Bostonist: Saturday Schedule and the Orange Line-free Fridays

Jenn

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 21:52:18 -0500

I'd like to exclude the bus forever until it improves. Or at least can actually stick to the schedules that they release.

iandavid

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:05:40 -0500

Will is correct; the only reason the LinkPass on a CharlieCard doesn't work in Zone 1A is that the collectors can't tell it's a pass. That will change when they get handheld validators in mid 2007. In the meantime the Zone 1A Pass on a CharlieTicket costs the same amount of money as the LinkPass. However, in the trip planner's defense, a ride from Back Bay to South Station on any Commuter Rail train is officially free, and is advertised as such on buses (though I couldn't find info on the T's web site). I'm not certain, but I believe that with a stored-value CharlieCard you could tap in at Stony Brook, and tap in again at South Station within two hours without paying a second fare. Of course, with a LinkPass (or a Zone 1A pass) this is a non-issue.

Will

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 12:33:23 -0500

I'm not 100% sure that the LinkPass doesn't work in the local zones of the commuter rail. If you go to the commuter rail fares page then travel to 1A zones appears to be the same price per ride and monthly as the LinkPass. Admittedly, it is called something different on that page, a Zone 1A Pass, but in all other respects it is identical to a a LinkPass. Zones 1A and 1B are now just Zone 1A, in case you were wondering. In many respects this looks like the same policy for local commuter rail travel as before. The main difference is that if you have a CharlieCard, it is going to be impossible to convince the conductors it has the proper pass on it, since the CharlieCard does not work on the commuter rail. Thus, a CharlieCard LinkPass is not the same as a Zone 1A Pass, despite all the similarities. If commuter rail travel is important to you, you'll have to keep buying the plastic passes every month. I used to travel a fair bit on the local commuter rail, because it was comfortable, and always on time. I haven't done it at all in 2007, and now I guess I won't be doing it anymore, because I am not willing to give up the tap-and-go CharlieCard just to get somewhere on the commuter rail that I can reach on the subway anyway.