BUGWU Commuter Benefits
MBTA Pass Benefit
Eligible graduate students may order discounted MBTA Semester Passes ahead of the Spring and Fall Semesters and receive an additional 39% reimbursement of the full-priced, four-month pass value for each Semester Pass.
Ahead of each of the remaining four months (January, June, July and August) eligible graduate students may order MBTA Monthly Passes and receive a 50% reimbursement for each pass.
MBTA order deadlines apply and reimbursements are subject to applicable taxes.
Local Bus, Link, Commuter Rail...there are many pass types.
The most popular type of pass is called a LinkPass (unlimited trips on local bus and subway) but the MBTA offers many types of passes.
Use the MBTA Trip Planner to determine which MBTA lines you’ll need to access on your commute.
To find your Commuter Rail Zone, consult the MBTA Commuter Rail Zone Map.
Click chart below to enlarge:
*including Silver Line
MONTHLY PASS
January, June, July, and August
Eligible students may now receive a reimbursement for 50% of the cost of MBTA Monthly Pass value (subject to applicable taxes) for January, June, July, and August. These passes must be ordered individually by the 10th of the previous month.
MBTA Monthly Pass Pricing
| Pass Type |
Regular MBTA Monthly Pass Price |
Cost to Graduate Student After 50% Subisidy |
| Local Bus |
$55.00 |
$27.50 |
| MOST POPULAR OPTION: LinkPass (Subway and Local Bus) |
$90.00 |
$45.00 |
| Senior (65+) LinkPass |
$30.00 |
$15.00 |
| Inner Express Bus |
$136.00 |
$68.00 |
| Outer Express Bus |
$168.00 |
$84.00 |
| Zone 1A |
$90.00 |
$45.00 |
| Zone 1 |
$214.00 |
$107.00 |
| Zone 2 |
$232.00 |
$116.00 |
| Zone 3 |
$261.00 |
$130.50 |
| Zone 4 |
$281.00 |
$140.50 |
| Zone 5 |
$311.00 |
$155.50 |
| Zone 6 |
$340.00 |
$170.00 |
| Zone 7 |
$360.00 |
$180.00 |
| Zone 8 |
$388.00 |
$194.00 |
| Zone 9 |
$406.00 |
$203.00 |
| Zone 10 |
$426.00 |
$213.00 |
| Boat Pass |
$329.00 |
$164.50 |
Note: Commuter Rail and Boat passes are also valid on MBTA local bus and subway lines.
June 2025 Pass Order Form
July 2025 Pass Order Form
July passes must be ordered between May 11th and June 10th.
August 2025 Pass Order Form
August must be ordered between June 11th and July 10th.
Monthly Pass guidelines
- Subsidized MBTA Passes are only available to eligible graduate students. Submission of an order form does not guarantee ordering of pass. Orders from ineligible students will be not be processed.
- Reimbursements are subject to applicable taxes.
- Order cancellations or changes must be submitted via email to transportation@bu.edu by 4pm on 12/10 (January passes), 5/10 (June passes), 6/10 (July passes), or 7/10 (August passes) .
- Passes must be picked up in-person (BU ID card required).
SEMESTER PASS
Fall (September-December) and Spring (February-May)
MBTA Semester Passes are discounted 11% relative to the cost of four regularly-priced Monthly Passes. Eligible students may now receive a reimbursement for the remaining 39% of the full-priced, four-month pass value (subject to applicable taxes) via their Student Account.
MBTA Semester Pass Pricing
| MBTA Pass Type |
Monthly Pass price |
Semester Pass price
(11% less than four monthly passes) |
Reimbursement for eligible students*
(39% of cost of four monthly passes) |
Eligible student cost after reimbursement |
| Bus |
$55.00 |
$192.00 |
-$85.80 |
$106.20 |
| Link (most popular option) |
$90.00 |
$320.00 |
-$140.40 |
$179.60 |
| Express Bus |
$136.00 |
$484.00 |
-$212.16 |
$271.84 |
| Zone 1A |
$90.00 |
$320.00 |
-$140.40 |
$179.60 |
| Zone 1 |
$214.00 |
$760.00 |
-$333.84 |
$426.16 |
| Zone 2 |
$232.00 |
$824.00 |
-$361.92 |
$462.08 |
| Zone 3 |
$261.00 |
$928.00 |
-$407.16 |
$520.84 |
| Zone 4 |
$281.00 |
$1,000.00 |
-$438.36 |
$561.64 |
| Zone 5 |
$311.00 |
$1,104.00 |
-$485.16 |
$618.84 |
| Zone 6 |
$340.00 |
$1,208.00 |
-$530.40 |
$677.60 |
| Zone 7 |
$360.00 |
$1,280.00 |
-$561.60 |
$718.40 |
| Zone 8 |
$388.00 |
$1,380.00 |
-$605.28 |
$774.72 |
| Zone 9 |
$406.00 |
$1,444.00 |
-$633.36 |
$810.64 |
| Zone 10 |
$426.00 |
$1,516.00 |
-$664.56 |
$851.44 |
| Boat |
$329.00 |
$1,168.00 |
-$513.24 |
$654.76 |
*reimbursements are subject to applicable taxes.
CharlieCard vs. CharlieTicket
Link, Local Bus, and Express Bus passes are issued on “CharlieCards” which are used for the whole semester and can be replaced if lost or stolen.
Commuter Rail Passes (including Zone 1A) are issued on “CharlieTickets” which must be picked up each month and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen.
LinkPass vs. Commuter Rail Zone 1A
The more convenient LinkPass is recommended for those who only need to use the subway and buses. We only recommend the Commuter Rail Zone 1A pass for those who need to use Commuter Rail and/or the Inner Harbor Ferry. If you are uncertain of which pass is best for you, more information is available online, or you can call Transportation Services at 617-353-2160 or email us and request assistance.
Semester Pass guidelines
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- Student’s account must be in good standing to charge their account on the date of the deadline. Those who are not registered for classes at time of pass ordering must contact Transportation Services for assistance.
- Reimbursement is contingent upon eligibility during the spring semester (i.e., active BUGWU membership or non-service PhD status).
- Reimbursement is subject to applicable taxes.
- CharlieCards issued for the Semester Pass program are only valid for the time period specified. DO NOT add a monthly pass or fare value to your CharlieCard as the card will expire when the program ends. Fall Semester Pass CharlieCards expire on December 31 and Spring Semester Pass CharlieCards expire on May 31.
- Applications, cancellations, or refunds cannot be processed after the deadline — August 10th (Fall); January 10th (Spring).
Bicycle Commuter Reimbursement Benefit
Eligible students may claim up to $300/year in reimbursement for bicycle related purchases. Further details can be found on the Bicycle Commuter Reimbursement Benefit page.
Bluebikes Discount
An annual Bluebikes membership, which provides unlimited 45-minute trips on Boston’s bike share system, usually costs $133.50+tax. BU Students can get an annual Bluebikes membership for just $75.50+tax.
Get program code for Bluebikes discount
Zipcar Discount
Zipcar provides rent-by-the-hour rental cars, conveniently located around Boston, including on the Charles River and Medical Campuses. BU students, faculty, and staff can sign up for Zipcar memberships at the discounted rate of $35 per year with no application fee, no monthly minimum, and no membership deposit.
Get Zipcar discount
