Ride the Commuter Rail from Worcester to Boston in Under 1 Hour Starting in May

Thursday, October 08, 2015

Patrick Sargent, GoLocalWorcester Reporter

Non-stop train service between Union Station in Worcester and Boston will begin in May 2016 after major changes to the MBTA's Commuter Rail schedule.

On Wednesday, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito announced that changes that includes one non-stop train departing at 7:55 AM from Worcester and arriving at the Back Bay Station in Boston in under an hour.

"For the first time ever, non-stop train service between Worcester and Boston in under one hour will become a reality," said Polito. "The new schedule will give commuters more options on an improved schedule that reflect the needs of today for both our residents and our economy."

The new service will help save 30 minutes of time for Worcester commuter rail riders - skipping as many as 16 stops on the way to South Station.

"Between updating the schedule and ongoing efforts to prepare the rail system to be in a better position to withstand inclement weather, we are taking major steps toward delivering on our promise to provide kinds of service our customers deserve and expect," said MBTA General Manager Frank DePaola. "While our work is far from done, we want to show our customers the continued progress as we continue to strive for a higher standard."

The new Commuter Rail schedules are undergoing revisions and will be announced some time late November.

Other revisions from Union Station include:

Seven Boston-bound trains running at peak-times in the morning (one train making all local stops on the line; five trains running zone express; and one train running non-stop to Back Bay Station). Only three express trains run during this time currently.
Six trains leaving South Station will end at Union Station - five of which will be zone express, and one will run non-stop from Back Bay.