Boston, MBTA partner to offer CharlieCards at City Hall and library locations

Partnership improves access to CharlieCards, less expensive than CharlieTickets or cash

Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the City of Boston is partnering with the MBTA to offer CharlieCards at Boston City Hall and several Boston Public Library branch locations. The partnership works toward the City's Go Boston 2030 goals to build a safe, reliable and equitable transportation network, and encourage more trips by transit and other forms of active transportation that will reduce traffic congestion and emissions from motor vehicles. The Boston Transportation Department's new Transit Team, a staff dedicated to working with the MBTA on improving service,worked closely with the MBTA's Customer Experience Team to implement this initiative.

"The majority of Boston residents walk, bike, or take the MBTA on their daily commute and it is important that we support their efforts to make smart, healthy, and climate-friendly transportation choices," said Mayor Walsh. "I am pleased that we're able to make it easier for Boston residents and others to pick up a CharlieCard and take advantage of the T to move around the City."

"The MBTA wants to meet our customers where they are. By providing CharlieCards at new convenient locations, this allows our customers to pay fares at a lower rate than both cash and Charlie Tickets," said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. "I want to thank Mayor Walsh and the City of Boston for their partnership. We look forward to making it easier for customers to choose the T."

CharlieCards provide easy transfers between buses and subways. They may be loaded at any MBTA station using cash, credit or debit cards, or on MBTA buses using cash. Through June 30, 2019, subway fares are 50 cents less per ride and bus fares are 30 cents less per ride on the MBTA system when paying with a CharlieCard rather than cash or a CharlieTicket. MBTA Transit Ambassadors and Customer Service Agents at Downtown Crossing and Back Bay Stations, as well as some of the other stations in Boston, have CharlieCards for distribution. CharlieTickets may be purchased at fare vending machines at all MBTA stations in the City.

"Mayor Walsh and I discussed this idea a few months ago, and I am thrilled he and the MBTA wanted to partner on it and quickly make it happen. By making Charlie Cards available for pickup at City buildings in every neighborhood, we are making an affordable rate more accessible for MBTA riders, which is especially important to do before the MBTA moves to a fully automated system, at which point we want riders to be comfortable using Charlie Cards and know where to go to get one," said City Council President Andrea Campbell. "I hope our next step will be to engage our business community in this effort, so that Charlie Cards are available for pickup or purchase where residents routinely shop, creating even more access to this affordable option."

CharlieCards are now available in the first and third floor lobbies of Boston City Hall as well as in the reception area in the Mayor's Office on the fifth floor. CharlieCards are also now available at the following Boston Public Library branches and are expected to be available at additional branch locations soon:

Egleston Branch, 2044 Columbus Avenue, Roxbury
Fields Corner Branch, 1520 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
Mattapan Branch, 1350 Blue Hill Avenue, Mattapan
East Boston Branch, 365 Bremen Street, East Boston
Charlestown Branch, 179 Main Street, Charlestown
Brighton Branch, 40 Academy Hill Road, Brighton
Connolly Branch, 433 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain
West Roxbury Branch, 1961 Centre Street, West Roxbury
Roslindale Branch, 4246 Washington Street, Roslindale
Hyde Park Branch, 35 Harvard Avenue, Hyde Park

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