BOSTON — The MBTA will begin running subway trains and buses nearly an hour later into the night on certain days, returning to an idea that the agency has tried -- and canceled -- before.
As part of a new schedule that takes effect Aug. 24, the T plans to extend evening service by almost an hour on all four subway lines on Friday and Saturday nights and on a handful of bus routes, including some on the Silver Line. Final evening trips currently vary by mode, but typically launch between midnight and 1 a.m.
Five other bus routes will run about an hour later “every night of the week,” according to the T: the Route 23 from Ashmont to Ruggles, the Route 28 from Mattapan to Ruggles, the Route 57 from Watertown to Kenmore, the Route 111 from Woodlawn to Haymarket, and the Route 116 from Wonderland to Maverick.
The new fall schedule also outlines increased daytime trip frequency on the Red Line and Orange Line, and changes to several bus routes that T officials expect to better fulfill rider needs.
Workers with late shifts and those wanting to enjoy Boston’s nightlife have long pushed for the MBTA to remain open later, pointing to other cities with service available longer into the night.
In 2014, the T began running a pilot program extending weekend subway service roughly an hour and a half. The agency scrapped the offering in 2016.
“It has very, very low ridership and it’s hugely expensive to operate,” Gov. Charlie Baker said at the time.
Officials detailed the changes in a memo published online ahead of an MBTA Board meeting Tuesday.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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