Ferry service is returning to Lynn in 2024, with a longer season and, for the first time ever, a weekend schedule.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced Monday that the ferry that runs from the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation Pier on Blossom Street Extension to Long Wharf in Boston will start on Monday, April 29 and run through Oct. 31.
The ferry will run on Saturdays starting on May 25.
“We are very pleased that the MBTA is not only maintaining, but expanding ferry service from Lynn,” Mayor Jared Nicholson said. “We know that water transportation plays a critical role as we position the city as a multi-modal hub in the transportation infrastructure.”
After consistent lobbying from city officials and the state delegation, the MBTA reinstated ferry service to Lynn in 2023. The state had run a two-year ferry pilot program in 2014 and 2015 and reduced service in 2017 with only one trip per day each way.
Riders responded last year even better than expected, with approximately 20,000 people taking the ferry in July and August, when the Sumner Tunnel was closed, as will be the case again this year.
“The state committing to fund the ferry for a second year is a significant development,” EDIC Executive Director James Cowdell said. “We appreciate all the riders who supported it last year and are grateful that the MBTA has recognized its importance. This is everything we hoped for.”
The MBTA last year signed a two-year lease with EDIC for use of the EDIC Pier, terminal, and parking lot on Blossom Street Extension for the purpose of operating the commuter ferry into Boston. There is an option for a three-year extension, Cowdell said.
“We appreciate the Healey-Driscoll Administration, the MBTA and city officials working collaboratively to maximize public transportation options in the region,” said Sen. Brendan Crighton. “As we continue to face some of the worst traffic congestion in the nation, water transportation must be part of the solution.”
The cost of a one-way trip from Lynn to Boston will be $7 ($3.50 for reduced fare riders). In July and August when the Sumner is closed, the price drops to $2.40, as it did last year. The capacity is approximately 150 per trip.
“This expansion is a game-changer for our community,” said Rep. Dan Cahill. “Our residents now have a reliable, efficient option for getting to work or enjoying all that Boston has to offer, without the stress of traffic or the limitations of other transportation modes. This not only enhances the quality of life, but also opens up new opportunities for economic growth and development in our region.”
The state’s Seaport Advisory Council funded the ferry in 2014 and 2015, attracting almost 28,000 riders in that span. There was no ferry in 2016, but the Mass. Department of Transportation funded reduced service in 2017 with only one trip per day each way.
“By reopening this vital link, we will not only alleviate traffic congestion, but will once again provide residents of the North Shore a reliable and enjoyable mode of travel into Boston as well,” said Rep. Peter Capano.
“I am counting down the days,” said Rep. Jenny Armini. “It will be great to reconnect with fellow riders and take in those stunning morning and evening views. The Lynn ferry is the best of public transportation.”
