Sorry Charlie, I have a question

OK - I%26#39;ve read the MBTA website on the Charlie Card and Charlie Ticket. What is the difference? For someone like me coming to town for 4 days, does it matter? Can 2 people use the same card or ticket or do we need our own? Is the commuter train to Salem covered on the card / ticket? Since Boston is supposedly so walkable, how likely is it I%26#39;ll use the subway or bus? Yeah, I know that last part requires you to be a mind-reader, but aren%26#39;t you?

Thanks for all advice!

Sorry Charlie, I have a question

Hi Wendymath. I%26#39;m so glad you posted this. I am new to this area and we used the whole Charlie thing a couple of weeks ago to go on the Freedom Trail. Though I don%26#39;t know all of the answers (maybe someone else will and will tell us!), I can answer a few things:

1. You can put money on the Charlie Ticket or Card and share it with someone. We had asked an MBTA employee that as well. I had to use cash to get on the subway where I live because my station does not sell the Tickets or Cards. You%26#39;ll have to check the MBTA site as to which ones do. I would recommend buying the Charlie Card online before you arrive because you purchase trips for less than you would in cash for the subway and bus service.

2. But, also know that the Card is not available for the Commuter Rail yet. You have to use a Ticket or cash-on-board. Buy the Ticket online if you can.

3. As far as whether you%26#39;ll use the subway, I think you definitely will. We went up to Charlestown for the Freedom Trail and didn%26#39;t feel like walking all the way back to the starting point. It%26#39;s much easier to jump on the subway and cheaper than a taxi, too. It goes everywhere.

The Charlie thing was confusing to me as well but once you start using it, it%26#39;s not too bad. Have fun on your trip.

Sorry Charlie, I have a question

The Charlie TICKET is just that - a paper ticket you purchase with a finite number of TRIPS on it, like 1,2,3, etc. After you use it up, you throw it away. Initial cost is $2 a trip

The Charlie CARD look like an ATM Card. You get a blank from an attendent and then add value on the same machines as above. You add in $5 increments: $5,$10, etc. Each trip is discounted to $1.75.

You can share either as long as each person runs it through as they enter.

You%26#39;re right, Boston IS very walkable, but some people are less walk-oriented than others. Plus some places are too far out for anybody, like Harvard Square, or the JFK Library.

Hope that helps!!

Excellent! Thank-you both.

Hey- this is a good question Wendymath. So since we%26#39;re talking about the subway, I have a question along the same line that may help you too...

Does anyone know if the 7 day pass -that MBTA offers for $15- would be a better deal that purchasing a Charlie Card. We figure we%26#39;ll be using it at least 2 days back and forth from our hotel in Quincy plus we may want to hop on and off when we%26#39;re doing sightseeing downtown. The MBTA website says ';Unlimited travel on Subway, Local Bus, Commuter Rail Zone 1A, and Inner-Harbor Ferry.';

Any advice on this would be great. Thanks.

If you%26#39;re in town for close to a week, then I think the 7-day card is well worth it. Even 4 days, like you, if you use for one round-trip a day, would be $1.75x4 = $7 a day, or $28. The one-day for $8, not so good. This way, you don%26#39;t have to give it another thought... or worry about change... or adding value.

I guess I missed the part about the T-pass when I was reading the first time. So I went back to the MBTA site and have new questions to worry about.

1. It looks like I can%26#39;t just order a 7 day pass online - it appears to be a 6-pass minimum. Is that right?

2. So I can buy, say, the cheapest Charlie Card for $5, enough to get 2 of us from the airport into town, and then add the T-pass to the Charlie Card. Is that right?

3. Or should I just pay the subway fee from the airport and wait to buy the 7-day pass?

Are all the subway stations using the Charlie cards now or are some still using tokens?

I believe they are all Charlie Cards.

No, Wendymath. The cheapest Charlie Card is not $5.00. You can put any amount on the card. The rounded amounts are preset on the vending machine, but there is a button that says something like ';other amount'; where you can enter anything.

The card itself is free, but you have to ask one of the T attendants in the station for one. They are usually around the Charlie machines. So, it makes no sense to get one card for the two of you and then pass it back once one of you have entered.

The Charlie Cards are plastic and can be added to over and over again.

Just get a card for each of you and add your own amounts.

The main advantage of using the Charle Card is that you get charged less per ride with it then if you use a Charlie Ticket. There are not a lot of reasons (if any) to use tickets instead of a card unless for some reason you can%26#39;t get your hands on a free blank card.

But, as some others have mentioned buying multi-day passes may be the most economical way for you to go depending on how much you expect to be on the T.

Cabinet, the $5 is what is stated on the online order page. Maybe that just simplifies the online ordering ??

Thanks again.