Category: Transportation

What’s Open in Boston on Patriots’ Day – Monday, April 18, 2016 + Parking, Trash & MBTA Schedule Changes
Here's a rundown of what's open and what's closed in Boston on Patriots' Day, and the MBTA schedules for – Monday, April 18, 2016. Plus, tips and information on getting around Boston, parking, marathon issues, trash pickup, and other aspects of this day in the city.

We will update this post as more of the 2016 information become available. Follow us on Twitter where we'll announce updates.

Until official information is published by the city and state, here are links to their pages from 2015.

Update 04.16.15: From the City a page on Marathon Monday with maps etc. (warning auto start video)

Update 04.13.15: From the Massachusetts State Police, here are:

Policies for 2015 Boston Marathon Spectators & Participants

In case this site is busy or the link doesn't work, you can: Download Policies for 2015 Boston Marathon Spectators & Participants | MSPnews.org

Patriot Samuel Adams statue was moved to Dock Square in the 1920s. Photo by Leslie Jones courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.

Patriots' Day is a Massachusetts State Holiday Only.

Open:
Restaurants, Bars, Convenience Stores, Supermarkets, Retail Stores, Liquor Stores

Financial Services: Banks may open if they wish. All markets are open.

Federal Offices and Facilities are open: This includes the Postal Service.

Closed:
Massachusetts City, Town, State Operations: This includes Schools, Libraries. Only emergency services are available.

Boston Parking

One of the most common questions we get is about street sweeping on Patriots' Day. Here's the page from the city website with the answer. It says:

"Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 617-635-4500 for exact details."

You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply. Many more streets than in the past will be cleared of parked cars to accommodate the Boston Marathon and Patriots' Day activities.

Be sure to check your car in the days leading up to the marathon to be certain it is not in a tow-away zone for the event. Here's how you can sign up for parking alerts and tow alerts.

Street Closures and Parking Restrictions for Marathon Weekend 2016

The Boston Police have a very helpful page detailing all the things you need to know about street closures and parking restrictions for this weekend. Here's a link to all that information. Just in case, their site gets too busy or you want a copy of your own, we made a pdf of the page. Download City of Boston Traffic and Parking Advisory: Boston Marathon Weekend, Saturday, April 16 through Monday, April 18, 2016 — bpdnews.com

Boston Trash Collection

The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information.

MBTA Marathon Monday Schedule:

You can see full details on their events page through April 18th, 2016. If you would like to see a copy after that day, we have made a pdf of the information: Download MBTA Patriots' Day

Tips:
- Buy your fares in advance with a Charlie Card or Charlie Ticket to avoid waiting in line on Monday.
- The MBTA advises, "For the safety of our customers, Copley Station will be closed for the entire day on April 18, 2016."
- Due to crowds, they don't allow bikes "on any MBTA vehicles on Patriots' Day."
- Check T-Alerts for the most up-to-date service information.
Marathon Monday 2016 MBTA Quick Look …

Blue, Orange, Red, Green, and Silver Line service will run a "regular weekday schedule." (See the MBTA page for special service notes on the Silver and Green Lines.)

The Red, Orange, Blue, and Green line will have, "… rush-hour levels of service before and after the race."

Commuter Rail trains "… will operate a "regular weekday schedule."

"Buses and trackless trolleys will operate a weekday schedule …"

"Some bus routes will be detoured due to the Marathon and other Patriots' Day race events. The approximate time for most street closures is 8:00 a.m. through 6:30 p.m." (See the MBTA page for special service notes.)

Commuter Boats "… will operate a regular weekday schedule."

"THE RIDE will operate a regular weekday schedule."

Complete details on all changes are at: Official MBTA Information for Marathon Monday 2016

MBTA PARKING

"Customers should note that all MBTA parking garages will be pay-on-entry and cash-only on Patriots' Day, April 18, in order to ensure all customers exit in a timely manner. Due to heavy parking demand, some MBTA parking garages and lots may fill more quickly than normal. Customers planning to park in an MBTA garage or lot should plan accordingly."

Official 2016 Boston Marathon information:

www.bostonmarathon.org

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Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2016

Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend 2016

Parking Your Car for Boston Marathon Weekend 2016

Views from Hereford Street 2009

Do you have enough memory for all the photos you'll want to shoot of the spring blooms? Do you need a new camera for the season or as a gift? Begin your shopping by Click right here to check the prices at Amazon on great items like Sandisk memory cards.

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo:Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.

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Subway Tips and Etiquette for Boston Visitors from Local Trip Advisors
What tips would you give a visitor to Boston on MBTA subway (and bus) etiquette? Over on the Boston Trip Advisor Forum, there is a small but dedicated group of locals who help visitors plan their time in the city. They recently took up that question. Here's a link to that conversation.

People who don't move into the train and backpacks and the annoyance they can be to other passengers began the topic. It was noted that some transit systems ask that backpacks be placed on the floor. Penny often wears a backpack that she will either take off or hold in front of her on the T. The only time we leave them on is if we have a seat and the backpack will only make us uncomfortable.

Adam Gaffin over on Universal Hub has been educating readers and collecting long lists of comments on this topic for years. Here's one survey on backpacks he did in 2007. The comments on this post range from stroller issues to people who cannot reach the high straps and need a lower place to hold.

Other topics touched upon by the Trip Advisors were:
- Leaving litter behind
- Keeping right on the escalators
- Waiting until people get off before you try to get on a train or bus
- Keeping music and conversations to yourself
- Offering a seat to others when appropriate
Pole hogs or as we call them, "Pole dancers" were one of the topics Penny added to the Trip Advisor conversation. The photo above by Mark Kent was taken in New York where the public transit system is, at least, trying to teach etiquette.

She also offered a tip to those who fear that if they move into a crowded train they may not be able to get off at their stop. She wrote, "Remember the name of the stop before yours and use that as your positioning stop. I do this all the time in rush hour. If I plan to get off a packed train at Hynes, I'll move into the train and move to a spot near a door at Copley. This way you flow with the crowd getting off at Copley and have a good choice of positions, sometimes even a seat by the door, when you reach your stop."

If you follow Universal Hub or are active on Boston social media, you may know the term manspreading. This is another issue that the NYC system has addressed with the poster above. Even the New York Times did a report and video on the topic.

The little puppet in the New York Times video had the best advice when he said, "If I'm lucky enough to get a seat on a subway, I employ a simple rule. I'm one person, I take one seat. I keep my legs in one seat. I keep my bag in one seat. I keep my arms in one seat."

Here's an additional video with all Johnny T's Subway tips. Perhaps Bostonians can learn something from a little guy from New York.

Related Post:

Dogs on Public Transit, Boston: 101

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino, NYC subway sign by Mark Kent used under creative commons license.

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Subway Tips and Etiquette for Boston Visitors from Local Trip Advisors
What tips would you give a visitor to Boston on MBTA subway (and bus) etiquette? Over on the Boston Trip Advisor Forum, there is a small but dedicated group of locals who help visitors plan their time in the city. They recently took up that question. Here's a link to that conversation.

People who don't move into the train and backpacks and the annoyance they can be to other passengers began the topic. It was noted that some transit systems ask that backpacks be placed on the floor. Penny often wears a backpack that she will either take off or hold in front of her on the T. The only time we leave them on is if we have a seat and the backpack will only make us uncomfortable.

Adam Gaffin over on Universal Hub has been educating readers and collecting long lists of comments on this topic for years. Here's one survey on backpacks he did in 2007. The comments on this post range from stroller issues to people who cannot reach the high straps and need a lower place to hold.

Other topics touched upon by the Trip Advisors were:
- Leaving litter behind
- Keeping right on the escalators
- Waiting until people get off before you try to get on a train or bus
- Keeping music and conversations to yourself
- Offering a seat to others when appropriate
Pole hogs or as we call them, "Pole dancers" were one of the topics Penny added to the Trip Advisor conversation. The photo above by Mark Kent was taken in New York where the public transit system is, at least, trying to teach etiquette.

She also offered a tip to those who fear that if they move into a crowded train they may not be able to get off at their stop. She wrote, "Remember the name of the stop before yours and use that as your positioning stop. I do this all the time in rush hour. If I plan to get off a packed train at Hynes, I'll move into the train and move to a spot near a door at Copley. This way you flow with the crowd getting off at Copley and have a good choice of positions, sometimes even a seat by the door, when you reach your stop."

If you follow Universal Hub or are active on Boston social media, you may know the term manspreading. This is another issue that the NYC system has addressed with the poster above. Even the New York Times did a report and video on the topic.

The little puppet in the New York Times video had the best advice when he said, "If I'm lucky enough to get a seat on a subway, I employ a simple rule. I'm one person, I take one seat. I keep my legs in one seat. I keep my bag in one seat. I keep my arms in one seat."

Here's an additional video with all Johnny T's Subway tips. Perhaps Bostonians can learn something from a little guy from New York.

Related Post:

Dogs on Public Transit, Boston: 101

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino, NYC subway sign by Mark Kent used under creative commons license.

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What’s Open or Closed on Presidents’ Day in Boston 2016 & MBTA Schedule Changes, Parking, Trash & More
Here's a rundown of what's open and what's closed in Boston on Presidents' Day and the MBTA schedule changes, plus information on Boston trash pick-up and parking information for February 15, 2016.

We publish these resource pages early to assist you in planning your holidays. We'll keep updates coming as new information is published. Follow us on Twitter to learn about updates.

Restaurants, bars: Open

Convenience stores: Open

Supermarkets: Open

Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Liquor stores: Open if the owners choose

City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both banks and the stock markets in the United States closed. Some international markets are open. In recent years, we've noticed some banks keep some branches open at unexpected times so check with your own bank.

Parking, Boston trash, and MBTA after the ad.

This weekend is a great time to start your tax preparation. Step one, order your software by following this link to Amazon.You can even download some versions right from the Amazon Download Store. Shopping Amazon from here keeps information like this coming your way.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

Boston Trash and Recycling:

The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information.

MBTA Schedule for Presidents' Day, February 15, 2016

For a short time before the holiday, a complete list of schedule changes with appear at this link.

Briefly:
- Blue, Orange, Red, Green and Mattapan Lines will operate a Saturday schedule.
- Silver line will operate a weekday schedule.
- Commuter Rail trains will operate a Saturday schedule.
- Buses and trackless trolleys will operate a Saturday schedule. Check this link for bus routes that will not operate. (Note: this link will only work up until the holiday.)
- Hingham, Hull, and Charlestown Boat Service will operate a regular weekday schedule.
- THE RIDE will operate a Saturday schedule, but contact your local RIDE contractor for details.
For more information on routes, schedules, and fares, contact the MBTA at 617-222-3200, TTY 617-222-5146, or check the MBTA’s website www.mbta.com.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: ©2010 Penny Cherubino
February 8, 2016
Smash & Grab: Broken Windows Cost Us All!

At one of the first crime watch meetings I attended after moving to Boston, a community policing officer told us that some thieves would break you car window to get a single quarter visible in the cup holder.

After a recent rash of broken car windows on our block, a detail police officer, who happened to be on the scene and spoke to the car owners, told me that the only thing stolen from those cars was change. I've been thinking about that ever since.

As I walked by a pile of broken glass later that week, I took a few photos with the thought of submitting one as a cover shot for the Back Bay Sun.

That cover ran this Tuesday with the headline, "Broken Windows." My caption reads, "Shattered auto safety glass is a common sight on the sidewalks of the Back Bay. Last year, more than 700 cases of “larceny from a motor vehicle” were reported in Police District D4. Officials urge drivers not to leave any property in view inside a car including change, clothing, electronics, and bags."

We All Pay

While it seems that the car owners just lost change, they also had their planned day rearranged, followed by the hassle of scheduling window replacement. Everyone who pays auto insurance chipped in to pay for that glass repair. The homeowners where the car was parked had to clean up the mess. Finally, those who walked by were reminded of the crime which can have an impact on a person's sense of security.

This led me to research the crime stats to see if this is really as common as it seems to be when you walk around the streets of Boston. Along the way, I found information on the Boston Police Department's "Don't be a Victim!" campaign that is underway in some neighborhoods with high "Larceny from Motor Vehicle" reports.

Here's a link to the 2015 crime statistics so you can check the neighborhoods where you park.

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Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2016 Penny Cherubino and parking meter and sign courtesy of the Boston Police Department.

February 4, 2016
Ways to Report Pedestrian Dangers & WalkBoston “Ped 101” Advocacy Training
The BostonZest team are walkers. We don't own a car. We use mass transit, if we must, but most of the time we get where we need to be as pedestrians. Naturally, we really notice the failures to ensure pedestrian safety on the part of our city and state authorities. We try to be advocates for pedestrians and now we have a few tips for you on how you can join us.

Report Transportation Dangers

The City of Boston has set up a mapping system where you can report safety issues in the transportation system. We have already used this to mark intersections where traffic gridlocks, where walk lights don't last long enough, and where walk lights are missing.

You can also consult this map to find places where you might want to exercise a bit more caution as you travel. (You might also take a look at this map that shows where accidents have already been reported by police.) Both are part of the city's Vision Zero program.

If your concern needs a more immediate correction, use the 311 system by calling 311 on your phone, reporting the problem on the 311 phone app, sending a tweet to @BOS311, or reporting through the website.

WalkBoston Pedestrian Advocacy Training Programs

To learn more about how you can become a better defender of pedestrians, consider attending one of the Ped101 training sessions.

WalkBoston says:

"This session is helpful if you're interested in learning about:
- walkability, urbanism & the associated lingo (what's a "tight turning radius"?),
- making neighborhoods safer for people walking & running,
- how you can advocate for change in your own community."
Take advantage of this opportunity to stand up for those who walk around the city.

Additional Reading: Make Walking THE Priority where you will find a link to a thoughtful piece on the mistaken priority system used by our transportation planners and a much better priority approach.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Artwork: courtesy of the City of Boston and WalkBoston

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What’s Open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2016 in Boston Plus Trash, Parking & MBTA Schedule Changes
Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston, plus Boston trash collection, parking, and MBTA schedules for Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 18, 2016. We try to publish this information ahead of the holiday so you can make your plans.

Free at Last sculpture, by Sergio Castillo is located on Marsh Plaza, Boston University (Photo by Peter H. Dreyer from the Boston City Archives )
- Restaurants, Bars: Open
- Convenience Stores: Open
- Supermarkets: Open
- Retail Stores: Are allowed to open, if the owners choose
- Liquor Stores: Open
- City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.
- Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the Stock Markets in the United States closed. International markets are open.
- Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
Free Open House at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston

If you're looking for something to do on this holiday, the MFA has a full schedule of special events and invites the community to visit for free that day.

Boston Trash and Recycling:

The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information.

Street Cleaning: The city says, "Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 311 for exact details."

MBTA Schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 18, 2016:

For a few days before and after the holiday, the MBTA Schedule is posted at this link.

Here's a quick overview of what is planned for 2016:
- Subway: Blue, Orange, Red, Green lines and Mattapan Trolley will operate on a Saturday schedule and there will not be late-night service.
- The Silver line will operate on a weekday schedule.
- Buses and Trackless Trolleys will operate on a Saturday schedule with a list of routes posted here that will not operate.
- Commuter rail trains will operate on a regular weekday schedule.
- Boat service – Hingham, Hull, and Charlestown – will operate on regular weekday schedules.
- The RIDE will operate on a Saturday schedule.
For more information about MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call the T’s Customer Communications Department at 617-222-3200, (TTY 617-222-5146), or go to www.mbta.com

Keeping warm is on the top of everyone's agenda. Amazon has excellent underlayers to keep you toasty.

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography:(Photo by Peter H. Dreyer from the Boston City Archives )used under creative commons license Some rights reserved

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What’s Open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2016 in Boston Plus Trash, Parking & MBTA Schedule Changes
Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston, plus Boston trash collection, parking, and MBTA schedules for Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 18, 2016. We try to publish this information ahead of the holiday so you can make your plans.

Free at Last sculpture, by Sergio Castillo is located on Marsh Plaza, Boston University (Photo by Peter H. Dreyer from the Boston City Archives )
- Restaurants, Bars: Open
- Convenience Stores: Open
- Supermarkets: Open
- Retail Stores: Are allowed to open, if the owners choose
- Liquor Stores: Open
- City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.
- Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the Stock Markets in the United States closed. International markets are open.
- Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
Free Open House at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston

If you're looking for something to do on this holiday, the MFA has a full schedule of special events and invites the community to visit for free that day.

Boston Trash and Recycling:

The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information.

Street Cleaning: The city says, "Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 311 for exact details."

MBTA Schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 18, 2016:

For a few days before and after the holiday, the MBTA Schedule is posted at this link.

Here's a quick overview of what is planned for 2016:
- Subway: Blue, Orange, Red, Green lines and Mattapan Trolley will operate on a Saturday schedule and there will not be late-night service.
- The Silver line will operate on a weekday schedule.
- Buses and Trackless Trolleys will operate on a Saturday schedule with a list of routes posted here that will not operate.
- Commuter rail trains will operate on a regular weekday schedule.
- Boat service – Hingham, Hull, and Charlestown – will operate on regular weekday schedules.
- The RIDE will operate on a Saturday schedule.
For more information about MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call the T’s Customer Communications Department at 617-222-3200, (TTY 617-222-5146), or go to www.mbta.com

Keeping warm is on the top of everyone's agenda. Amazon has excellent underlayers to keep you toasty.

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography:(Photo by Peter H. Dreyer from the Boston City Archives )used under creative commons license Some rights reserved

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What’s Open in Boston New Year’s Eve and Day & MBTA Schedules 2015 – 2016 plus Parking, Trash & More
Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on New Year's Day and the MBTA schedules for New Year's Eve December 31, 2015 and New Year's Day, January 1, 2016.

What's closed? Do I have to feed the parking meters? What about street sweeping? Are the liquor stores and packies open? When do I put out my trash? And, what changes are there to the MBTA schedules? We have the answers for you, all organized in one post!

Some businesses close early on New Year's Eve but others, especially those in the hospitality business, stay open. Call before you leave if you plan to visit a business on the 31st.

Here's what we've learned about January 1st, 2016 – New Year's Day

Restaurants, bars: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Convenience stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Supermarkets: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Liquor stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

More after the ad…

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Make your own holiday wish come true. Find the gift you really want on Amazon! And, by starting from here, you'll be supporting BostonZest and keeping the information flowing your way.

Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the stock markets in the United State closed. Some international markets are open.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

Boston Trash Collection:

Boston Trash Collection for Christmas

The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information.
MBTA Schedule Changes for New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day

The MBTA has full information on their events page. (If you are coming to this post after the holiday, that page will have changed.)

We created a PDF of the MBTA Holiday Schedule: Download MBTA Holiday Schedule 2015

Here are the important points for New Year's Eve, Thursday, December 31, 2015
The Red, Orange, Blue, Green lines and Mattapan Trolley will run on a modified weekday schedule with additional trains operating at rush-hour levels of service throughout the evening from 3 p.m. until approximately 2 a.m.

The Siver Line will run on a weekday schedule.

The Commuter Rail will run on a modified weekday schedule with additional service provided – the last trains out are listed here. Also check that link for restrictions on bicycles on commuter rail on the 31st.

Buses and trackless trolleys will run on a regular weekday schedule.

Boats will operate a regular weekday schedule.

The Ride will operate on a regular weekday schedule with extended hours until 2:30 a.m.
Here are the important points for New Year's Day, Friday, January 1, 2016

The Red, Orange, Blue, Green, and Silver lines, and Mattapan Trolley will run on a Sunday Schedule.

Some Commuter Rail lines will run on a Sunday schedule which means the Needham line will not operate.

Buses will run on a Sunday schedule with a long list of buses not operating. Check those here.

Boats will not operate.

The RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.
For more information, call the T’s Customer Information Center at 617-222-3200 (TTY 617-222-5146) or visit the MBTA website."
Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © iStockphoto

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What’s Open in Boston on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day 2015 Plus MBTA Schedules, Parking, Trash, & More

Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on Christmas, December 25, 2015, plus information on: trash collection, parking, MBTA schedule changes, and whatever else we were able to gather to answer your Chrismas week questions.

Remember, many businesses close early on Christmas Eve. Call before you leave, if you plan to visit a business on the 24th.

Welcome to all of you who have found BostonZest.com while looking for this information. We hope you'll look around at the other resources we provide, subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter, and come back often.

Restaurants, bars: Some will be open. Check for special hours and menus and take a look at our piece on Where to Dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2015 Around Boston.

Convenience stores: Some will be open. Check for special hours.

Supermarkets: Closed due to "Massachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

Retail stores: Closed due to "Massachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

Liquor stores: Closed due to "Massachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service. Only emergency services are available.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply. When we have official hours for the Tow Lot over the holiday, we'll update this section. Call before going on Christmas eve or Chistmas day.

Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both banks and the stock markets in the United State closed. Some international markets are open.

Trash Collection & Recycling

Boston Trash Collection for Christmas– The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information.

MBTA Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Schedule Changes:

The MBTA has published this year's information

Again this year, the T has included New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, so you can do all your MBTA travel planning at this link! (Please note that the content on this page will change throughout the year.)

we created a pdf of the MBTA Events page for this period: Download MBTA Holiday Schedule 2015

Wednesday, December 24, 2015

MBTA Christmas Eve Schedule is a regular weekday schedule

Thursday, December 25, 2015– MBTA Christmas Day Schedule (Quick Look)

• Blue, Orange, Green, Red, Silver Lines and Mattapan trolley will operate on a Sunday schedule.

• Buses will run on a Sunday schedule, however some routes will not operate on Christmas day. See those details here.

• Commuter rail trains will operate on a Sunday schedule (which means some lines will not operate).

• Hingham, Hull, and Charlestown boat service will not operate.

• THE RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.

For additional information on MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call MBTA Customer Support at (617) 222-3200 or 1-800-392-6100 (TTY 617-222-5146)," or visit the MBTA website.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny Cherubino

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