Center Station via Wakefield, Melrose, and Oak Grove Station)
What's the fastest, most direct way of getting from Wakefield Station back to Boston? Taking the Commuter Rail? Well, yeah, that's an option. Or you could take the 137 up to Reading, wait an hour, and then get the 136 back to Malden Center! Hey, it works. The bus...
Wakefield
I can't say I was expecting much with the town of Wakefield. I mean, look at its name: Wakefield. I'm sorry, but it just sounds like a boring suburban community. Not so, as it turns out - Wakefield actually has a very active and walkable downtown with lots of...
428 (Oaklandvale – Haymarket Station via Kennedy Drive)
All right, it's time for another installment of Express Buses That Run Incredibly Infrequently and Are Extremely Hard to Find! In today's episode, we have the 428, a Tobin Bridge express route that heads up to the Wakefield High School, more or less in the middle of...
11 (City Point – Downtown BayView Route)
Most of the buses downtown stop at Otis Street and/or Franklin Street. The 11 decides to mix it up by terminating at Bedford Street @ Chauncy Street, south of Downtown Crossing and more or less in Chinatown. Thing is, the 11 technically doesn't technically...
Oak Grove
Seems like you can't escape the brutalism on the Orange Line, can you? Down in the Southwest Corridor you've got lots of concrete stations - and then up north there are all those other concrete stations. Oak Grove is your typical suburban terminus, and it has plenty...