Transportation
A long list of closures will happen on the Red Line, Green Line, Blue Line, Mattapan Line, and some Commuter Rail lines.
The month of May will bring a host of MBTA service changes for maintenance and testing. David L Ryan/The Boston Globe
April 19, 2026 | 11:20 AM
3 minutes to read
It’s no surprise to most Boston commuters that a new month means a new round of MBTA closures. The transit agency has just announced the various suspensions for the month of May.
Services on the Red Line, Green Line, Blue Line, Mattapan Line, and some Commuter Rail lines will be affected throughout the month. Read on to see if the closures will impact your commute in May.
Red Line
As the MBTA completes testing on the Red Line’s new digital signal system, there will be several service suspensions throughout the month. From May 2 to May 4, service will be suspended on the Braintree branch from Broadway to Quincy Center.
During this closure, free shuttle buses will operate between Broadway and Quincy Center, and Commuter Rail trains from South Station to Braintree will also be free, according to the MBTA. Fare gates will be open at the two shuttle points, as well as JFK/UMass, for commuters traveling on the Ashmont branch.
From about 6 p.m. on May 14 through May 18, service will be suspended on the Ashmont branch between Broadway and Ashmont. Free shuttle buses will be available, and riders on the Braintree branch will need to take them between Broadway and JFK/UMass, where fare gates will be open.
Finally, service will be suspended in both of the previously closed zones from May 29 to May 31, the MBTA said. Shuttle buses will again be available, and free Commuter Rail service will run from South Station to Braintree.
Green Line
Green Line closures will take place twice in May while the MBTA installs its Train Protection System on the C and E branches. From May 6 to May 17, service on the C branch will be suspended between Kenmore and Cleveland Circle.
Shuttle buses will replace service, but they will not be available at St. Mary’s Street, Kent Street, or Brandon Hall, according to the MBTA. Additional trains will be added to the nearby D branch to account for the lack of C branch service.
From May 30 to June 5, service on the E branch will shut down between Government Center and Heath Street. Commuters will instead have to take the Route 39 bus, which will have additional service added.
Blue Line
Blue Line service will be suspended on the weekend of May 9 to May 10 as the MBTA makes infrastructure upgrades and track renewals. During this weekend, the line will be closed between Bowdoin and Airport.
Free shuttle buses will be available at Airport, Maverick, and Haymarket only, according to the MBTA. They will not stop at Aquarium, State, Government Center, or Bowdoin.
The East Boston Ferry, which departs every 15 to 30 minutes, will also be free for commuters. Fare gates will also be open at all stations between Airport and Wonderland.
Mattapan Line
The Mattapan Line will shut down service between Ashmont and Mattapan from about 6 p.m. on May 14 through May 16. During this time, the MBTA will complete power work at the Codman Yard facility.
Free shuttle buses will run between the two stations while the line is closed, the MBTA said. Riders are also encouraged to take the Commuter Rail Fairmount Line from Blue Hill Avenue Station.
Commuter Rail
Speaking of the Commuter Rail, the New Bedford/Fall River, Greenbush, and Kingston Lines will be suspended between South Station and Braintree (via Quincy Center) during the weekend of May 9 to May 10. The MBTA said it will use this time to conduct maintenance work on the Old Colony lines.
Passengers have been asked to instead take the Red Line between South Station and Braintree (via Quincy Center). Prior to the closure, a dedicated diversion schedule will be posted here.
The Framingham/Worcester Line will also be suspended between Worcester and Grafton from May 16 to May 17, according to the MBTA. While infrastructure work is completed during this weekend, free shuttle buses will be available between the two stations.
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