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
Miles on the MBTA is now on Facebook!
Miles on the MBTA now has a Facebook page! It reports on new posts, as well as behind the scenes information on the blog. Click here to visit the page, and don't forget to like!
Limited MBTA Service Has Resumed
There is now limited service on all MBTA modes except the Commuter Rail. THE RIDE, Commuter Rail, and ferry service will resume tomorrow (April 20).
439 (Bass Point, Nahant – Central Square, Lynn)
YOU HAVE TO TAKE THIS BUS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!! The MBTA is bound to get rid of the 439. It used to run six times a day in each direction, but the MBTA shaved off a trip recently, so it's only five now. It costs the MBTA $9.76 per passenger to operate (according to...
I Found Alewife Cows!
I've known for a while that there's a painting of cows at Alewife. However, it wasn't until I rode a Red Line shuttle bus that I finally spotted it. It's at the far end of the sheltered area of the busway. I snapped a picture of the painting, and here it is: Sort of a...
MBTA Map Contest!
If you read my Science Park post, I talked about how the signage in that station (and on the Green Line as a whole) could really be improved. Of the four branches of the Green Line, the B and D branches terminate at Government Center, the C at North Station, and the E...
Science Park/West End
It took some self-persuasion to go to Science Park (not always referred to as "West End"). After spending some time at the Museum of Science, I wanted to walk to Lechmere to experience the great Green Line ride. However, if I did that, I wouldn't have a new station to...
Deval Patrick vs Legislature
If you haven't been following the news, Deval Patrick made a plan in January to create large improvements to the MBTA, as well as to roads and bridges around the state. This would include Commuter Rail service to Hyannis, funding for the Green Line extension to West...
31 (Mattapan Station – Forest Hills Station via Morton Street)
If this review seems a bit short, it's because the bus itself is. However, in this case, that's not a bad thing. The 31 is a great time saver if one needs to get from Mattapan to Forest Hills. It starts out on Blue Hill Avenue with the 28 and 29, but it quickly turns...
Service Change: Orlando International Airport Shuttle, Super Star Shuttle, LYNX Bus Route 42 (International Drive/Orlando International Airport), and the I-Ride Trolley
I got back from Orlando yesterday, and that means a Service Change post with way too many pictures (and an insanely long title)! I wanted to take the Silver Line to Logan Airport, but since we were only going to be gone for three days, we took the car instead (darn)....
83 (Rindge Ave – Central Square, Cambridge via Porter Square Station)
The 83's primary function is to sew together the parts of East and North Cambridge that other buses don't serve. In that sense, it does its job well. The route is the opposite of straightforward, making a lot of crazy turns along the way. In Central Square, note that...
Transit Tales: That’s Just Gross!
My father and I got on the train at Downtown Crossing. It was crowded. He got a seat, I had to stand. Being packed in like sardines, I couldn't really see much. I did hear, however, the sound of a liquid falling onto the floor. I assumed someone spilled a drink or...
Porter
Porter is a fun station. It's the deepest in the system, meaning a 143-foot escalator ride. The escalator ride is great, with a mural of trains going down and a mural of birds going up. It can admittedly be kind of a scary ride, but it's worth it. It's also worth...
Transit Tales: Memorable Train Quotes
When I say "train quotes," I don't mean the train is talking: I mean automated stop announcements. Anyone reading this blog has likely been on a train with automated stop announcements; it's when there's an automatic prerecorded speaker that says the names of the...
28 (Mattapan Station – Ruggles Station via Dudley Station)
The only reason I wanted to take the 28 is because I'm a sucker for articulated buses. The 28 uses them all the time, so that's fine with me. The 28 is one of the 7 (!) buses connecting Mattapan and Ashmont stations to the Orange Line. It travels almost entirely on...
Transit Tales: The Snail Train to Snailsville
Getting from Harvard to Alewife should normally take about 5 minutes. But today, that trip took 20 (for the record, I wanted to take the bus being the transit-obsessed person I am, but it was my friend Calvin's turn to pick the transit method). We ended up...