Can you pay cash on the T in Boston?

Subway Tickets & Fares You can get Charlie Cards at the ticket vending machines in most stations, and Charlie Tickets at the machines in every station. You can also pay for your ride in cash when you board buses and the T's above-ground Green Line trolleys.



As of March 2026, you can still pay with cash on the MBTA (the "T") in Boston, but the process has been largely shifted toward the CharlieCard and a new contactless payment system. While you cannot hand cash directly to a subway gate or a ferry captain, you can use cash at Fare Vending Machines located in every subway station to load value onto a CharlieCard or purchase a "CharlieTicket." For the Green Line and Mattapan Trolley (which often operate at street level), you can still use onboard fare boxes to add up to $20 in cash value to a CharlieCard, though these machines do not provide change—any excess is simply added as a balance to your card. However, the MBTA is heavily promoting the use of "Tap to Ride" via contactless credit cards and mobile wallets (Apple Pay/Google Pay), which was fully rolled out to all subway and bus lines by 2025. Using cash is increasingly considered the "slowest" way to travel and may not always offer the same transfer discounts as a digital CharlieCard.

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Subway stops are color coded - Red Line, Green Line, Blue Line, Orange Line or Silver Line. To ride the T, you'll need a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket, which can be purchased at most subway station vending machines, and at select convenience stores.

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You can pay with cash or credit card, and there may be an additional $3 fee if you board the train at a station where there's a fare vending machine or a ticket window. Please note that this is not always available, and conductors may check your ticket before you board.

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Onboard. In most circumstances, you must purchase a ticket before you board a train. On most Amtrak trains, only the full, undiscounted, unrestricted fare will be available for purchase onboard the train. This is regardless of reservations made or fares previously quoted by ticket agents, Amtrak.com or elsewhere.

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Riders are no longer required to wear a mask while on the T. The following service and operations policies are in place based on CDC guidelines and the end of the Massachusetts COVID-19 public health emergency: CharlieCard Store is open Tuesday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 5 PM and Monday by appointment only.

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The addition of Apple Pay makes purchasing a ticket even easier, and we are delighted to be bringing the convenience to riders in Boston. Customers will be prompted on March 6 to update the app, which will include Apple Pay as a payment option.

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Purchasing Tickets Onboard In those limited circumstances when you are permitted to purchase your tickets onboard, you may pay with cash. Customers boarding at unstaffed stations can buy tickets with their credit card on Amtrak.com or on the Amtrak app prior to boarding.

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On-Airport Shuttle Massport provides free shuttle bus service between airline terminals, the Rental Car Center, the Water Transportation dock, and Airport Station on the MBTA Blue Line. All Massport shuttle buses feature low-floors for easier boarding, luggage racks, and are wheelchair lift-equipped.

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How much is taxi from Boston Airport to downtown? A taxi ride from Boston Airport to Boston Downtown costs around $25-$45, depending on traffic and time of day.

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Book train tickets in advance While many of us plan and book flights well before our trip, train travel is often left until the last minute. Like planes, train tickets are released in price sections—the cheapest fares are first, and the most expensive ones can be purchased up to an hour before the train time.

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