MBTA

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) manages the provision of commuter rail services in the Boston region. The MBTA Commuter Rail system has two major termini: Boston North Station and Boston South Station. Eight of MBTA’s twelve Commuter Rail lines utilize some portion the NEC Main Line to provide service to and from Boston South Station, including the Fairmount, Fall River/New Bedford, Framingham/Worcester, Franklin/Foxboro, Greenbush, Kingston, Needham, and Providence/Stoughton lines. The MBTA provides commuter rail service, under contract with Rhode Island DOT, to communities along the NEC Main Line between Providence and Wickford Junction, RI.

MBTA Commuter Rail System-Wide

143

stations

12

lines

31M

Annual trips (FY24)

64%of all MBTA trains use the NEC

62%of all MBTA trips are on the NEC

Trips and Scheduled Trains on the NEC

MBTA trips on the NEC are only an estimate due to limited data availability.

	FY21	FY22	FY23	FY24
MBTA weekday trips on the NEC	14,000	34,000	50,000	61,000
MBTA weekday scheduled trains on the NEC	269	313	315	329

Train Operations & Performance

	FY21	FY22	FY23	FY24
Percentage of scheduled MBTA trains late, annulled, or terminated on the NEC	5.7%	6.4%	6.4%	8.1%

For more information on MBTA and train performance on the NEC, please read the NEC Annual Report.

Information last updated May 2025.