MBTA commuter rail fare gates begin phased rollout at South Station

The MBTA commuter rail fare gates are starting a phased rollout at Boston’s South Station after the MBTA and Keolis Commuter Services said the installation is complete, according to Metro Magazine. The gates began phasing into operations on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

To access the track area at South Station — and to exit afterward — riders must tap or scan a valid ticket or pass as part of the tap/scan process at South Station. Conductors will still check tickets on board trains to confirm travel zones.

South Station fare gates: what you can use to enter and exit

At the South Station fare gates, passengers can enter and exit using the mTicket app, CharlieCards, CharlieTickets with printed zones, $10 weekend paper tickets, Amtrak tickets, and active military IDs. Reduced fare riders still need to buy a ticket or pass — at the reduced rate. Stored value CharlieCards used for bus and subway trips are not accepted at commuter rail fare gates.

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Interim MassDOT Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said the gates at South Station — described as one of the busiest travel hubs in the Northeast — fit into efforts under the Healey-Driscoll administration, with legislative support, to improve service while ensuring fares are collected and reinvested into the transit system. Keolis General Manager and CEO John Killeen described the debut as another step in transforming commuter rail fare collection, pointing to upgrades to on-board sales and record conductor scans that have helped Keolis collect more commuter rail revenue than ever before on behalf of the MBTA. He also thanked crews who helped bring the gates from installation to operations.

Accessible fare gates and a more consistent fare-paying experience

The South Station layout includes 40 gates around the concourse, with 11 wider, accessible gates designed to accommodate wheelchairs, scooters, bicycles, luggage, and strollers, as described in the South Station fare gates layout.

According to a release, the gates are meant to improve fare collection, replace platform ticket checks, and create a “more consistent fare-paying experience” for passengers. The MBTA said the design and configuration align with recent station improvements and build on the rollout at North Station, where riders have tapped tickets or passes 14 million times since gates opened in 2022. The agency added that the design follows industry standards and global best practices for fare collection.

More MBTA commuter rail fare gates planned for 2026

Fare gates are also planned to open at Back Bay Station and Ruggles Station in 2026.

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