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MBTA Plans 4-Day Orange Line Closure Starting Monday

A diagramatic map of transit diversions available during the Orange Line shutdown. Three parallel lines show the Green Line (top), which parallels the Orange Line from Copley (a short walk from the Back Bay stop) to North Station, the Orange Line (middle), which will be closed between Jackson Square and North Station, with bus shuttles serving the five stops between Jackson Square and Back Bay, and a purple line indicating NE corridor service from Forest Hills to Ruggles to Back Bay to South Station.

Courtesy of the MBTA

A new Orange Line train at Assembly Station, Summer 2019. Courtesy of the MBTA
A new Orange Line train sits at Assembly Station, Summer 2019. Courtesy of the MBTA

The MBTA will suspend Orange Line service for 4 days from Monday, March 18th to Thursday, March 21st between North Station and Jackson Square stations.

This suspension will take place to advance the MBTA–wide Track Improvement Plan, so that MBTA crews can do work (i.e., station amenity upgrades, infrastructure upgrades, tie replacements, track replacement, ballast replacement) to address the root causes of speed restrictions across the subway lines.

Here are some tips to still get around during the Orange Line closures:

  • There will be free shuttle bus service that will make stops at all of the stations between Jackson Square and Back Bay, so that riders can take the Commuter Rail toward South Station.
  • Shuttles will also stop at Copley station so that riders can take the Green Line toward North Station.
    • More information from the MBTA can be found here.
  • The fare gates will be open at both Jackson Square and Back Bay stations, signifying free fare. There will also be free fares at Copley station heading inbound/eastbound.
  • The Commuter Rail will be free between Forest Hills, Ruggles, Back Bay, and South Station.
  • Plan extra time in commutes to anticipate longer than normal wait times for trains.

Riders can also find information on service changes via in-station signage, in-station public announcements, at mbta.com/alerts, speaking to Transit Ambassadors and MBTA staff on-site, subscribing to T-Alerts or following the MBTA on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MBTA, @MBTA_CR, and @MBTA_CR_Alerts.

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