Kendall Square to Northeastern University

The T route from Kendall Square to Northeastern University: 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 Kendall to Northeastern

Step by step

1. At Kendall/MIT, take the Red Line toward Ashmont.
2. Ride 3 stops, about 6 min, through Charles/MGH and Park Street, and get off at Downtown Crossing.
3. At Downtown Crossing, change to the Orange Line toward Forest Hills.
4. Ride 5 stops, about 7 min, through Chinatown, Tufts Medical Center, Back Bay and Massachusetts Avenue, and get off at Ruggles.
5. Walk about 6 min to Northeastern University. Use the Columbus Ave exit.

Other ways to go

• Take the Red Line toward Braintree to Park Street, then the Green Line toward Heath Street to Northeastern University, and walk about 3 min: about 29 min.
• Take bus 85 to Ruggles, and walk about 5 min: about 40 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 Kendall/MIT, on the fall 2026 schedule. "How often" is for the Red Line (the least frequent part of the trip).

Late at night

On weekdays, the last trip that works leaves Kendall/MIT at 1:29 am and gets to Northeastern University around 1:42 am, using bus 1. On Friday nights it runs later: the last trip leaves at 2:28 am. On Saturday nights the last trip leaves at 2:30 am, and on Sunday nights at 1:21 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 Massachusetts Avenue. The next stop is Ruggles. 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 Orange Line toward Forest Hills.
• Northeastern University station on the Green Line E branch is on Huntington Avenue. Ruggles, on the Orange Line, is on the other side of campus.
• Kendall/MIT station is on Main Street in Kendall Square, at the east end of MIT.

Step-free access

MBTA data lists every station on this route (Kendall/MIT, Downtown Crossing and Ruggles) 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. $2.40 one way. Changing between subway lines is free.
• 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.

Kendall Square to Northeastern University: common questions

Related routes

• Kendall Square to Symphony Hall
• Kendall Square to Museum of Fine Arts
• Back Bay Station to Northeastern University
• Boston Common to Northeastern University
• Never miss your stop (guide)

More routes from Kendall Square

• Kendall Square to Wentworth Institute of Technology
• Kendall Square to Berklee College of Music
• Kendall Square to Reggie Lewis Center
• Kendall Square to Prudential Center
• Kendall Square to Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
• All routes from Kendall Square

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: Red Line
• MBTA: Orange Line
• MBTA: Kendall/MIT station
• MBTA: Downtown Crossing station
• MBTA: Ruggles 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.