Boston Mayor Michelle Wu rode the MBTA Commuter Rail Saturday afternoon, encouraging T passengers to take advantage of alternative ways to travel that are being offered during the month-long Orange Line shutdown.
The mayor rode the Commuter Rail after speaking with news outlets at Roslindale Village Station, during the first full day of the Orange Line's temporary closure.
"The Commuter Rail will be one of the best ways to get around while the Orange Line trains aren't running," Mayor Wu said to media organizations Saturday afternoon. "I want to make sure everyone across the city knows that it is free for anyone to get on, at a stop within the City of Boston."
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All riders need to do for the free service during the shutdown is show a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket to the conductor on the Commuter Rail train. It doesn't even need to be loaded with money. This includes Zones 1A, 1, and 2 on all Commuter Rail lines. The city distributes CharlieCards at Boston Public Libraries through its CharlieCard Access Initiative.
"It is fast, it comes on a regular schedule," Mayor Wu said. "They've increased the frequency being made at each of the stops."
The mayor said historically, she hasn't frequented the Commuter Rail, saying it's "usually so expensive to ride." She called it "probably the best alternative" to getting around quickly during the Orange Line's closure.
The Commuter Rail isn't the only alternative to Orange Line service that's being offered. Shuttles are also in use along the line during the shutdown, and there's free passes available to use the city's bike sharing service, Bluebikes.
