MA: Record numbers took the MBTA to Cape Cod last summer. An even busier summer may be ahead

On weekends last summer, a record number of travelers opted to take public transit to Cape Cod, one of the region’s most popular vacation destinations.

As visitors sat in teeth-gritting traffic to cross the Cape Cod Canal, many others flew by on the MBTA’s CapeFLYER train. The T sold over 10,800 tickets last year for the Boston-to- Hyannis seasonal train, 1,100 more than the previous year.

The CapeFLYER took its first trip of the season over Memorial Day weekend and will continue running through Labor Day. With droves of out-of-town visitors expected for the World Cup and the nation’s 250th birthday this summer, MBTA officials hope to maintain last year’s ballooning demand for its Cape train.

The CapeFLYER “has become part of the Cape Cod summer experience and a fun, relaxing way to avoid bridge traffic and start your vacation the moment you step onboard,” John Kennedy, administrator of the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, said in a statement earlier this month.

Commuter rail ridership, including on the CapeFLYER, has improved significantly from the steep drop-off caused by the pandemic. According to the T, its commuter rail system has one of the strongest ridership recoveries in the country.

MBTA riders “respond to service that is reliable, predictable, and easy to use,” Maya Bingaman, an agency spokesperson, said in a statement. The CapeFLYER, which began operating in 2013, “reflects that, offering a consistent trip that avoids bridge traffic, which is often the most variable part of traveling to the Cape.”

CapeFLYER service schedule, ticket prices

The train departs South Station in Boston at 5:22 p.m. on summer Fridays and stops at Braintree, Brockton, Lakeville, Wareham Village and Buzzards Bay before crossing the canal. It reaches Bourne just after 7 p.m. and Hyannis an hour later. The train makes the same stops on a return trip to Boston that night.

On Saturdays and Sundays, it leaves South Station on the same route at 7:50 a.m. and departs Hyannis for the return trip at 6:15 p.m.

Along the way, passengers can order snacks and beverages, including alcohol, from the café car. Another car stores bicycles.

It could prove to be an even busier summer for the seasonal train.

Gillette Stadium in Foxborough will host seven World Cup matches between June 13 and July 9.

Local organizers say an estimated 2 million people will visit the region during the World Cup, though hotels have reported lower-than-expected demand as the tournament approaches. Approximately 75% of World Cup ticketholders will arrive from outside New England, and 40% will travel internationally, according to Boston 26, the region’s World Cup host committee.

The World Cup will not affect CapeFLYER service. While the MBTA plans to reduce train frequency on multiple commuter rail lines during the tournament, allowing it to focus strained resources on transporting thousands of fans to matches in Foxborough, the Cape Cod train will be spared, the agency said.

Passengers won’t see major changes to the CapeFLYER this summer. The fares and schedules will be the same as last year, the T said.

Tickets are $22 one-way from Boston, or $40 round-trip. Travel from stops closer to the Cape Cod Canal costs as little as $5 one-way and $8 round-trip. Children 11 and under ride free, and dogs are welcome on board.

Transportation on Cape Cod

The T also said it has coordinated arrival times with the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, allowing passengers to transfer to a bus and continue their journey beyond Hyannis without a car.

As interest in the CapeFLYER increases, the MBTA has also reported rising demand on other commuter rail lines traveling to seasonal destinations, particularly those along the coast. Summer weekends can be noticeably busier on the Newburyport/Rockport Line, for example, which travels up the North Shore, the T said.

Last October, the agency increased the number of weekend trains to Salem as crowds flooded the witchy community for Haunted Happenings, its monthlong Halloween celebration. The agency also encouraged passengers to use its $10 weekend pass for unlimited commuter rail service.

In late October, the agency also scheduled a first-ever “Fall Rail Ride” to the Mount Wachusett area, where riders could disembark to leaf-peep or take a scenic bicycle ride.

“Much like our CapeFLYER, Haunted Happenings, Football trains, and other special event services, the new ‘Fall Rail Ride’ is another example of how we are making mass transportation available for our riders,” Phillip Eng, the interim transportation secretary and MBTA general manager, said in a statement when the fall train launched in October.

“It is more than just commuting for work,” he said. “It connects people and communities, allowing friends and families to leave their cars at home and enjoy all the fall festivities that New England has to offer.”

©2026 Advance Local Media LLC.
Visit masslive.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.