WATCH ALONG THE COURSE

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*Start times are subject to change.

Until 1924, the Boston Marathon began is Ashland. It was chosen as a starting point because of the train that went through town. Today, the rail line remains the best way to get in and out of Ashland from Boston. The station is about a mile from the race course, so plan accordingly.
Spotting your loved one in Ashland may be difficult because of high density of runners.
Catch an early train outbound on the Worcester/Framingham Commuter Rail line on the MBTA. The train station is about a mile from the 3.7-mile mark (6K) of the race.
Inbound trains will make stops in Framingham, Natick, Wellesley (along the race course) and Newton (far from the race course). They will stop at ‘Lansdowne’ and ‘Back Bay’ which are near the 24.5-mile mark, and Finish Line respectively.
If you plan to drive to Ashland, please consider that roads near the race course will begin to close around 6:15 a.m. Traffic will be heavy, so give yourself ample time for travel.
Spectators approaching viewing areas on the course may be asked to pass through security checkpoints, and security personnel may ask to inspect bags and other items being carried.

Framingham has seen plenty of race history play out on its stretch of race course year after year. Like Ashland, Natick, and Wellesley, the best way to get to Framingham from Boston is on the Worcester/Framingham Commuter Rail line on the MBTA. The ‘Framingham’ MBTA station is on the North side of the course (runner left) at about the 6.6-mile mark.
Catch an early train outbound on the Worcester/Framingham Commuter Rail line on the MBTA. The train station is near the 6.6-mile mark (10.5K) of the race.
Inbound trains will make stops in Natick, Wellesley (along the race course), and Newton (far from the race course). They will stop at ‘Lansdowne’ and ‘Back Bay’, which are near the 24.5-mile mark, and Finish Line respectively.
If you plan to drive to Framingham, please consider that roads near the race course will begin to close around 7:30 a.m. Traffic will be heavy, so give ample time for travel.
Spectators approaching viewing areas on the course may be asked to pass through security checkpoints, and law enforcement officers or contracted private security personnel may ask to inspect bags and other items being carried.

The fourth community along the race course is Natick, and it packs an important punch of energy to the runners as they eclipse the 10-mile mark. Like Ashland, Framingham, and Wellesley, the best way to get to Natick from Boston is on the Worcester/Framingham Commuter Rail line on the MBTA.
The ‘West Natick’ MBTA station is near the eight-mile mark, and the ‘Natick’ MBTA Station is at about the 10-mile mark. Both stations are just steps from the North side (runner left) of the race course.
Catch an early train outbound on the Worcester/Framingham Commuter Rail line on the MBTA, and debark at ‘West Natick’. The train station is near the eight-mile mark (13K) of the race. Or, disembark at ‘Natick'.
Inbound trains will make stops in Wellesley, (along the race course), and Newton (far from the race course). They will stop at ‘Lansdowne’ and ‘Back Bay’, which are near the 24.5-mile mark and Finish Line respectively.
If you plan to drive to Natick, please consider that roads near the race course will begin to close around 7:30 a.m. Traffic will be heavy, so give yourself ample time for travel.
Spectators approaching viewing areas on the course may be asked to pass through security checkpoints, and private security personnel may ask to inspect bags and other items being carried.

Halfway home! The best way to get to Wellesley is on the Worcester/Framingham Commuter Rail line on the MBTA.
There are three MBTA Stations in Wellesley near the North side (runner left) of the course – ‘Wellesley Square’ is at the 13.4-mile mark, ‘Wellesley Hills’ is at the 14.4-mile mark, and ‘Wellesley Farms’ is at the 15.5-mile mark.
Inbound trains will make stops in Newton, though not near the race course. They will stop at ‘Lansdowne’ and ‘Back Bay’ which are near the 24.5-mile mark and Finish Line, respectively.
If you plan to drive to Wellesley, please consider that roads near the race course will begin to close around 7:30 a.m. Traffic will be heavy, so give yourself ample time for travel.
Spectators approaching viewing areas on the course may be asked to pass through security checkpoints, and security personnel may ask to inspect bags and other items being carried.

Home of Heartbreak Hill, Newton plays host to some of running’s most famous (and infamous) roadways.
The best way for spectators to access the race course in Newton is via the MBTA Green Line ‘D’ line, which stops at ‘Woodland’, near the 17-mile mark on the South side (runner right) of the race course.
There is no public transportation access to the course again until Mile 21.5, where the MBTA Green Line’s ‘B’ line terminates at ‘Boston College’ on the North side of the course (runner left). A short walk to Mile 20.8 will bring spectators near the top of Heartbreak Hill. (Note – the ‘B’ line is a slow ride with many stops, so allow for ample travel time if coming from Boston.)
If you plan to drive to Newton, please consider that roads near the race course will begin to close around 7:00 a.m. Traffic will be heavy, so give yourself ample time for travel.
Spectators approaching viewing areas on the course may be asked to pass through security checkpoints, and security personnel may ask to inspect bags and other items being carried.

The race roars through the heart of Brookline and historic Beacon Street. Spectators can access the Cleveland Circle (Mile 22.3) area (technically a part of Boston) by taking either the ‘B’ (‘Chestnut Hill Ave’), ‘C’ (‘Cleveland Circle’), or ‘D’ (‘Reservoir’) branch of the MBTA Green Line.
The MBTA Green Line ‘C’ branch runs parallel to the race course from miles 22.3 to 24.6. It’s important to note that the ‘B’ and ‘C’ line stops are on the North side (runner left) of the course, while the ‘D’ line stop (‘Reservoir’) is on the South side of the course (runner right).
If you plan to drive to Brookline, please consider that roads near the race course will begin to close around 8:00 a.m. Traffic will be heavy, so allow yourself ample time for travel.
Spectators approaching viewing areas on the course may be asked to pass through security checkpoints, and security personnel may ask to inspect bags and other items being carried.