Aug 20, 2025 - Transit

MBTA Orange Line speeds up later this month

Mike Deehan

Photo illustration of MBTA general manager Phillip Eng surrounded by lines and dots resembling the MBTA map. — Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Lane Turner/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority plans to increase the maximum speed of the Orange Line starting Aug. 24, cutting travel times by approximately 5 minutes for trips across the whole line.

Why it matters: It's a tangible service improvement for daily commuters after extensive infrastructure work, system reliability efforts and spending by the T.

By the numbers: Maximum speeds will jump to 55 mph.

Combined with other recent O-Line improvements, the speed boost means a round trip from Oak Grove to Forest Hills will be roughly 5 minutes faster than in the T's bad old days.
Similar improvements to the Red Line brought top speeds to 50 mph.

What they're saying: "We're excited about it," General Manager Phil Eng told the T's board last week. "The riders have been waiting for this, and they deserve this type of service."

Eng said the upgrade required substantial track improvements and workforce development to make sure the T can run safely at higher speeds.

The big picture: MBTA service has improved thanks in part to more spending by the state, buoyed by revenue from the surtax on very high incomes.

Catch up quick: The change is part of the T's fall service adjustments that also introduced late-night service across the whole system.

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MBTA Orange Line speeds up later this month

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