Train and bus times for Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea, with fares, taxis and rides for seniors and people with disabilities. Plan a trip, save it and get a reminder.
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Drag to move. Pinch or scroll to zoom. Tap a line or a stop. Tap an empty spot to see every route again.
Route lines come from CATA's own schedule data. Most CATA buses also stop anywhere along the line when you wave them down. CATA's official system map
Day
Direction
Your station
Door to door rides
CATA vans can pick you up at your door. Every van fits a wheelchair.
Which ride is right for me?
Tap one answer for each question.
CATA On Demand
$2 a ride
Who
Anyone 18 or older. No sign up form.
Where
Trips inside Gloucester and Rockport
When
Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. No rides on major holidays.
Cost
$2 a ride. Each extra rider is $2 more. Bring no more than 2 extra riders. Pay with a card in the app.
How
Book in the CATA On Demand app only. There is no phone booking.
How a ride works
Make a rider account in the app and add a card.
Type where you are and where you are going.
Pick a ride. The app shows where to meet the van. It may be a nearby corner.
Other riders may share the van. Check the van number and plate before you get on.
Canceling is free. If the driver cannot find you, you may be charged for a no-show.
People 60 and older, or adults 18 and older with a disability. Bring proof of age if you are 60 or older.
Trips
Doctor visits, shopping, errands, friends, the senior center and more
Book
Call dispatch. Most towns need 1 or 2 business days notice. You can book up to a month ahead.
Pick your townSign up before your first ride
Fill out the one page Dial-a-Ride form. Open the form, or call CATA and ask them to mail it.
Mail it or drop it off at CATA, 3 Pond Road, Gloucester, MA 01930.
Once you are signed up, call to book your rides.
Rides to dialysis in Beverly
CATA drives riders from every town to the North Shore Regional Dialysis Center in Beverly, Monday to Saturday, for first or second shift treatments. Call dispatch, or tell your dialysis center you want the CATA van.
978-283-7916Call to book
ADA paratransit
Free through 2027
Who
People whose disability keeps them from riding the regular bus on their own. You must apply and be approved first.
Where
Gloucester and Rockport all year. Parts of Essex all year. More of Essex and Ipswich in some seasons.
Book
Call by 5 p.m. the day before your trip. You can book up to a month ahead.
Bring
A helper (personal care attendant), a friend, or a service animal. Tell dispatch when you book. Up to 3 bags and 1 small cart.
If another transit agency already approved you for ADA rides, you can ride with CATA for up to 21 days a year. Bring your approval letter and call CATA before you travel.
What if CATA says no?
You can appeal within 60 days. Tell CATA you want to appeal. You can say it out loud if writing is hard. You can speak at a hearing or send your reasons in writing, and someone can speak for you. CATA must decide within 30 days. If they take longer, you keep getting rides until they decide.
978-283-7916Ask for a form or book a ride
Plan your van pickup
For Dial-a-Ride and ADA rides. Pick a day and time to see when the van may come and when to call.
Ride type
Your town
Picking up from
Taxis and car services
Local companies you can call for a ride.
Draft list. The news desk is still confirming each company's phone number and how they take bookings. Do not publish until every company says Confirmed.
Which ride should I use?
Leaving now or late at night? Call a taxi below.
Inside Gloucester or Rockport on a weekday? CATA On Demand is $2.
60 or older, or have a disability? Dial-a-Ride is free.
Going to Logan Airport? Call a livery company a day ahead to book.
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Ride apps
Ride apps may have few drivers on Cape Ann. Check the app before you count on one, and have a taxi number ready.
Own a local taxi or car service? Email [email protected] to be listed or to fix your info. The Cape Ann Current does not endorse any company and is not paid for listings.
Carpool board
Offer a seat or ask for a ride to work, the train, an appointment or the store.
Neighbors post rides here for free. Your email stays private. When someone replies, the Cape Ann Current passes the message to you by email. Then you decide whether to share a ride.
Carpool board agreement and release
Please read this before you post or reply. You must agree to use the carpool board.
The Cape Ann Current runs this board for free as a community service. We are not a taxi, ride service or transportation company.
We do not check drivers, riders, cars, driver's licenses, insurance or criminal records. You decide who you ride with, and you ride at your own risk.
Rides must be free. Riders may chip in for gas or tolls only. Paid rides are not allowed.
You must be 18 or older to use the board.
If you drive, you must have a valid driver's license, car insurance and a safe car.
You release K2 Business Strategies LLC, doing business as the Cape Ann Current, and its staff from any claim for injury, loss, damage or dispute that comes from using this board or from any ride arranged through it. You give up those claims to the fullest extent the law allows.
We may remove any post at any time, for any reason.
We keep your email private. We use it only to pass along replies about your post.
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Stay safe
Meet the first time in a public place, like a train station or a store parking lot.
Tell a friend or family member who you are riding with and when.
Check the driver's name and car before you get in.
Share gas or toll costs only. Paid rides are not allowed.
If something feels wrong, do not go. In an emergency, call 911.
My trips
Saved on this device only.
This page can only alert you while it is open. For an alert on your phone, use Add to Google Calendar or Add to Outlook. The calendar event starts at the time you need to head out.
MBTA Commuter Rail
Train fares to Boston
Price depends on your zone. These are one-way fares to North Station.
Station
Zone
One way
Reduced
Riding between two stations without going to Boston costs less. The planner shows the right fare for each trip.
Tickets you can buy
One way Price by zone, shown above
$2.40 to $13.25
Round trip In the app or at North Station
2 one-way fares
Weekend Pass Ride all zones all Saturday and Sunday
$10.00
5-Day Flex Pass 5 round trip days within 30 days, 10% off. App only
Up to $119.25
Monthly Pass $10 cheaper in the app. Auto-pay online with MyCharlie
$80 to $416
Weekend tip: a one-way trip from Rockport to Boston is $12.25. The $10 Weekend Pass covers the whole round trip, all weekend.
How to use the mTicket app
Buy your ticket ahead of time in the app with a credit or debit card.
Activate it right before you get on the train. The MBTA asks riders to have tickets ready before boarding.
Show your phone to the conductor. A ticket works for 3 hours after you activate it.
Do not activate early. Once a ticket is activated, you cannot turn it off.
No app? Pay the conductor with cash or card. A $3 fee is added only if you got on at a station that sells tickets. North Station has ticket windows and machines.
CATA buses are free through the end of 2026, paid for by a state grant. You do not need a ticket. Just get on.
On most routes you can wave the bus down anywhere along the route when it is safe for the driver to stop.
Other CATA rides
CATA On Demand, $2 a rideBook a shared ride in Gloucester and Rockport with the CATA On Demand app, weekdays 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pay in the app. Learn more
Dial-a-Ride, free through 2027Door to door rides for people 60 and older, or adults with a disability. Learn more
ADA paratransit, free through 2027Rides for people whose disability keeps them from using the regular bus. Apply first. Learn more
Summer routesRockport Shuttle, Stage Fort Park Shuttle and the Ipswich Essex Explorer run in warm months. Their dates show up in the planner when they run. Learn more
Call CATA
978-283-7916Bus dispatch
978-283-1886Office
Check for delays
Schedules can change for track work, storms and holidays. Check alerts before you go.
