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South Station to Begin Phased Commuter Rail Fare-Gate Operations Tuesday

MBTA leaders say the gates are designed to improve fare collection for reinvestment.

Overview

  • Phased activation begins Dec. 30 at South Station, with riders required to tap or scan at gates to enter and exit the track area.
  • The concourse will feature 40 gates, including 11 wider accessible lanes for wheelchairs, strollers, bicycles, and luggage.
  • Accepted media include the mTicket app, CharlieCards and CharlieTickets with printed zones, $10 weekend paper tickets, Amtrak tickets, and active military IDs, while standard bus and subway CharlieCards will not work.
  • Conductors will continue onboard checks to confirm travel zones for fare-by-distance pricing.
  • North Station’s gates have logged 14 million taps since 2022; Back Bay and Ruggles installations are planned for 2026, and Keolis cites higher fare revenue from related upgrades.