I think the MBTA might be a bit upset about something.

Us perhaps, I don't think so, but I could be wrong. I am quite frequently. Today was an Massachusetts General Hospital, kind of a day, which meant taking the Blue line into Government Center and then the Green line to Science Park. Yes Science Park, even though I am going to MGH. After much experimentation, based on way to many trips to MGH, I discovered that I can cut fifteen minutes out of my trip by skipping the Red Line. Now if you use MBTA to plan your trip it gives two suggestions, both identical, except one apparently takes six minutes longer.

Accordingly -


Itinerary 1 – Approx. 46 minutes
Itinerary 2 – Approx. 40 minutes
Take Blue Wonderland Sta Blue Line Shuttle To Government Center Station view route
Approx. 2:04 PM Depart from Wonderland Station - Blue Line
Approx. 2:21 PM Arrive at Government Center Station - to Bowdoin S
Take Green- D Riverside Sta To Park St Station view route
Approx. 2:26 PM Depart from Government Center Station - Green Line W
Approx. 2:28 PM Arrive at Park St Station - Green Line - D Branch
Take Red Line - Alewife Sta To Charles/mgh Station view route
Approx. 2:43 PM Depart from Park St Station - to Alewife
Approx. 2:45 PM Arrive at Charles/MGH Station - Outbound
Walk For 5 Mins. To Mass General Hospital

Take Blue Wonderland Sta Blue Line Shuttle To Government Center Station view route
Approx. 2:04 PM Depart from Wonderland Station - Blue Line
Approx. 2:21 PM Arrive at Government Center Station - to Bowdoin S
Take Green- D Riverside Sta To Park St Station view route
Approx. 2:26 PM Depart from Government Center Station - Green Line W
Approx. 2:28 PM Arrive at Park St Station - Green Line - D Branch
Take Red Line - Alewife Sta To Charles/mgh Station view route
Approx. 2:37 PM Depart from Park St Station - to Alewife
Approx. 2:39 PM Arrive at Charles/MGH Station - Outbound
Walk For 5 Mins. To Mass General Hospital

Which is probably better than the ten minute difference the MBTA found me when I asked it to take me from Wonderland station to Science Park.

Itinerary 1 - Approx. 35 mins.  
Itinerary 2 – Approx. 45 mins.

Take Blue Wonderland Sta Blue Line Shuttle To Government Center Station view route
Approx. 2:04 PM Depart from Wonderland Station - Blue Line
Approx. 2:21 PM Arrive at Government Center Station - to Bowdoin S
Take Green- E Lechmere Sta To Science Park - Green Line Outbound view route
Approx. 2:32 PM Depart from Government Center Station - Green Line E
Approx. 2:39 PM Arrive at Science Park - Green Line Outbound
Take Blue Wonderland Sta Blue Line Shuttle To Government Center Station view route
Approx. 2:04 PM Depart from Wonderland Station - Blue Line
Approx. 2:21 PM Arrive at Government Center Station - to Bowdoin S
Take Green- E Lechmere Sta To Science Park - Green Line Outbound view route
Approx. 2:42 PM Depart from Government Center Station - Green Line E
Approx. 2:49 PM Arrive at Science Park - Green Line Outbound

Mostly I did all of this to show that indeed, if your traveling to MGH, it is faster to skip the Red line all together. It was only when I decided to pull up the exact travel times via MBTA that I discovered the even more humorous itinerary options.

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Those were just icing on the cake to what really happened today. The Blue Line was it's normal, it's a good thing we are on tracks or we would get lost self. Announcement for incorrect stations, forgetting to stop at the end of the platform, and not remembering Beachmont is closed is par for the course. Confusing to people who don't use the train much, but as long as the driver remembers where Airport is, no foul, no harm.

The Green Line, now that's different. The Green line drivers were angry today, very angry. As the only line where the driver interacts with the passengers and is actively involved in taking payment for riding the T. You would kind of hope the drivers providing the best customer service would be on this line. People walking through Government station with visible head phones where reminded that was unsafe. Not nasty, just a quick jacket tug and a comment. I should say, that as a non head phone wearing person, I did not get this special interaction. I did witness about 6 people get tapped as I walked across the station. The one person I was close enough to to hear the interaction was playing their music so loudly that I could hear the music. The person was wearing what looked like a T jacket, but I was not totally sure, my mind being on getting to the train. So question, did anyone get bugged or hassled about wearing ear buds and playing loud music on the T today.


Today was a double team day, on the trains also. Of the two trains I rode on, each had a driver and someone watching the rails ahead. Delays between trains were so long as to almost be at work slowdown level. Each driver drove their route very slowly, and stopped several times in the tunnels. Stopping for both red and yellow lights, or just stopping in the tunnels for no reason that I could understand. On my return trip, the driver did get on the PA and say there were switching problems and the trains were delayed. He said this right after the train pulled out of North Station, and while at a complete stop. But said nothing the next time he came to a complete stop, in between Haymarket and Government Center.

Finally, one last oddity on my trip today. Normally I see almost no green line trains sitting on sidings while underground. Today, I saw nine in a row in between stations, including 4 sitting just past Haymarket. All were empty of passengers, but each had a driver, flashers going and interior lights on.

So I ask you MBTA, are you upset about something?