Summer is the time for weekend getaways, and the commuter rail can connect you to spots across Massachusetts. But if you don’t want to spend all your vacation money on MBTA fares, take note of the summer deal.
The MBTA commuter rail announced this week that there will be a special weekend fare throughout the summer. For $10, you can get unlimited travel through all commuter rail zones on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning June 9.
These special MBTA fares apply to all commuter rail trains, but the CapeFLYER is not included in this offer.
The all-weekend fares are part of a pilot program that will go until Sept. 2.
“We look forward to testing this pilot program as we work to determine if there is an untapped market for weekend commuter rail service,” said MBTA General Manager Luis Manuel Ramírez in a statement. “There is plenty of capacity on our weekend trains, and we’d be happy to fill those seats with families and others traveling in and out of Boston this summer.”
The MBTA commuter rail is crowded during the week as riders take the trains to work, but on weekends, many seats on the commuter rail are open. This pilot program, the transit agency said, is meant to encourage people to try the commuter rail on the weekend, and to help the MBTA learn more about ridership demand and get some customer feedback.
Plus, if you don’t want to sit in summer beach traffic, the MBTA commuter rail can take you to getaways like Rockport. Usually, the MBTA fare from North Station to Rockport would cost $23 roundtrip, but with this offer, unlimited travel on the commuter rail is only $10.
These summer MBTA fares cover all weekend commuter rail trains from the first scheduled Saturday trip to the last scheduled Sunday trip, the transit agency said. The $10 fare is available on the mTicket app, onboard trains and at ticket windows at North, South and Back Bay Stations.
