Cobblehop / Guides / Lexington and Concord

Lexington, Concord and Walden Pond without a car

You can see Lexington, Concord and Walden Pond from Boston without a car. Here is the train to Concord, the bus to Lexington, how far the sights are on foot, and how to fit both towns into one day.

By Ahmad Haji, founder of Cobblehop · October 29, 2026

North Station to Concord

Ride timeabout39-41min

Weekday trainsEvery 45-70 min

Fitchburg Line

Go to North StationOrange Line and Green Line stop. Or board at Porter on the Red Line
Take the Fitchburg LineFrom North Station, toward Wachusett or Littleton/Route 495About 39-41 min
Get off at ConcordThe stop after Lincoln
Walk about 1 mile to Concord centerThe North Bridge is a 1.5-mile walk from the station

Weekdays, fall 2026 schedule · Last trains back

Quick answer: For Concord and Walden Pond, take the Fitchburg Line from North Station to Concord. The ride takes 39 to 41 minutes and costs $9.75 each way. Walden Pond is about 1.5 miles on foot from the town center. For Lexington, take the Red Line to Alewife, then bus 62 or 76 to Lexington Center, 14 to 23 minutes. Route 62 runs every day and route 76 on weekdays only. No bus links the two towns, but you can see both in one day by changing at Porter and Alewife.

Concord by train: the Fitchburg Line

Concord is on the MBTA Commuter Rail, so it's the easy half of the trip. The same trip, step by step, is on our Boston to Concord route page.

Board at North Station, where the Orange Line and the Green Line stop, or at Porter on the Red Line in Cambridge, 10 minutes later. Take a Fitchburg Line train toward Wachusett or Littleton/Route 495. All of them stop at Concord except one weekday express, the 5:00 pm from North Station.
Ride 39 to 41 minutes. Get off at Concord, the stop after Lincoln. The station is at 90 Thoreau Street, about a mile on foot from the town center.
How often. On weekdays, 18 trains leave North Station for Concord, from 5:40 am to 11:50 pm, every 45 to 70 minutes in the daytime. On Saturdays and Sundays there are 8, about every 2 hours, from 7:45 am to 11:40 pm.
Tickets. Concord is in fare Zone 5, so a one-way ticket is $9.75 from North Station or Porter. On Saturdays and Sundays, the $10 weekend pass covers unlimited Commuter Rail rides. Buy tickets in the MBTA mTicket app or at the North Station ticket windows before you board. Paying cash on board can add a $3 fee. Children 11 and under ride free. More in How to ride the MBTA Commuter Rail: a visitor's guide.
Step-free access. The MBTA lists Concord station as not accessible. You get on and off with the train car's steps.
From Logan Airport? See Logan Airport to Concord.

Getting around Concord

Concord's sights are spread out, so plan on walking a few miles or renting a bike. Distances below come from the National Park Service, the Town of Concord and the Concord Visitor Center.

Place	Where it is	Getting there
Concord center	Concord Visitor Center, 58 Main Street	About a 1-mile walk from Concord station
Old North Bridge	Monument Street, in Minute Man National Historical Park	A 1.5-mile walk from Concord station
North Bridge Visitor Center	174 Liberty Street, on the hill across the river from Concord center	About a quarter mile, 5 minutes on foot, from the North Bridge
Walden Pond	915 Walden Street (Route 126)	About 1.5 miles from Concord center, the other way from the North Bridge

Bikes. The National Park Service points visitors to bike rentals at the Concord Visitor Center. It's a Minuteman Bike Share station, rented in the Movatic app for $2 for 30 minutes. Check the bike share page before you count on it.
Concord Visitor Center. It says it's open 9 am to 4 pm, seven days a week, and its public restrooms are open 7 am to 7 pm all year.
Ride-hailing. The National Park Service lists set pick-up and drop-off spots for ride-hail cars, including the North Bridge Visitor Center and the Monument Street parking lot at 280 Monument Street.

Walden Pond without a car

Walden Pond State Reservation is run by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). No MBTA bus or train stops there, so the last stretch is on foot.

How far. The National Park Service puts Walden Pond about a mile and a half from Concord center. It's on Route 126 (Walden Street), south of the center.
A marked walking trail. The Town of Concord's Emerson-Thoreau Amble is a 1.7-mile trail from Heywood Meadow, behind the Gun House on Lexington Road near Concord center, to the site of Thoreau's cabin at the pond. The town says it takes 40 to 60 minutes one way. It crosses Route 2 at a pedestrian crosswalk.
Hours. DCR lists the reservation as open 7:00 am to 5:30 pm every day, and the visitor center at 915 Walden Street as open 10 am to 4 pm. DCR says park hours change with the seasons, so check its page before you go.
When it's full. DCR closes the parking lot once the park reaches capacity, and says parking passes don't get you in during those closures. It doesn't say whether people on foot are let in, so on a busy day check mass.gov/parkalerts or call the park at (978) 369-3254 before you walk out.
Rules to know. No bikes on the trails, and no dogs or other pets.

Lexington by bus: Red Line, then bus 62 or 76

Lexington has no train station. You take the Red Line to Alewife, the end of the line, then a bus to Lexington Center and the Battle Green. Our Boston to Lexington route page has the trip step by step.

Red Line to Alewife. Take a Red Line train toward Alewife, the last stop. It's about 18 to 19 minutes from Park Street. Change to the bus at Alewife station.
Take bus 62 or 76. Both go through Lexington Center. Which one to take depends on the day:

Bus	When it runs	Where to get off
Route 62 toward Bedford VA	Every day. On weekdays, 26 trips. On Saturdays and Sundays, 20, about every 50 minutes.	Bedford St @ Harrington Rd, at the Battle Green, 14 to 23 minutes from Alewife
Route 76 toward Lincoln Lab	Weekdays only, 22 trips	Massachusetts Ave @ Depot Sq in Lexington Center, 14 to 20 minutes from Alewife. The Battle Green is a short walk on.

How often. On weekdays, a 62 or a 76 leaves Alewife for Lexington Center every 15 to 35 minutes in the daytime. On weekends only the 62 runs, every 48 to 50 minutes, from 5:50 am.
Older guides are out of date. The MBTA ended the combined 62/76 route in August 2025, when it split the two routes. Since then route 62 runs every day and route 76 on weekdays only.
Fares. The bus is $1.70 and the subway $2.40. Tap a contactless card, phone or CharlieCard at the fare gate and again on the bus. Under an MBTA fare pilot that started September 1, 2026, you pay only the higher fare when you change between subway and bus within 2 hours with the same card or phone, so Red Line plus bus is $2.40 each way. See How to pay for the T in Boston (2026).
Coming back. Buses to Alewife stop on Bedford Street at Harrington Road (62) and on Massachusetts Avenue opposite Meriam Street (62 and 76). The last 62 leaves the Battle Green at 10:37 pm on weekdays and 10:18 pm on weekends. The last 76 leaves Lexington Center at 8:32 pm on weekdays.

Not sure which bus comes first? Ask Cobblehop for the next bus from Alewife. You get one route and an alert before your stop. Try it free, no sign-up.

Minute Man National Historical Park without a car

The park is long and thin. The National Park Service describes it as four separate areas across three towns: Lexington, Lincoln and Concord. Its grounds and trails are open every day from sunrise to sunset, and there is no entrance fee.

The North Bridge (Concord). The easiest part to reach. The park service says it's a 1.5-mile walk from Concord station.
The Battle Road Trail. A 5-mile trail from Meriam's Corner in Concord to the park's eastern edge in Lexington, past Hartwell Tavern and the Minute Man Visitor Center.
Minute Man Visitor Center (Lincoln). It's at 210 North Great Road (Route 2A), near the park's eastern entrance, and no MBTA stop is at the door. The park service suggests Route 76 from Alewife: ask the driver to point out the stop for Old Mass Ave and Marrett Road, then walk a short distance west. The bus reaches Marrett Road at Forbes Road 23 to 30 minutes after leaving Alewife. The park's page says this bus runs Monday to Saturday, but in the MBTA's current schedule route 76 runs on weekdays only.
No park shuttle. The park service's directions page lists no shuttle between the park's sites, so plan to walk, bike or take the bus.

Season dates, checked on nps.gov on October 29, 2026:

Site	Hours	After October 31
Minute Man Visitor Center, Lincoln	Daily 9 am to 5 pm through October 31, 2026	Its 2026 season ends October 31. No later hours were posted.
North Bridge Visitor Center, Concord	Daily 10 am to 5 pm through October 31, 2026	Its 2026 season ends October 31. No later hours were posted.
Hartwell Tavern, Lincoln	Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 4:30 pm, through October 31, 2026	Closed November through March, the park service says.
Park grounds, trails and the North Bridge	Daily, sunrise to sunset	Open all year

The park service also says its daily ranger programs run from Memorial Day weekend to the end of October.

Lexington and Concord in one day

No bus or train runs straight between Lexington and Concord. You link them through Cambridge: the Fitchburg Line stops at Porter, two Red Line stops from Alewife, where the Lexington buses start. Do Concord first. Its trains run less often, and the park closes at sunset.

On a weekday:

8:30 am: take the Fitchburg Line from North Station (Porter 8:40 am). You reach Concord at 9:09 am.
Morning in Concord: walk to the center and out to the North Bridge, about 1.5 miles from the station. Walden Pond is the other way from the center, so you probably won't fit both in on foot.
12:15 pm: take the train from Concord back to Porter (12:47 pm), then the Red Line two stops to Alewife.
1:10 pm: take the Route 76 bus from Alewife. Get off at Massachusetts Ave @ Depot Sq at 1:27 pm.
Afternoon in Lexington: the Battle Green and the town center. Buses back to Alewife leave every 15 to 35 minutes, and the last 62 from the Battle Green leaves at 10:37 pm.

On a Saturday or Sunday:

10:15 am: take the Fitchburg Line from North Station (Porter 10:25 am). You reach Concord at 10:54 am.
Late morning in Concord: the center and the North Bridge.
1:15 pm: take the train back to Porter (1:47 pm), then the Red Line two stops to Alewife.
2:53 pm: take the Route 62 bus to Bedford St @ Harrington Rd, at the Battle Green, at 3:15 pm. If the Red Line comes quickly, you may make the 2:03 pm bus instead.
Evening: buses back to Alewife leave about every 50 minutes. The last leaves the Battle Green at 10:18 pm.

On foot or by bike instead. The park service suggests a one-way trip of about 8 miles for walkers and riders: the Red Line to Alewife, bus 76 to the park's eastern end, the Battle Road Trail to Meriam's Corner, then through Concord center to the North Bridge, and back to Concord station for the train. By bus this works on weekdays only.

Getting back to Boston

From	Last trip	Arrives
Concord, weekdays	10:15 pm Fitchburg Line train	Porter 10:47 pm, North Station 11:01 pm
Concord, Saturdays and Sundays	9:45 pm Fitchburg Line train	Porter 10:17 pm, North Station 10:31 pm
Battle Green, weekdays	10:37 pm Route 62 bus	Alewife 10:58 pm
Battle Green, Saturdays and Sundays	10:18 pm Route 62 bus	Alewife 10:40 pm
Lexington Center, weekdays	8:32 pm Route 76 bus	Alewife 8:50 pm

From Alewife, the last Red Line train toward downtown leaves at 12:30 am on Sunday to Thursday nights and at 1:29 am on Friday and Saturday nights. See When does the T stop running? MBTA last trains (fall 2026).
Holidays. On Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, the MBTA's schedule data shows the usual weekday Fitchburg Line trains and 62 and 76 buses, and the $10 holiday pass covers Commuter Rail rides that day. On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, it shows weekend schedules on the Fitchburg Line and route 62 and no route 76 buses. The holiday pass covers Thursday, November 26 to Sunday, November 29.

Before dinner in Concord, ask Cobblehop for the last train back. It checks live times and gives you an alert before your stop. For every late train, see Last train from Concord to Boston.

Lexington, Concord and Walden Pond without a car: common questions

Can you visit Lexington and Concord from Boston without a car?

Yes. For Concord, take the Fitchburg Line from North Station to Concord, 39 to 41 minutes. For Lexington, take the Red Line to Alewife, then bus 62 or 76 to Lexington Center. Route 62 runs every day and route 76 on weekdays only. No bus runs between the two towns, but you can see both in one day by changing at Porter and Alewife.

How do I get to Walden Pond by public transit?

Take the Fitchburg Line to Concord. No MBTA bus or train stops at Walden Pond. The National Park Service puts the pond about a mile and a half from Concord center, and the Town of Concord's Emerson-Thoreau Amble is a 1.7-mile marked trail from near the center to Thoreau's cabin site, 40 to 60 minutes on foot.

Is there a bus between Lexington and Concord?

No MBTA bus links them. Go back toward Boston and change: the Fitchburg Line stops at Porter, two Red Line stops from Alewife, where the Lexington buses start. On foot or by bike, the Battle Road Trail runs 5 miles through Minute Man National Historical Park, from Meriam's Corner in Concord to the park's eastern edge in Lexington.

Does the bus to Lexington run on weekends?

Route 62 does. It runs every day, about every 50 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays, from Alewife to Bedford St @ Harrington Rd at the Battle Green. Route 76 runs on weekdays only. The combined 62/76 route ended in August 2025.

Are the Minute Man visitor centers open in November?

The National Park Service lists the 2026 season of both visitor centers as ending on October 31. Their hours after that were not posted as of October 29, 2026. The park grounds, trails and the North Bridge are open every day from sunrise to sunset, and there is no entrance fee.

How much does the train to Concord cost?

Concord is in fare Zone 5, so it's $9.75 each way from North Station or Porter. On Saturdays and Sundays, the $10 weekend pass covers all your Commuter Rail rides. Children 11 and under ride free. The bus to Lexington is $1.70, or $2.40 in all with the Red Line if you use the same card or phone within 2 hours.

Official sources

Cobblehop is independent and isn't affiliated with these agencies, parks or towns. Schedules on this page come from the public schedule data of MassDOT/MBTA. Check their pages for the latest schedules, hours and service changes:

Published October 29, 2026. Train and bus times come from the fall 2026 MBTA schedule data, checked on October 29, 2026 (November 4 for weekdays, November 7 and 8 for weekends). Fares, park hours and seasons, and distances were checked on the official websites the same day. Service changes, so check Cobblehop for live times before you go.

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