Changes put in place to accommodate larger crowds for Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade

March 12, 2025 (BOSTON) – Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis), the MBTA’s operating and maintenance partner for the Commuter Rail, has announced minor adjustments to schedules on several lines to accommodate expected heavy ridership to and from the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 16. Some trains will be replaced by shuttle buses to allow resources to be reallocated to accommodate the crowds and minimize delays.

Passengers are encouraged to take advantage of the $10 Weekend Pass, which allows unlimited travel on all Commuter Rail lines on Saturdays and Sundays. Full service schedules are available at mbta.com/StPatricksDay.

Passengers should plan their travel in advance and allow for extra time. A queueing plan will be in place at South Station following the parade. Passengers should subscribe to T Alerts or follow @MBTA_CR_Alerts on X for up-to-date information on schedules, delays, and potential extra service on Sunday.

On the Franklin and Fairmount Lines:

• Inbound trains 2702 and 2704 will operate via Ruggles and Back Bay rather than their normal route on the Fairmount Line. As a result, Fairmount Line stops will be served by a shuttle bus running on the same schedule as the trains from Readville to South Station.
• Outbound trains 2709 and 2711 will operate via Ruggles and Back Bay rather than their normal route on the Fairmount Line. As a result, Fairmount Line stops will be served by a shuttle bus running on the same schedule as the trains from South Station to Readville.
• Inbound train 2710 (the scheduled 3:47 departure from Forge Park) will be cancelled. Fairmount Line passengers will instead be accommodated by a shuttle bus making all stops from Readville to South Station, departing at 4:30 p.m.

On the Middleborough/Lakeville Line:

• Shuttle buses will replace inbound trains 2002 (the scheduled 5:15 a.m. from Middleborough/Lakeville) and 2014 (the scheduled 3:15 p.m. from Middleborough/Lakeville) making all stops to Braintree for a connection with the Red Line.
• A shuttle bus will replace outbound train 2003 (the scheduled 6:32 a.m. from South Station). Passengers should take the Red Line to Braintree and board the bus, which will depart at 6:53 a.m. and make all stops to Middleborough/Lakeville.

On the Needham Line:

• A shuttle bus will replace inbound train 2612 (the scheduled 6:10 p.m. from Needham Heights) making all stops to Forest Hills for a connection with the Orange Line.
• A shuttle bus will replace outbound train 2611 (the scheduled 5:13 p.m. from South Station). Passengers should take the Orange Line to Forest Hills and board the bus, which will depart at 5:26 p.m. and make all stops to Needham Heights.

Keolis Commuter Services has operated and maintained the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s commuter rail system, the sixth largest commuter rail operation in North America, for over ten years. KCS is a subsidiary of Keolis North America (KNA), both headquartered in Boston, and employs approximately 2,500 people throughout the region. KCS and KNA are part of Keolis Group, an innovative global leader in transit services with more than a century of passenger transportation experience and operations in 13 countries.

###