Overview
The Central Massachusetts region offers an array of public and private transit services. They range from community-based services for select populations to regional services offered to the general public. The Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) offers both fixed route and demand response services in its 37-community service area and is the largest transit provider in the area.
Several communities in the CMRPC region operate town-level demand response services. WRTA fixed route bus service operates largely on a hub-and-spoke model centered in the city of Worcester. Community shuttle service is offered in Southbridge-Dudley-Webster and Northbridge-Grafton. Most bus routes travel through the WRTA Hub in downtown Worcester. Demand response services are provided, in part, through its contracts with its member communities.
The region is also served by private bus service, MBTA commuter rail, and taxi service. CMRPC region is bordered by other neighboring transit authorities (MWRTA to the east, PVTA to the west, MART to the north, and NECTD to the south) with limited connectivity to communities in the region.
Worcester Regional Transit Authority
The Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) offers fixed route bus service in 15 communities centered in Worcester at the WRTA Hub, adjacent to Union Station. WRTA strives to offer bus service to city centers, shopping facilities, medical facilities, housing developments, and other densely populated locations. Services are offered 12 to 18 hours daily.
Ridership prior to the COVID-19 pandemic was typically in excess of 3 million trips per year. In FY 2022, ridership has returned to pre-pandemic levels. WRTA has been operating fare free since the pandemic and it has been extended through the end of FY 2024 (June 30, 2024).
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The MBTA provides commuter rail service between Worcester’s Union Station and Boston’s South Station via the Framingham/Worcester Line. Commuter rail service to the CMRPC region is currently available seven days a week. Service can be accessed from Worcester’s Union Station, Grafton Station (Pine Street and Route 30) and Westborough Station (Smith Parkway).
Peter Pan & Greyhound: Peter Pan Bus Lines and Greyhound Lines, Inc. are the two major intercity bus carriers providing service in the region. Based out of Worcester’s Union Station, passengers may travel to cities in Massachusetts, New England, and beyond.
Amtrak: Amtrak serves more than 500 destinations in 46 states on 21,000 miles of routes, with approximately 19,000 employees. In Massachusetts, Amtrak operates approximately 56 trains daily, including the Acela Express and Regional trains on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak also operates shorter-distance trains through Massachusetts, including The Downeaster (daily Boston – Portland, Maine), The Vermonter (daily Washington, DC – St. Albans, Vermont), and The Lake Shore Limited (daily Boston – Chicago). Worcester’s Union Station is served by The Lake Shore Limited.
