CharlieCards Available At Wakefield Town Hall

WAKEFIELD, MA — Would-be Orange Line commuters in need of a CharlieCard can get one for free for the time being at Wakefield Town Hall, the town announced on Wednesday.

Wakefield has a limited supply of cards. While the cards come without an preloaded cash value, riders can show the cards at any Commuter Rail station in zones 1, 1a and 2 and receive free train fare through the end of the currently ongoing Orange Line shutdown. Zone 2 includes the Wakefield and Greenwood Commuter Rail stations.

Community members needing a card can pick one up at the greeter’s desk at Town Hall at 1 Lafayette Street.

Outside of Wakefield, cards are also available at the Boston Public Library and at various stations throughout the MBTA system.

Once commuters have a card, they can add funds online or via various vending machines at MBTA facilities for future use. CharlieCards are ordinarily used to pay MBTA subway and bus fare. The CharlieCard Commuter Rail arrangement is unique to the Orange Line shutdown situation.

The Orange Line shutdown began last month and is set to continue through Sept. 18. State officials said this week that planned work remains on schedule as crews near the home stretch of what has been an unprecedented transit disruption.

While the shutdown has prompted massive traffic delays and extended commuting times for many, officials recently said things have gone “so far, so good” in terms of planned transit alternetives, with no unexpected issues or delays to date amid an expected post-Labor Day surge in commuter and school traffic.