It’s been a LOOOOOOOOONG time coming…..but now, 67 years after the last trains roared through, on 2025-03-24………
SIX. NEW. STATIONS!!!!!!! South Coast Rail has finally opened to the general public for revenue service and I’m VERY excited to talk about it! With that in mind, here’s the first station review of the extension, and the first new stations since Pawtucket! First stop: New Bedford (Downtown)!
So, first off, this station has two different locations for bus connections. The 204 and 209 both stop at Purchase & Pearl, across the highway with access via a pedestrian bridge which, truthfully, looks quite nice. Meanwhile, the 211 stops on Acushnet Avenue outside the station. Speaking of which, the bridge over Rte. 18 REALLY looks nice! There’s even elevators, a Dutch “walk your bike down the stairs” situation, and even artwork. The station parking lot itself is sizeable, however it does also somewhat serve double duty, partly, as the Whale’s Tooth terminal parking lot. But, the Whale’s Tooth part is closed at this time of year because ferry season isn’t for another month. As for the station itself? It’s actually quite nice. You have the Wamsutta St. layover facility, a high level platform with sheltered areas, departure boards THAT HAVE SCROLLING TEXT?! WOAH!!! Another departure board is on the platform as well, more akin to what you’d see at Back Bay, Ruggles, and South Station. All trains are listed for Track 1 (the only platform track). There’s also a freight siding for Mass Coastal and HOLY FUCKING SHIT IT’S MILES. Nah, just kidding, though I actually did encounter him here and stuck with his group for much of the (very long!) day. There’s also another, more lowkey, exit from the platform as well. Overall, though, not a bad station!
The good: It’s in New Bedford, and this is the closest you can get to downtown by rail! It’s a stone’s throw, and furthermore, across Route 18 is a residential neighborhood, so it’s in a relatively walkable area too (by virtue of the footbridge across the highway). The industrial area is expected to be redeveloped, but as of now it’s industrial. But, you also have the many Seastreak ferry connections to places like the Cape, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and I think even Block Island. There’s also plenty of parking, and I’m sure if you want to spend the day in New Bedford without going into Boston, this is a decent place to park and ride as well.
The bad: I mean, the area’s not the most pedestrian friendly given Route 18 is right there. But, I’m sure that could change in the future. Also, the walk to downtown is a little long, but still not the worst.
Nearby points of interest: The waterfront and downtown are the big ones! This city is also famous for the whaling industry (& is still a major fishing hub in the 21st century!). Also, the local career center is right at the station!
Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (New Bedford)
SRTA (202, 204 on Purchase St., 211 on Acushnet Ave.)
Overall, it’s not a bad station, and in terms of vibes, it’s really not that bad! The location could be better, but the rail lines aren’t conducive to a station in the heart of downtown so this is the closest we got. It’s genuinely not that bad though!
Rating: 7.5/10
