RIPTA’s Summer Service Changes Effective Saturday, June 21, 2025
Express Beach Bus Returns for the Season
Providence, Rhode Island…The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will implement summer service changes effective Saturday, June 21, 2025. RIPTA makes regular service adjustments three times a year in response to seasonal changes and/or passenger use. RIPTA will make changes to Routes Qx, 14, 20, 31, 51, 54, 56, 60, 66, 67, 69, 72, 87 and 95x.
In an effort to improve service efficiency, better align with workforce needs, and support job growth, RIPTA is updating Route Qx (Quonset Express), Route 20 (Elmwood/TF Green/NEIT), Route 87 (Fairmount/Walnut Hill) and Route 95x (Westerly Park & Ride).
Route Qx will now originate in Woonsocket, operate express to Providence, and continue to Quonset Point, providing a seamless connection that aligns with Electric Boat’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd shift schedules. Route Qx will no longer serve the Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center. Additional trips will be added to Route 20 to better align with the Electric Boat student training class schedule at the New England Institute of Technology (NEIT). Route 87 will directly connect riders with Route Qx and Westerly Education Center service from the Clinton St. Park & Ride. Select Route 95x trips will operate express between Providence and Westerly (no stops), connecting passengers to the Westerly Education Center.
These improvements are designed to enhance access to jobs and improve workforce reliability for employees commuting from northern Rhode Island.
Summer 2025 Seasonal Service Changes
These annual seasonal changes include the start of select summer services, such as the return of free shuttle service to the Providence/Newport ferry and increased frequency on Route 67 (Bellevue/Mansions). Route 67 and Route 68 (CCRI Newport/Memorial Blvd./First Beach) will be free for passengers through October 31, 2025, courtesy of Discover Newport and the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. Additionally, RIPTA will increase service between the Newport Park & Ride lot and the Newport Transportation Center on weekends. Visit RIPTA.com/Newport to learn more.
Express Weekend Service to South County Beaches
Available June 28 – August 24
Starting Saturday, June 28, the South County Express Beach Bus returns for the summer season with express service from Central Falls, Cranston, North Providence, Pawtucket, Providence and Woonsocket to South County beaches. The Express Beach Bus runs on weekends and holidays only to Salty Brine (Galilee), Roger Wheeler (Sand Hill Cove) and Scarborough beaches. The fare for these express trips will be the regular bus fare of $2.00 one-way. Click here for the Express Beach Bus schedule.
RIPTA reminds passengers that there is daily year-round service on Route 69 (Narragansett/Galilee) from URI running every 60 minutes to the South County beaches. Passengers traveling from Providence can ride Route 66 to URI, where the route turns into Route 69 for a seamless connection to the beach. For more information on RIPTA routes that offer access to some of Rhode Island’s beaches, visit RIPTA.com/BeachService.
The following routes will be affected by summer service changes:
Newport Park & Ride
Additional service added between the Newport Transportation Center and the Newport Park & Ride lot. Service will operate every 15 minutes from 8:30 am - 5:30 pm on weekends only. Service may be subject to cancellation during inclement weather.
Qx Express
Weekday express service will now originate at the Clinton St. Park & Ride lot in Woonsocket, travel express to Kennedy Plaza, then continue operating express to Quonset Point and Electric Boat.
This route will no longer stop at the Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center. Passengers originating in Pawtucket may use the R-Line to connect to this express service at Kennedy Plaza, Stop X.
Morning trips will depart Woonsocket at 4:55 am and 5:25 am and arrive at Kennedy Plaza at 5:19 am and 5:49 am. Those trips will then arrive at Electric Boat at 5:46 am and 6:16 am respectively. Afternoon return trips will depart Quonset/Electric Boat at 2:45 pm and 3:45 pm.
Route 14 (West Bay)
The weekday 4:01 pm Inbound trip from the Newport Transportation Center will now depart at 4:15 pm. Weekday 6:10 pm and 7:10 pm Outbound trips will now depart at 6:15 pm and 7:15 pm.
Route 20 (Elmwood/TF Green/NEIT)
The weekday 6:15 am, 7:15 am, 8:15 am, 11:45 am, and 3:15 pm Outbound trips have been extended to NEIT Post Rd.
The weekday 7:08 am, 8:08 am, 9:09 am, 12:38 pm, and 4:04 pm Inbound trips from TF Green Airport will now start at NEIT at 7:05 am, 8:05 am, 9:06 am, and 4:01 pm respectively.
A weekday 12:35 am Inbound trip from NEIT has been added.
Route 31 (Cranston St.)
Weekday service has been rescheduled for better predictability and on-time performance.
Route 51 (Charles St/Twin River/CCRI)
Weekday and Sunday service has been rescheduled for better predictability and on-time performance.
Route 54 (Lincoln/Woonsocket)
Daily Inbound and Outbound trips will be extended to serve Stop & Shop, Bellingham, MA.
Weekday service has been rescheduled for better predictability and on-time performance.
A weekday 4:20 pm Inbound non-stop express trip has been added.
Saturday service has been rescheduled to operate every 55-60 minutes.
This route will no longer serve the bus stop on John A. Cummings Way in Woonsocket. Route 54 passengers should board Inbound trips to Providence at stops on Social St., and Outbound trips to the Bellingham Stop & Shop on Clinton St.
A weekday non-stop 4:55 am Inbound trip has been added from Woonsocket to Providence, continuing to the Westerly Education Center. The trip will depart Providence at 5:17 am and arrive in Westerly at 6:10 am. Please note that the bus’s overhead sign starting from Woonsocket will display ‘Westerly Education Center’ because that will be the final destination.
Route 56 (Chalkstone Ave.)
Weekday service has been rescheduled for better predictability.
Route 60 (Providence/Newport)
Weekday service has been rescheduled for better predictability and on-time performance.
Weekday trip arrivals and departures for NUWC have been adjusted to better align with shift times.
Route 66 (URI/CCRI)
Weekday service has been rescheduled for better predictability.
Route 67 (Bellevue/Salve Regina Univ.)
Service has been increased to operate every 20 minutes all day on weekdays and every 15 minutes all day on weekends.
Route 69 (Narragansett/Galilee)
Weekday service has been rescheduled for better predictability.
Route 72 (Weeden/Central Falls)
Weekday service has been rescheduled for better predictability.
Route 87 (Fairmount/Walnut Hill)
Weekday 4:45 am and 5:15 am Eastbound trips from Fairmount to the Clinton St. Park & Ride lot in downtown Woonsocket have been added.
A 4:36 am Westbound trip from Price Rite to the Clinton St. Park & Ride lot in downtown Woonsocket has been added.
These trips will directly connect with Route Qx service and Westerly Education Center service from the Clinton St. Park & Ride lot. The 4:45 am Eastbound and 4:36 am Westbound trips will both arrive at the Park & Ride lot at the same time (4:55 am) to allow riders to transfer to either the Route Qx or the Westerly Education Center bus.
Route Qx passengers should refer to the Route Qx schedule for schedule information.
Passengers traveling to the Westerly Education Center should refer to the Route 95x schedule.
Route 95x (Westerly Park & Ride)
One weekday morning and afternoon trip has been adjusted to operate express between Providence and Westerly (no stops).
The weekday morning trip will depart Providence at 5:17 am and arrive in Westerly at 6:10 am. The afternoon return trip will depart Westerly at 3:20 pm and arrive in Providence at 4:20 pm. Passengers traveling to the Westerly Education Center can board these trips for express service.
Passengers are strongly encouraged to check new schedules for how service changes may affect them. For schedules and more information, passengers may call 401-781-9400 or visit RIPTA.com/schedules.
