MBTA announces extended late-night service. Here’s when it starts

MALDEN, Mass. — MBTA subway trains, buses, and ferries will soon be running later.

It’s part of the T’s new fall schedule that will accommodate commuters who need to take trips after 1 a.m.

Starting on Sunday, August 24, service on Fridays and Saturdays is going to run for about an hour longer. This will help out people who work overnight shifts and also those who just want to stay out longer on the weekends.

For the first five weekends after the change, commuters can ride for free on any train, ferry, or bus line. The MBTA says most buses and trains will run every 30 minutes during the extended hours. On the Red line, between Alewife and JFK/UMass, trains will run every 15 minutes.

Even with trains in operation longer, MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng says safety is the number one priority. Transit police are on board with the extra hour, and the important maintenance work will be able to continue.

“We’re not sacrificing the ability to maintain and rebuild our infrastructure so safety in terms of running service, safety in terms of the public using our service, and then really in giving the people options adds another level of safety as well, we want people to choose transit and get them off the roads,” said MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng.

The MBTA has tried this before.

Back in 2014 to 2016, the T ran trains 90 minutes later but stopped due to costs. The Boston Globe reported at the time it cost the agency $14.4 million.

MBTA officials say the extra $2 million a year that this service will cost can be covered through the agency’s annual operating budget.

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