Comments on: Boston Vignettes

By: Mick

Mick — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

People complain about this all the time … but U can buy passes online:

http://commerce.mbta.com/

Or get them via the post:
http://www.mbta.com/travelingt/passespassprograms.asp#
Or if you pay for a whole year, they only charge for 11 months:
“Get 12 passes for the price of 11.”
http://www.mbta.com/travelingt/passespassprograms.asp#

By: Kevin McCarty

Kevin McCarty — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

My wife has encountered a similar situation in Philadelphia. She commutes on NJ Transit and SEPTA, and there is a special “Pass Buy [sic] Mail” program – http://www.septa.org/fares/nj_transit.html – that gives her a monthly pass valid on both rail systems. To buy the pass, you have to call a (NON-toll free) number, leave a message with your name and address, wait for them to mail you an application, and then mail it back with payment, but only during the first 15 days of the month! Half of the train conductors tell her it’s the first time they’ve ever seen the pass. Completely bizarre, but it does save us a huge amount on train fare.

By: shanna

shanna — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Actually, monthly passes are sold in-person for the last four and first four business days of each month (at least according to my experience, and the MBTA web site). I fail to see how that could ever get you to the tenth of the month, even with a three-day weekend early on (like this month). Many of the locations where you can buy a pass are inside stations (like Government Center) where you have to pay to get there, and are only open during work hours...y'know, when most of the people who need the passes can't go and purchase them.

You can buy monthly passes online only until the 22nd of the previous month.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

ah, the wonders of the Boston T system. After a while you just shrug your shoulders and go “it’s the T,” and carry on with whatever else you were doing.

By: Anon

Anon — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

You can buy a pass any day of the month (I believe) at the check-cashing store at the corner of Mass Ave and Tremont in the South End.

By: Ari Pollak

Ari Pollak — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I hear about this constantly, especially from people who never stop comparing Boston to New York.

By: Xuli

Xuli — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Hey, funny thing; I’m a lifelong Bostonian and this still causes me no shortage of incredulity. So, for combo passes, it’s cheaper to buy the weekly pass (16.50×4 vs $71) and you can get them at Government Center (but they always run out, and apparently never plan for it) so you can go to Haymarket and get one there, on the Orange Line (but only at the Green line entrance.) I am NOT making this up. God Speed!

By: Mick

Mick — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

And Marlborough Market at the corner of Mass Ave and Marlborough St. in Boston sell T pass too

By: Zack Cerza

Zack Cerza — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Truly, we live in a great city.

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Actually, the MBTA does have an annual pass program, but it’s not well-known (apparently even within the agency) andinformation about it is very hard to find. See http://commerce.mbta.com/additional.asp for info.