MBTA Halting Commuter Rail To Gillette Stadium Until Spring

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The MBTA announced it's halting its pilot program for commuter rail service to Gillette Stadium until spring, effectively pushing back final judgement on whether to make the route permanent.

According to MBTA officials, the decision to shut down weekday service until May 2021 is part of an operational shift brought on by declining revenues and changing ridership trends amid the coronavirus pandemic. The shutdown is scheduled to take effect on Nov. 2.

The pilot program was started last October and was designed as a way to give local commuters another option to travel to South Station in Boston. The Foxborough stop was on the Fairmount and Franklin lines and offers 10 round-trip weekday trains. Previously, the only train services offered at Gillette Stadium were during Patriots' home games and major summer concerts.

Foxborough town officials, Kraft Group representatives, the MBTA, and MassDOT had worked on bringing full commuter rail service to Gillette Stadium for about two years. All sides came to an agreement for a pilot program at a selectmen meeting in November 2018.