Saturday, January 20, 2007

What's the correct fare? A quiz

And now, a quiz. For each of the following trips, what is the correct total fare? Answer each question twice, using first (a) a CharlieTicket, and then (b) a CharlieCard.

The rules: You are carrying no cash. You have a single CharlieTicket or CharlieCard that has no monthly pass, but that initially has enough stored value to pay for the entire trip (so, no refilling en route). You must make all transfers within two hours of starting the trip. You are travelling alone, and not sharing your ticket or card with any other rider.

I do not have an answer key. For most of these trips, the MBTA's official information is quite unclear on what the correct fare should be. This is an open-book quiz, so feel free to consult any official signs, leaflets, schedules, advertisements, or web pages such as Information on Fares and Passes or the two different official FAQs.

1) Start in Allston Village. Take bus #66 to Harvard Square. Take bus #96 to Davis Square. Take bus #87 to Clarendon Hill.

2) Start in Allston Village. Take bus #66 to Harvard Square. Take the Red Line to Davis Square. Take bus #87 to Clarendon Hill.

3) Start in Harvard Square. Take the Red Line to Davis Square. Take bus #96 to Medford Square. Take bus #134 to Winchester.

4) Start in Winchester. Take bus #134 to Medford Square. Take bus #96 to Davis Square. Take the Red Line to Harvard.

5) Start at Riverside. Take Outer Express bus #500 to Franklin and Federal streets in downtown Boston. Walk to State Street Station. Take Outer Express bus #352 to Burlington.

6) Start at Watertown Square. Take Inner Express bus #504 to Franklin and Federal streets. Walk to State Street station. Take Outer Express bus #352 to Burlington.

7) Start at Watertown Square. Take Inner Express bus #502 to Copley Square. Take the Green Line to Government Center. Take Outer Express bus #352 to Burlington.

7) Start in Burlington. Take Outer Express bus #352 to State Street station. Walk to Franklin and Federal streets. Take Inner Express bus #504 to Watertown.

8) Start in Burlington. Take Outer Express bus #352 to State Street station. Take Orange Line to Back Bay station. Walk 2 blocks to St. James Ave in Copley Square, and take Inner Express bus #502 to Watertown.

9) Start at Franklin and Federal streets. Take Outer Express bus #505 to Waltham Center. Take bus #70A to North Waltham.

10) Start in North Waltham. Take bus #70A to Waltham Center. Take Outer Express Bus #505 to downtown Boston.

11) Start at Andrew. Take Red Line to Downtown Crossing. Walk to Otis and Summer Streets, and take Outer Express bus #505 to Waltham Center. Take bus #70A to North Waltham.

12) Start in North Waltham. Take bus #70A to Waltham Center. Take Outer Express Bus #505 to downtown Boston. Take Red Line to Andrew.

That's enough for now. Next week I may post another quiz which includes legs on the Mattapan replacement service and one or both Silver Lines.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

1. ct, 1.50, cc, 1.25
2. ct, 3.50, cc, 1.70
3. ct, 3.50, cc, 1.70
4. ct, 3.50, cc, 1.70
5. ct, 5.00, cc, 4.00
6. same as 5
7. ct, 7.00, cc, 4.00
8. ct, 5.00, cc, 4.00
9. ct, 7.00, cc, 4.00
10. ct, 5.00, cc, 4.00
11. same as 10
12. ct, 7.00, cc, 4.00
13. same as 12.

Anonymous said...

As I understand it, the CharlieCard fare for all of these trips will be the higher of the first two fares, plus the entire third fare. I don't think any 3-vehicle trips are possible on a single fare, despite the T's initial promises that you could take 3 local buses for one fare.