OBSERVED MBTA TRAVEL TIME · 30 SERVICE DAYS

Downtown CrossingtoCharles/MGH

Red Line

A direct MBTA train from Downtown Crossing to Charles/MGH took a median 2.8 minutes across 6,192 observed trips; 90% of measured rides finished within approximately 3.2 minutes.

Source: MBTA Performance Data · 2026-08-20 to 2026-09-18 · Completed direct trips only

Typical2.8 min50th percentile
Slower trip3.2 min90th percentile
Scheduled4.2 minmedian timetable
On pace99%within 2 min of schedule

THE SHORT ANSWER

How long does Downtown Crossing to Charles/MGH take?

The median completed ride from Downtown Crossing to Charles/MGH was 2.8 minutes; the published schedule’s median was 4.2 minutes.

Based on 6,192 direct trips between 2026-08-20 and 2026-09-18, the median observed ride was 2.8 minutes. That was within 1.5 minutes of the published schedule.

Nine out of ten measured trips finished within approximately 3.2 minutes. These figures describe completed direct trips; they do not include the time spent waiting for the train.

WHEN YOU TRAVEL

Downtown Crossing to Charles/MGH times by daypart

Evening rush produced the fastest median for Downtown Crossing to Charles/MGH; Off-peak produced the slowest.

Differences can change as the rolling dataset updates.

Morning rush

2.8 min 1,407 trips · 99% on pace

Midday

2.8 min 1,287 trips · 99% on pace

Evening rush

2.8 min 1,359 trips · 99% on pace

Off-peak

2.8 min 2,139 trips · 99% on pace

MEASUREMENT SAMPLE

How Downtown Crossing to Charles/MGH was measured

The Downtown Crossing to Charles/MGH estimate uses 6,192 completed direct-trip stop-timestamp pairs matched to the schedule active for each observed train.

We publish the median because one dramatic delay should not define an everyday journey, and the 90th percentile because riders still need to understand the bad end of normal.

We do not infer why a trip ran slowly. Construction, incidents, crowding and weather require separate evidence.

Read the complete method →