Local News

Here’s where shuttle buses are replacing Green Line trains through Dec. 20

Riders on the D Branch are in for a 10-day closure while crews work to lift speed restrictions.

By Abby Patkin

December 11, 2023

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After a brief respite from shuttle buses, riders on the Green Line’s D Branch are in for a 10-day closure, starting Monday. 

The MBTA is subbing in shuttles for trains between Riverside and Kenmore through Dec. 20 as crews work to lift speed restrictions along the line. The free, accessible buses will replace all D Branch stops except Beaconsfield, where narrow roads prevent the buses from safely traveling, according to the T. The transit agency is advising riders to walk four minutes to Dean Road on the C Branch instead. 

The T said it will provide express shuttle buses between Riverside, Woodland, and Copley stations to account for rush-hour crowds. The express shuttles will head inbound from 6 to 10 a.m. and outbound from 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays. 

The MBTA has also put together a guide to alternate travel options for several D Branch stations, ranging from nearby commuter rail stops and bus routes to other Green Line branches. Another note for commuters: The parking lots at Waban, Eliot, and Chestnut Hill stations are closed during the D Branch shutdown, with the T directing drivers to Riverside or Woodland as alternatives. 

There are more shuttle buses in store for riders of the Green Line Extension, which has been closing early for repairs each night since late November. 

Intended to fix the narrow gauge along the GLX, those repairs were originally supposed to wrap up by Monday. However, the MBTA announced Friday that the work is taking longer than expected, meaning that trains will continue to stop running at 8:45 p.m. on the Union Square and Medford GLX branches until at least Sunday, Dec. 17. 

The T is directing Union Square Branch riders to local bus routes during the nightly shutdowns, while riders on the Medford Branch can hop a shuttle bus to and from North Station.