Boston MBTA Lines Close in August, One for 9 Days

Blue Line Maintenance and Closures

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will shut down more than half of the Blue Line for nine days next month, as part of a long-planned maintenance initiative. During this time, trains will terminate at Airport station near Logan International Airport, with shuttle buses replacing the subway for all travel north toward Wonderland Station in Revere. This disruption will occur from August 9 to August 17.

The Blue Line work is intended to support the “renewal and revitalization” of the subway line, according to transit officials. This comes after an embarrassing incident last month when a decades-old frayed wire fell across the tracks, halting a train and forcing the evacuation of approximately 500 passengers from a tunnel beneath Boston Harbor. The upcoming maintenance aims to keep the tracks in a “state of good repair” as the MBTA works to address years of deferred maintenance projects.

During the nine-day shutdown, the Blue Line will operate normally between Bowdoin and Airport stations. However, trains will run roughly every 10 minutes, which is about double the usual frequency. Shuttle buses will stop at all stations between Airport and Wonderland. Transit officials advise riders to budget extra travel time, as trips that typically take a short amount of time could take 20 to 30 minutes longer.

Orange Line Closures and Alternatives

In addition to the Blue Line closures, the Orange Line will be closed for three weekends in August to complete upgrades of its signals. These vital, hidden infrastructure components control how trains move along the tracks. Upgrading the signals is expected to significantly increase operational efficiency and improve scheduling reliability for riders.

During the weekend closures on August 2–3, August 9–10, and August 23–24, the MBTA will provide shuttle buses and accessible vans free of charge to ferry riders between Wellington Station in Medford and North Station in Downtown Boston. An express bus will also travel directly between the two stations.

For service between North Station and Back Bay, riders should take the Green Line, which runs parallel to the Orange Line through Downtown Boston. Copley Station on the Green Line is about a quarter-mile from the Orange Line’s Back Bay Station. The MBTA will increase Green Line service during the closures and waive fares at Back Bay, Copley, Wellington, and North Station.

Riders can also take the commuter rail for free between Oak Grove Station in Malden and North Station, as well as between Forest Hills Station and South Station.

Commuter Rail Closures and Alternatives

The entire Lowell Line of the commuter rail will shut down on the weekends of August 16–17 and August 23–24. This closure is necessary for the replacement of a key bridge in Somerville that the line travels over. Trains on the Lowell Line will not run after 10 p.m. on the Friday nights of those weekends.

Shuttle buses will replace train service, stopping at all stations except Winchester Center. Meanwhile, the Fitchburg Line will also be closed on the same weekends to replace an obsolete signal system controlling train movement in and out of North Station. The modern system being installed will improve operations.

Fitchburg Line trains will not run between North Station and Porter Square on those weekends. Instead, passengers can take Red Line trains into the city from Porter Square and connect to Green Line trains at Park Street to reach North Station.