CapeFlyer Service is Coming Back

Image via CapeFlyer/MassDOT

It may not feel like summer just yet (or spring, for that matter) but come next month people will be able to take a trip to Cape Cod from Boston and escape the city for awhile for a mini-vacation.

Transit officials announced Wednesday that the CapeFlyer Commuter train service that runs from Boston’s South Station to Hyannis will start up again on May 23. The coastal train service was first introduced last year to mass fanfare, and attracted more than 16,500 riders from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend. This year, service will stop on Labor Day unless officials decide to extend it through October like they did in 2013.

Massachusetts Department of Transportation officials said for the 2014 schedule, riders will be welcomed by a few extras perks. As part of the reintroduction of the CapeFlyer service, transit officials have improved the schedule to better accommodate customers and added a new station stop in Wareham Village. The trains will also have special cars designated for a café and another with bike racks and tools so riders can tune-up their bicycles on their trip to the Cape and Islands.

Recognizing that driving to the Cape and getting stuck on the bridges that funnel toward the beach destinations can be a headache for visitors, MassDOT Secretary Rich Davey said the train service, which generated more than $250,000 in revenue last season, is a welcome alternative for taking advantage of the nicer weather. “CapeFlyer is a proven success in giving customers from the Greater Boston area a quick, convenient and car-free option,” he said in a statement.

Officials said Wednesday that they believe this year’s improved CapeFlyer schedule will help outpace last year’s ridership numbers. MassDOT also kicked off a study last year to see if the rail service should be implemented on a year-round basis, extending outside of the plans to just give riders a taste for the transit line during the summertime. 

CapeFlyer tickets can be purchased at South Station, from a train conductor onboard, or in advance on the official MBTA mTicket mobile app. The schedule announcement will be on the CapeFlyer website soon. Round-trip fares from South Station to Hyannis will likely cost $40, and one-way tickets will be around $22, up slightly from last year’s price.