Back Bay Station to Mount Auburn Hospital
How to get from Back Bay Station to Mount Auburn Hospital on public transit, with the stops, times and the last trip of the night.
Back Bay Station to Mount Auburn Hospital
- Orange Line
- Red Line
- Bus 73
- Take the Orange LineFrom Back Bay, toward Oak Grove3 stops, about 4 min
- Change at Downtown Crossing
- Take the Red LineToward Alewife5 stops, about 12 min
- Change at Harvard
- Take bus 73Toward Waverley4 stops, about 5 min
- Get off at Mt Auburn St @ Longfellow RdThe stop after Mt Auburn St @ Sparks St
Weekdays, fall 2026 schedule · First and last trips
Quick answer: Take the Orange Line toward Oak Grove to Downtown Crossing, the Red Line toward Alewife to Harvard, then bus 73 to Mt Auburn St @ Longfellow Rd. The trip takes about 39 minutes (36-43 min depending on the connection). On weekdays bus 73 runs about every 15 min during the day.
Get the live route from Back Bay to Mount Auburn Hospital
Step by step
- At Back Bay, take the Orange Line toward Oak Grove.
- Ride 3 stops, about 4 min, through Tufts Medical Center and Chinatown, and get off at Downtown Crossing.
- At Downtown Crossing, change to the Red Line toward Alewife.
- Ride 5 stops, about 12 min, through Park Street, Charles/MGH, Kendall/MIT and Central, and get off at Harvard.
- At Harvard, change to bus 73 toward Waverley.
- Ride 4 stops, about 5 min. Get off at Mt Auburn St @ Longfellow Rd, the stop after Mt Auburn St @ Sparks St.
Other ways to go
- Take the Orange Line toward Oak Grove to Downtown Crossing, the Red Line toward Alewife to Harvard, then bus 71 to Mt Auburn St @ Longfellow Rd: about 41 min.
- Take bus 504 to Galen St @ Water St, then bus 71 to Mt Auburn St @ Mt Auburn Hospital: about 48 min.
Which one is faster depends on when you leave. Cobblehop compares them with live times and gives you the one that gets you there first.
Times and frequency
| Day | First trip | Last trip | How often (daytime) | Trip time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday-Thursday | 4:47 am | 12:55 am | About every 15 min | About 39 min |
| Friday | 4:47 am | 1:22 am | About every 15 min | About 39 min |
| Saturday | 4:44 am | 2:00 am | About every 15 min | About 38 min |
| Sunday | 6:05 am | 12:41 am | About every 15 min | About 40 min |
First and last trip are when the first train of the trip leaves Back Bay, on the fall 2026 schedule. "How often" is for bus 73 (the least frequent part of the trip).
Late at night
On weekdays, the last trip that works leaves Back Bay at 12:55 am and gets to Mount Auburn Hospital around 1:55 am, using bus 39 and bus 66. On Friday nights it runs later: the last trip leaves at 1:22 am. On Saturday nights the last trip leaves at 2:00 am, and on Sunday nights at 12:41 am. Late at night, ask Cobblehop for the last trip. It checks live times and tells you when to leave.
Tips for this trip
- Know your stop. Get to the door after Mt Auburn St @ Sparks St. The next stop is Mt Auburn St @ Longfellow Rd. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
- Changing at Downtown Crossing. You don't leave the station. Follow the signs for Red Line toward Alewife.
- Mount Auburn Hospital is on Mount Auburn Street in Cambridge, west of Harvard Square.
- Back Bay station has the Orange Line, Commuter Rail and Amtrak under one roof. It connects to Copley Place by an indoor passage.
Step-free access
MBTA data lists every station on this route (Back Bay, Downtown Crossing and Harvard) as accessible. Downtown Crossing has 6 elevators in MBTA data. Elevators do break, so check the MBTA's elevator alerts before you go.
What it costs
- Subway and bus. The subway is $2.40 one way, and a local bus is $1.70. Under an MBTA pilot that started September 1, 2026, you can change between bus and subway within 2 hours of your first tap and pay only the highest fare, if you use the same card or phone each time.
- How to pay. Tap a contactless credit or debit card, phone or watch at the fare gate or bus door, or use a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket.
- Kids. Children 11 and under ride the MBTA free.
Fares as of October 2026. Check the MBTA's fares page before you ride.
Back Bay Station to Mount Auburn Hospital: common questions
How do I get from Back Bay Station to Mount Auburn Hospital by public transit?
Take the Orange Line toward Oak Grove to Downtown Crossing, the Red Line toward Alewife to Harvard, then bus 73 to Mt Auburn St @ Longfellow Rd. The trip takes about 39 minutes (36-43 min depending on the connection).
How long does it take to get from Back Bay Station to Mount Auburn Hospital?
About 39 minutes on the main route, or 36-43 minutes depending on the connection.
Do I have to change along the way?
Yes, 2 times: at Downtown Crossing and Harvard. Take the Orange Line toward Oak Grove to Downtown Crossing, the Red Line toward Alewife to Harvard, then bus 73 to Mt Auburn St @ Longfellow Rd.
How often does bus 73 run?
About every 15 min on weekdays during the day, about every 15 min on Saturdays and about every 15 min on Sundays, on the fall 2026 schedule.
What time is the last train from Back Bay Station to Mount Auburn Hospital?
On weekdays, the last trip that works leaves Back Bay at 12:55 am and gets to Mount Auburn Hospital around 1:55 am, using bus 39 and bus 66. On Friday nights it runs later: the last trip leaves at 1:22 am. On Saturday nights the last trip leaves at 2:00 am, and on Sunday nights at 12:41 am.
Related routes
- Back Bay Station to Longfellow House
- Back Bay Station to Harvard Stadium
- Boston Common to Mount Auburn Hospital
- Kendall Square to Mount Auburn Hospital
- Never miss your stop (guide)
More routes from Back Bay Station
- Back Bay Station to Mount Auburn Cemetery
- Back Bay Station to Harvard Business School
- Back Bay Station to Harvard Square
- Back Bay Station to Fresh Pond Reservation
- Back Bay Station to Harvard Museum of Natural History
- All routes from Back Bay Station
Official sources
Cobblehop is independent and isn't affiliated with these agencies or operators. Schedules on this page come from MBTA/MassDOT public data. Check their pages for the latest schedules and service changes:
- MBTA: Orange Line
- MBTA: Red Line
- MBTA: bus 73
- MBTA: Back Bay station
- MBTA: Downtown Crossing station
- MBTA: Harvard station
- MBTA: fares
- MBTA: elevator and accessibility alerts
Published October 30, 2026. Times were computed from the fall 2026 MBTA schedule (2026-11-04 for weekdays). Service changes, so check Cobblehop for live times before you go.
Leaving now? Cobblehop gives you one clear plan with live times and alerts you before your stop. No sign-up, nothing to install.