Weekend service will return to all MBTA Commuter Rail lines in time for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Weekend service will officially resume on July 3, according to the MBTA and Keolis. This includes the Fitchburg, Franklin, Greenbush, Haverhill, Kingston, Lowell and Needham lines.
“The resumption of weekend service represents a major milestone in the MBTA’s aggressive plans to restore service to meet rider demand,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement. “With the public’s health and safety of paramount importance, we remind our customers that face coverings are still required while using all MBTA services. As we navigate the ‘new normal,’ we are designing our service schedules to best serve riders who have used the system throughout the pandemic as well as returning and new customers.”
The MBTA had suspended weekend service on all Commuter Rail lines except Newburyport/Rockport, Framingham/Worcester, Fairmount, Providence and Middleborough back in January due to lower ridership levels as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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New Saturday and Sunday schedules will take effect on all lines, including those that continued to operate on weekends since January. Riders should visit mbta.com/commuterrail to plan their trips.
“We believe weekend service across all lines will contribute to the steady growth in ridership seen on Commuter Rail during the pandemic recovery,” said John Killeen, acting CEO and general manager of Keolis. “Shift workers who previously worked Saturdays and Sundays early in the morning will now find they have more convenient options that better align with their schedules.”
The MBTA said ridership on weekends has recovered as the state has reopened, with more than 50% of pre-pandemic ridership returning to Commuter Rail routes that have maintained weekend service.
