Ipswich is a small town in the North Shore. I’ve heard a lot about it in passing but I’ve never thought to check it out until now. Well, I did, and here’s the station entry. All things considered, it’s not bad.
Ipswich was, until 1998, the terminus of the then-Ipswich Line. But, of course, in 1998, the line saw a 2 stop extension through the wetlands to Rowley and Newburyport. As a terminal, I’m sure it was alright. However, I’m not looking it like that, as it’s not a terminal anymore. The station itself is built on a relatively sharp curve with a crossing bisecting Topsfield Road. The station itself is very strongly resembling Hamilton/Wenham, down to the nearby walkable downtown area, and I already liked that station. There’s also a bus connection to the seasonal Ipswich-Essex Explorer ran by the Cape Ann Transit Authority as well. The platforms have signage, the usual red dot matrix signs typical of a Commuter Rail station, benches, and shelters on both the mini-high and the low level platform. Overall, pretty good! Also, the bus connection is SIGNED. YAY!!!
The good: It’s in Ipswich’s town center! The platforms are nice, there’s a bus connection, and the area is also rather walkable! There’s also plenty of parking for those opting to drive. However, to my awareness, it’s by permit only, though. Sorry!
The bad: Not a lot. The train does spill into the crossing here…
Nearby points of interest: Wherever the heck the Ipswich/Essex Explorer will bring you, plus Ipswich’s downtown!
Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Newburyport)
CATA (Ipswich/Essex Explorer)
Overall, it’s also a pretty good station. It’s centrally located and has a decent amount of stuff around it, as well as a decent-ish (I think?) summer bus connection. Definitely better on the system.
Rating: 8.5/10
