Woah, what a wicked awesome town! Wait, is it? Oh crap, it’s Salem. Uh, uh, I can reassure the jury I’m not a witch at least. So, how good is th- and it’s a park & ride.
So after getting off the 455, we’re greeted by the busway. Of course, from the outset, there’s so much parking some’s even outside. Nevertheless, looking at the parking garage, it’s clear that unlike Wickford Junction, it’s actually well-utilized. Plus, there’s some MBTA logos slapped on it. Going inside, one can find a waiting area (which was kinda cold, today, likely because the air outside comes in) and a Pedal & Park. The platform is also fully high-level, which is nice on a line that’s mostly mini-highs. Except for River Works, we don’t talk about River Works. Oh yeah, there’s also a tunnel on one end going right through downtown.
The good: Well, it’s centrally-ish located in Salem! And it’s open-air, unlike Back Bay. It’s also pretty much fully unobstructed unlike the Southwest Corridor. Plus, the amount of parking is good, unlike at Wickford since it’s actually utilized. In fact, this is the most-used station outside zone 1A!
The bad: Well, I guess the curve can lead to a gap between the platform and train. The stairs might also be annoying, but there’s an elevator if you need accessibility.
Nearby points of interest: Well, Salem! You’ve got all the wicked witchy tourist attractions around town that everyone comes here for!
Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Newburyport, Rockport)
MBTA bus (435, 450, 451, 455, 456)
Overall, this is a pretty decent station. It’s just outside downtown Salem, doesn’t seem out of place due to being a little ways away (but still walking distance), and is in a walkable area. It’s wicked good for a park & ride, at that.
Rating: 8/10
2 thoughts on “Salem (MBTA)”