Weekend Commuter Rail travel on the Haverhill line will be $10 starting Jan. 5, the MBTA said. (Photograph courtesy of the MBTA)
The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority is helping riders keep more money in their pockets this winter by resuming the popular pilot program that offers $10 Commuter Rail fares for unlimited travel each Saturday and Sunday. The program begins again this weekend on Saturday, Jan. 5.
On all lines including Haverhill, the special is valid from the first scheduled Saturday trip until the last ride on Sunday, the MBTA said. The special discounted fare is available for purchase onboard trains, using the mTicket app or at ticket windows at North, South and Back Bay stations.
“Resuming this pilot allows our customers to continue taking advantage of Commuter Rail as a travel option on weekends, while we study the potential for making this program permanent,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a statement. The program is expected to run for six months.
Riders age 12 and over are eligible for the discounted rate. Up to two children under 12 may ride free with each paying adult.
The winter fare special comes six months after the program was first piloted. During the initial discount fare period, 180,000 tickets were sold, marking a 4.6 percent jump in weekend ticket revenue compared to the same timeframe in 2017.