MBTA

Introduction

This page includes ways to liberate the MBTA. By default, using the MBTA schedules and apps contain nonfree software. Let us explore ways to plan travel around Boston in a better way together.

MBTA Maps

• Full System Map
• MBTA Downtown Map
• Subway Map
• Ferry Map
• Commuter Rail Map
• Commuter Rail Zones

Low-tech

Go to a bus stop or train station and wait until a bus or train arrives. Find paper time schedules for the routes you frequent at popular stations such as Park Street.

The drawback to this method is that buses and trains do not always stick to the schedule. Planning is difficult and you may be late to your destination.

MBTA API

Usage of the MBTA API seems to be the most freedom respecting digital route at this time. This method is efficient as only the requested data is pulled instead of an entire webpage which helps when using metered connections.

Website

Documentation

Source code with MIT (expat) license

Requesting a key does require nonfree JavaScript to be enabled, but does not require a captcha.

Configuring dependencies for Replicant

The MBTA API can be accessed through Replicant using Termux. These tools come with most GNU/Linux operating systems be default.

1. Install Termux from F-Droid.
2. Open Termux.
3. Install curl and python. pkg install -y curl python
4. All set!

Installing the Hacker's Keyboard from F-Droid is also recommended, but not required.

Note: If Termux is closed improperly without exit, the .bash_history might be lost. It is recommended to use these upcoming commands in simple bash scripts so that they can be easily be copied or modified without needing to retype the addresses or API keys.

Using Curl without an API key

Replace 70020 with the stop id. Bus stop ids can usually be read from the sign at the stop. Additional methods of finding stop ids can be found below.

curl "https://api-v3.mbta.com/predictions?filter%5Bstop%5D=70020" | python -m json.tool

The API will let you pull once every so often without an API key. This is useful if you do not have an API key yet.

Using Curl with an API key

Replace INSERTAPIKEYHERE with a valid API key.

curl -sN -H "x-api-key: INSERTAPIKEYHERE" "https://api-v3.mbta.com/predictions?filter%5Bstop%5D=70020" | python -m json.tool

Pulling a stream using an API key

curl -sN -H "accept: text/event-stream" -H "x-api-key: INSERTAPIKEYHERE" "https://api-v3.mbta.com/predictions?filter%5Bstop%5D=70020"

The stream will be kept open and only updates will come through. Between updates the connection will give a keep alive notification. The stream will have to be stopped with CTRL + c.

Note that busy stations will include noise that does not pertain to the next vehicle.

Downloading the list of stops

curl "https://api-v3.mbta.com/stops" > stops.txt

The stops list is about 5.4MB of json.

Parsing the stops list

Example: Find the Orange line stop ids leading to Forest Hills.

python -m json.tool stops.txt | grep -B8 -A4 '"platform_name": "Forest Hills",'

Downtown Crossing - Orange Line - Forest Hills is stop 70020.

Example: List all subway platforms.

python -m json.tool stops.txt | grep -A12 -e ' - Red Line - ' -e ' - Green Line - ' -e ' - Orange Line - ' -e ' - Blue Line - ' | grep -e description -e \"id | cut --delimiter=\" --fields=4 | sed '2~2s/^/: /' | paste - - | sed 's/[ \t]*:/:/' | sort -t'-' -k2

Explanation: cut --delimiter=\" --fields=4 only prints the 4th field delimited by ". sed '2~2s/^/: /' add ': ' to the beginning of every other line starting at the second line. paste - - combines every other line. sed 's/[ \t]*:/:/' removes white space before a colon. sort -t'-' -k2 sorts based on the second column delimited by -.

Complications:

• The red and green lines have converging tracks so the above method will not always work.
• Stations have several stop ids that include platforms, busways, elevators, escalators, and more.
• End stations have two platforms going the same direction with two separate ids. They usually run frequently enough that this is not an issue.

Stop IDs

Orange Line

Green Street - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70002 Stony Brook - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70004 Jackson Square - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70006 Roxbury Crossing - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70008 Ruggles - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70010 Massachusetts Avenue - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70012 Back Bay - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70014 Tufts Medical Center - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70016 Chinatown - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70018 Downtown Crossing - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70020 State - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70022 Haymarket - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70024 North Station - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70026 Community College - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70028 Sullivan Square - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70030 Wellington - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70032 Malden Center - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70034 Assembly - Orange Line - Forest Hills: 70278 Green Street - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70003 Stony Brook - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70005 Jackson Square - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70007 Roxbury Crossing - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70009 Ruggles - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70011 Massachusetts Avenue - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70013 Back Bay - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70015 Tufts Medical Center - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70017 Chinatown - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70019 Downtown Crossing - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70021 State - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70023 Haymarket - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70025 North Station - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70027 Community College - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70029 Sullivan Square - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70031 Wellington - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70033 Malden Center - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70035 Assembly - Orange Line - Oak Grove: 70279 Forest Hills - Orange Line - Track 1: Forest Hills-01 Oak Grove - Orange Line - Track 1: Oak Grove-01 Forest Hills - Orange Line - Track 2: Forest Hills-02 Oak Grove - Orange Line - Track 2: Oak Grove-02

Red Line

Davis - Red Line - Alewife: 70064 Porter - Red Line - Alewife: 70066 Harvard - Red Line - Alewife: 70068 Central - Red Line - Alewife: 70070 Kendall/MIT - Red Line - Alewife: 70072 Charles/MGH - Red Line - Alewife: 70074 Park Street - Red Line - Alewife: 70076 Downtown Crossing - Red Line - Alewife: 70078 South Station - Red Line - Alewife: 70080 Broadway - Red Line - Alewife: 70082 Andrew - Red Line - Alewife: 70084 Savin Hill - Red Line - Alewife: 70088 Fields Corner - Red Line - Alewife: 70090 Shawmut - Red Line - Alewife: 70092 Ashmont - Red Line - Alewife: 70094 North Quincy - Red Line - Alewife: 70098 Wollaston - Red Line - Alewife: 70100 Quincy Center - Red Line - Alewife: 70102 Quincy Adams - Red Line - Alewife: 70104 JFK/UMass - Red Line - Alewife (from Ashmont): 70086 JFK/UMass - Red Line - Alewife (from Braintree): 70096 JFK/UMass - Red Line - Ashmont: 70085 Savin Hill - Red Line - Ashmont: 70087 Fields Corner - Red Line - Ashmont: 70089 Shawmut - Red Line - Ashmont: 70091 Davis - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70063 Porter - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70065 Harvard - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70067 Central - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70069 Kendall/MIT - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70071 Charles/MGH - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70073 Park Street - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70075 Downtown Crossing - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70077 South Station - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70079 Broadway - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70081 Andrew - Red Line - Ashmont/Braintree: 70083 JFK/UMass - Red Line - Braintree: 70095 North Quincy - Red Line - Braintree: 70097 Wollaston - Red Line - Braintree: 70099 Quincy Center - Red Line - Braintree: 70101 Quincy Adams - Red Line - Braintree: 70103 Ashmont - Red Line - Exit Only: 70093 Alewife - Red Line - Track 1: Alewife-01 Braintree - Red Line - Track 1: Braintree-01 Alewife - Red Line - Track 2: Alewife-02 Braintree - Red Line - Track 2: Braintree-02

Green Line

South Street - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70111 Chestnut Hill Avenue - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70113 Chiswick Road - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70115 Sutherland Road - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70117 Washington Street - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70121 Warren Street - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70125 Allston Street - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70127 Griggs Street - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70129 Harvard Avenue - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70131 Packards Corner - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70135 Babcock Street - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70137 Pleasant Street - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70139 Saint Paul Street - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70141 Boston University West - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70143 Boston University Central - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70145 Boston University East - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70147 Blandford Street - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70149 Park Street - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 70196 Kenmore - Green Line - (B) Boston College: 71151 Park Street - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70197 Saint Marys Street - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70211 Hawes Street - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70213 Kent Street - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70215 Saint Paul Street - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70217 Coolidge Corner - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70219 Summit Avenue - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70223 Brandon Hall - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70225 Fairbanks Street - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70227 Washington Square - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70229 Tappan Street - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70231 Dean Road - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70233 Englewood Avenue - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle: 70235 Kenmore - Green Line - (C) Cleveland Circle/(D) Riverside: 70151 Arlington - Green Line - Copley & West: 70157 Boylston - Green Line - Copley & West: 70159 Government Center - Green Line - Copley & West: 70202 Haymarket - Green Line - Copley & West: 70204 North Station - Green Line - Copley & West: 70206 Science Park/West End - Green Line - Copley & West: 70208 Lechmere - Green Line - Copley & West: 70210 Woodland - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70163 Waban - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70165 Eliot - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70167 Newton Highlands - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70169 Newton Centre - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70171 Chestnut Hill - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70173 Reservoir - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70175 Beaconsfield - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70177 Brookline Hills - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70179 Brookline Village - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70181 Longwood - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70183 Fenway - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70187 Park Street - Green Line - (D) Riverside: 70198 Park Street - Green Line - Drop-off Only: 71199 Park Street - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70199 Prudential - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70239 Symphony - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70241 Northeastern University - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70243 Museum of Fine Arts - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70245 Longwood Medical Area - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70247 Brigham Circle - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70249 Fenwood Road - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70251 Mission Park - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70253 Riverway - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70255 Back of the Hill - Green Line - (E) Heath Street: 70257 Boston College - Green Line - Exit Only: 70107 Riverside - Green Line - Exit Only: 70161 Lechmere - Green Line - Exit Only: 70209 Cleveland Circle - Green Line - Exit Only: 70237 Park Street - Green Line - Government Center & North: 70200 Hynes Convention Center - Green Line - Kenmore & West: 70153 Copley - Green Line - Kenmore & West/(E) Heath Street: 70155 North Station - Green Line - Lechmere: 70205 Science Park/West End - Green Line - Lechmere: 70207 Government Center - Green Line - Loop Platform: Government Center-Brattle Government Center - Green Line - North Station & North: 70201 Haymarket - Green Line - North Station & North: 70203 Boston College - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70106 South Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70110 Chestnut Hill Avenue - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70112 Chiswick Road - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70114 Sutherland Road - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70116 Washington Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70120 Warren Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70124 Allston Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70126 Griggs Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70128 Harvard Avenue - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70130 Packards Corner - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70134 Babcock Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70136 Pleasant Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70138 Saint Paul Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70140 Boston University West - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70142 Boston University Central - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70144 Boston University East - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70146 Blandford Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70148 Kenmore - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70150 Hynes Convention Center - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70152 Copley - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70154 Arlington - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70156 Boylston - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70158 Riverside - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70160 Woodland - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70162 Waban - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70164 Eliot - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70166 Newton Highlands - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70168 Newton Centre - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70170 Chestnut Hill - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70172 Reservoir - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70174 Beaconsfield - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70176 Brookline Hills - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70178 Brookline Village - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70180 Longwood - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70182 Fenway - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70186 Saint Marys Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70212 Hawes Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70214 Kent Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70216 Saint Paul Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70218 Coolidge Corner - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70220 Summit Avenue - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70224 Brandon Hall - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70226 Fairbanks Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70228 Washington Square - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70230 Tappan Street - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70232 Dean Road - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70234 Englewood Avenue - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70236 Cleveland Circle - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70238 Prudential - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70240 Symphony - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70242 Northeastern University - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70244 Museum of Fine Arts - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70246 Longwood Medical Area - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70248 Brigham Circle - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70250 Fenwood Road - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70252 Mission Park - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70254 Riverway - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70256 Back of the Hill - Green Line - Park Street & North: 70258 Kenmore - Green Line - Park Street & North: 71150

Blue Line

Government Center - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70039 State - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70041 Aquarium - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70043 Maverick - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70045 Airport - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70047 Wood Island - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70049 Orient Heights - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70051 Suffolk Downs - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70053 Beachmont - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70055 Revere Beach - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70057 Wonderland - Blue Line - Bowdoin: 70059 Wonderland - Blue Line - Exit Only: 70060 Bowdoin - Blue Line - Exit Only: 70838 Bowdoin - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70038 Government Center - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70040 State - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70042 Aquarium - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70044 Maverick - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70046 Airport - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70048 Wood Island - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70050 Orient Heights - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70052 Suffolk Downs - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70054 Beachmont - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70056 Revere Beach - Blue Line - Wonderland: 70058