Boston Common to Boston Nature Center

The T route from Boston Common to Boston Nature Center: where to board, where to change, where to get off and how late it runs.

By Ahmad Haji, founder of Cobblehop · October 30, 2026

Get the live route from Boston Common to Boston Nature Center

Step by step

1. From Boston Common, walk about 6 min to Downtown Crossing.
2. At Downtown Crossing, take the Orange Line toward Forest Hills.
3. Ride 10 stops, about 16 min. Get off at Forest Hills, the stop after Green Street.
4. At Forest Hills, change to bus 31 toward Mattapan.
5. Ride 5 stops, about 4 min. Get off at Morton St @ Harvard St, the stop after Morton St @ Canterbury St.
6. Walk about 12 min to Boston Nature Center.

Other ways to go

• Walk about 6 min to Downtown Crossing, then take the Orange Line to Forest Hills, then bus 21 to Morton St @ Harvard St, and walk about 12 min: about 47 min.
• Walk about 4 min to Park Street, then take the Red Line to Ashmont, then bus 21 to Morton St @ Harvard St, and walk about 12 min: about 53 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

First and last trip are when the first train of the trip leaves Downtown Crossing, on the fall 2026 schedule. "How often" is for bus 31 (the least frequent part of the trip).

Late at night

On weekdays, the last trip that works leaves Downtown Crossing at 12:46 am and gets to Boston Nature Center around 1:48 am, using Red Line and bus 16 and bus 28. On Saturday nights the last trip leaves at 12:49 am, and on Sunday nights at 1:06 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 Morton St @ Canterbury St. The next stop is Morton St @ Harvard St. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
• Changing at Forest Hills. You don't leave the station. Follow the signs for bus 31.
• Mass Audubon's Boston Nature Center is on Walk Hill Street in Mattapan.

Step-free access

MBTA data lists every station on this route (Downtown Crossing and Forest Hills) 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.

Boston Common to Boston Nature Center: common questions

Related routes

• Boston Common to Forest Hills Cemetery
• Boston Common to Franklin Park Zoo
• South Station to Boston Nature Center
• North Station to Boston Nature Center
• Never miss your stop (guide)

More routes from Boston Common

• Boston Common to White Stadium
• Boston Common to Samuel Adams Boston Brewery
• Boston Common to Arnold Arboretum
• Boston Common to Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital
• Boston Common to Jamaica Pond
• All routes from Boston Common

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: bus 31
• MBTA: Downtown Crossing station
• MBTA: Forest Hills 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.