List Of MBTA Commuter Rail Stations
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MBTA Commuter Rail The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as the commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States. Trains run over of track to 141 different stations, with 58 statio ...
is the
commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...
system for the Greater Boston metropolitan area of
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
. It is owned by the
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network in ...
(MBTA) and operated under contract by Keolis. In 2019, it was the sixth-busiest commuter rail system in the United States with an average weekday ridership of 121,700. The system's routes span about and cover roughly the eastern third of Massachusetts and the northern half of Rhode Island. They stretch from
Newburyport Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The mo ...
in the north to
North Kingstown, Rhode Island North Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, Washington County, Rhode Island, United States, and is part of the Providence metropolitan area. The population was 27,732 in the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. North Kingstow ...
, in the south, and reach as far west as
Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Englan ...
and Fitchburg. The system is split into two parts, with lines north of Boston having a terminus at North Station and lines south of Boston having a terminus at
South Station South Station, officially The Governor Michael S. Dukakis Transportation Center at South Station, is the largest railroad station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston and New England's second-largest transportation center after Logan In ...
. , there are 134 active stations on twelve lines, two of which have branches. 108 active stations are
accessible Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" (i.e ...
; 26 are not. Six additional stations (, , , , , and ) are indefinitely closed due to service cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three stations (, , and ) are temporarily closed due to structural deterioration. Six additional stations are under construction as part of the South Coast Rail project; several other stations are planned. The MBTA was formed in 1964 to subsidize suburban commuter rail service operated by the
Boston and Maine Railroad The Boston and Maine Railroad was a U.S. Class I railroad in northern New England. Originally chartered in 1835, it became part of what was the Pan Am Railways network in 1983 (most of which was purchased by CSX in 2022). At the end of 1970, B ...
,
New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midw ...
, and New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Subsidies began in stages from 1965 to 1973; a number of stations closed in 1965–1967 before service to them was subsidized, of which 26 have not reopened. Contraction continued into the early 1980s; 42 additional stations closed between 1967 and 1981 have not reopened. Expansion of the system began in the late 1970s, including extensions of existing lines and the reopening of several lines discontinued before the MBTA era. Three additional low-ridership stations have closed since 1981, while several others have been relocated.


Key


Stations

File:South Station from Dewey Square, September 2011.jpg, South Station is the busiest MBTA Commuter Rail station and the terminal for the eight southside lines., alt=A large Romanesque-style train station facade in an urban square File:MBTA 2001 leaving North Station, April 2014.JPG, North Station is the second-busiest station and the terminal for the four northside lines., alt=A diesel locomotive with a passenger train leaving a station with several tracks and high-level platforms File:Northbound MBTA train departing Route 128 station (2), June 2017.JPG, Route 128 station, on the busy Northeast Corridor, is used by Providence/Stoughton Line trains (shown) as well as Amtrak trains., alt=A diesel locomotive with a passenger train at a station File:Campello MBTA station, Brockton MA.jpg, Campello station, a typical accessible station with a full-length high-level platform, alt=A concrete high-level station platform next to a single track File:New mini-high platforms at Mansfield station, October 2020.jpg, Accessible mini-high platforms at Mansfield station, alt=Two sections of high-level platform adjacent to a two-track railway line File:Pedestrian crossing at Islington station, June 2017.JPG, Islingaton station, a typical non-accessible station with low-level platforms, alt=Two track-level platforms next to a two-track railway line File:Stoughton station from crosswalk, April 2016.jpg, Stoughton station is one of a number of stations on the system with preserved historic depot buildings., alt=A stone station building with a prominent clock tower File:River Works station from outbound train, April 2015.JPG, River Works station, the only non-public station on the system, is for use only by employees of a General Electric plant., alt=A railway platform and small shelter, with industrial facilities visible behind


Future stations


Under construction

Six stations are under construction as part of the South Coast Rail project.


Planned

Five additional stations are planned, but not funded, as part of the second phase of the South Coast Rail project. is planned as part of the redevelopment of the former
Beacon Park Yard Beacon Park Yard was a CSX Transportation rail yard in Allston, Boston, now owned by Harvard University. The yard opened in 1890 on the site of a former trotting park, from which it took its name. It was closed in 2013 following the relocation ...
, while South Salem is municipally planned.


Former stations


Stations closed without MBTA subsidy

The MBTA was formed in August 1964 to subsidize suburban commuter rail services. Subsidies for
Boston and Maine Railroad The Boston and Maine Railroad was a U.S. Class I railroad in northern New England. Originally chartered in 1835, it became part of what was the Pan Am Railways network in 1983 (most of which was purchased by CSX in 2022). At the end of 1970, B ...
(B&M) lines north of Boston began in 1965; subsidies for
New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midw ...
and
New Haven Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , commonly known as The Consolidated, or simply as the New Haven, was a railroad that operated in the New England region of the United States from 1872 to December 31, 1968. Founded by the merger of ...
lines west and south of Boston began later. If a railroad was given ICC permission to discontinue a service, the MBTA would subsidize operation within its funding district (within about of Boston), while municipalities outside the district could contract with the MBTA to fund continued service. A number of out-of-district stations (and several in-district stations) were closed in January 1965; most reopened that June, or over the next decades. However, several minor stations were never reopened. In June 1967, the B&M discontinued never-subsidized Boston– and Boston– round trips - the last remains of B&M interstate service. Several out-of-district stations were also closed in April 1966 when the MBTA began subsidizing several New Haven Railroad lines. This listing includes only stations closed when MBTA or local subsidies began, or on services that were never subsidized. Stations that later reopened are not listed.


Stations dropped after the start of MBTA subsidies

The following stations had MBTA-subsidized service at one point, but are no longer served by the MBTA. Most were closed between 1967 and 1981, as four limited-service lines and a number of low-ridership stations were dropped. Three additional low-ridership stations were dropped in the 1980s and 1990s.


Relocated stations

Most stations reconstructed (or closed and reopened) during the MBTA era have been rebuilt on or adjacent to the site of the old station. However, several stations have been substantially relocated.


References

{{featured list MBTA Commuter Rail stations *
MBTA Commuter Rail The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as the commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States. Trains run over of track to 141 different stations, with 58 statio ...