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Pilot program for weekday Commuter Rail service to Foxboro starts Sept. 12

The pilot program is set to last one year.

Weekday Commuter Rail service between South Station and Foxboro Station will begin Sept. 12. (Lindsey Cunniff/Kraft Sports + Entertainment)

By Susannah Sudborough

August 25, 2022

A year-long pilot program during which the Commuter Rail will provide service between Boston and Foxborough is set to begin Sept. 12., the MBTA announced Thursday.

“We’re excited to again launch this weekday service pilot between Foxboro and South Station, providing access to transit for more Commuter Rail riders,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said in a news release.

“We continue to be committed to improving public transit across all of the communities we serve, and we look forward to analyzing the pilot’s data upon completion of the pilot.”

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The plan is for Commuter Rail trains to take 11 inbound and 10 outbound trips between Foxboro Station and South Station on weekdays via the Franklin Commuter Rail line.

The first train into South Station will leave at 5:49 a.m., and the last train out to Foxboro will leave at 9:10 p.m. The first train out to Foxboro departs at 5:45 a.m., and the last train into Boston leaves at 10:20 p.m.

Free parking will be available at Foxboro Station during the pilot program thanks to Kraft Group, Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s company, covering costs for that time, the release said.

Not all trains bound for Foxboro will stop at Hyde Park, Ruggles, or Back Bay Stations, the release said. Information about the train schedule and pricing can be found on the MBTA’s website.

The MBTA tried to implement this pilot program before, but it was canceled in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.