Category: Public Transit

Wait, didn’t we already do Chestnut Hill? Oh, oh, oh, that’s Chestnut Hill AVENUE! Oh, okay! Well, at least this one is guaranteed to be a better station. Let’s look at this station, I guess.

Well, there’s not a lot here. You’ve got some parking, a glass heated shelter, and a wood unheated shelter. Countdown clocks also exist! However, no level boarding. Furthermore, it’s nice and quiet as well. It’s also pretty deep in a residential neighborhood, so there’s that as well. Woohoo!

The good: Okay, I lied. Technically this station is accessible on paper, somewhat. It’s got a lift! Furthermore, it’s got some parking if (for whatever reason) you drive in. Also, it’s got a heated waiting area in typical D branch fashion. However, there’s no tactile safety strip, so yeah.

The bad: It’s not fully accessible. No tactile safety strip. If there were more snow and it wasn’t clear, I’d probably have a harder time finding the tracks and know when to stop moving towards them. But, mostly accessibility here.

Nearby points of interest: Eh, not a lot here. Route 9 has some stuff, but do you really want to walk there?

Transit connections:
Green Line (D)

Overall, I’m indifferent towards this and most of the stations. It’s alright and serviceable, but there’s nothing much that stands out here.

Rating: 6.5/10

So, from one awful Green Line station to another, slightly worse station. How much worse is the next station southbound from Prudential? Well, let’s take a look, shall we?

So, starting off, the platforms are pretty dark-looking but also well-lit. It’s similar to Prudential with the lighting, and someone had fans going down here as well. Might’ve been overkill, but whatever. Going on up, you don’t have free crossovers so, uh, screw you if you enter the wrong way. The mezzanine is a little less dingy than Prudential’s and there’s even art. Oh, how nice, you got Charlie playing what looks to be a cello (please don’t kill me if I’m wrong, band students!)

Whelp, now we know Symphony has bits of MBTA lore within. As for the headhouses, they’re copy-pasted glass/metal on all 4 corners of Huntington Ave. and Massachusetts Avenue. Oh yeah, there’s a bent up T.

The good: You’ve got the Symphony Hall nearby, along with the New England Conservatory!

The bad: Eh, it’s not the best in terms of aesthetics, but it’s not in dire need of a facelift. Also, while it’s not accessible, there ARE plans to actually make it so! So, props to the T for making Symphony ADA compliant! (as of writing this, however, that hasn’t happened yet).

Nearby points of interest: Symphony Hall is the big one! You’ve also got the Conservatory and, oddly enough, the Christian Science headquarters is nearby as well. And, as much as I generally hold a grudge towards organized religions, I’ll have to admit most of their headquarters (e.g. Temple Square in Utah, the Christian Science building, the Vatican in Italy to name a few) are quite beautiful pieces of architecture. But, that’s a tangent for another time.

Transit connections:
Green Line (E)
MBTA bus (1, 39)

Overall, I would take Symphony any day over Prudential. While it isn’t accessible and lacks free crossovers, at least it’s not as dingy and it’s got plans to be a better station. And, for that, I think it should get a higher rating.

Rating: 6/10

Prudential is a Fortune 500 company that owns various subsidiaries that specialize in insurance , investment management, retirement plans, and other financial services and products to various business customers, primarily in the realm of retail, along with various corporate entities. Various Prudential Centers were erected over time, with one such place being in Boston, and at that became one of the tallest buildings in the entire city. Even features an observation deck on the 50th floor! (which is now sadly closed since the 9/11 attacks)

Now, what the HELL does that have anything to do with what I talk about here? I’ll tell you what: they built a subway station here!

So, the headhouses are alright, you got your standard glass/metal affair outside, while the accessible entrances are within the Prudential Center itself. Going inside, it’s actually a little disgusting. Like, it’s not as bad as Arlington with the slime on the ceilings, but it’s up there for dinginess though. And, why do the lights buzz? Is this the backrooms?

I’ll at least give it a little bit of credit for having some art, but it’s still pretty dingy down here with the buzzing lights. Also, the pipes. What’s with all the pipes that seemingly overrun all the underground Green Line stops? Yeah, I’m not sure on that. Either way, it’s accessible, has benches and everything. Free fare crossovers too, even. As for buses, the 39 stops outside the station, so there’s that, and one could conceivably do an on-foot transfer to Back Bay from here.

The good: There’s art and it’s conveniently located in the Prude! Neat!

The bad: It’s so damn dingy! Like, this place seriously could use a facelift! Furthermore, it’s like it gets worse the deeper in you go, so there’s that too. And, it’s especially evident with the floor being very faded in the mezzanine too! Lastly, fix the elevator!

Nearby points of interest: The Prudential Center, duh!

Transit connections:
Green Line (E)
MBTA bus (9, 39, 55, 57)

Overall, I can see why some people wouldn’t like this station, and I second that sentiment. However, the convenience of it being in the Prude itself probably helps somewhat. Lastly, give this place a facelift and PLEASE fix the elevator!!!

Rating: 4.5/10

Oh dear God, more median-centered Green Line stops. Whelp, duty calls I guess. So, to review these, I walked down Huntington Avenue at 6:30 AM. Here we go. And, yes, once you see one you’ve seen all of them.

Whelp, we start off on the campus of Northeastern University, a short walk from Ruggles. What do we have here? Well, it’s not a lot. You’ve got some benches and some shelters, however there’s nothing spectacular here. And, unfortunately, that’s the same for all four of these stations. With that, let’s walk down to the other stations. Museum of Fine Arts has, you guessed it, the MFA right beside it. It’s also essentially the same as the BU stops, not a lot to comment about. Longwood Medical does not have any medical buildings, instead having the Massachusetts College of Art and Design by it- OH, there’s some medical stuff! The Harvard School of Public Health. Neat! Don’t tell your local Karen that! Lastly, there’s Brigham Circle, which didn’t have a lot at a glance, however it is where the E branch spills into the street towards Fenwood Road.

The good: They’re serviceable, whatever “pros” apply to the BU stops also apply here (shelters, seating), just without countdown clocks

The bad: Good luck with the E branch’s reliability since it spills into mixed traffic past Brigham! Furthermore, the lack of countdown clocks!

Nearby points of interest: You got the MFA, Longwood, Northeastern’s campus, and even the Wentworth Institute of Technology in reach. Yeah. The Back Bay Fens is also close by!

Transit connections:
Green Line (E)
MBTA bus (39)
Orange Line & Commuter Rail (at Ruggles, short walk from Northeastern)

Overall, they’re serviceable. There’s just not much to talk about here that wasn’t already talked about with the BU stops, and there’s only so much I can do milking a dead cow. As such, it gets a similar rating to the BU stops.

Rating: 5/10

Alrighty, Eliot, this one’s for you!

So, Eliot isn’t exactly known for being around much. At the station itself, you have some parking (oh my, another park & ride), your usual heated glass shelter, and accessible boarding. There’s also a bike rack on the outbound side (why???), with access from local streets. You’ve also got access from MA-9, but why would you want to cross a wannabe freeway???? Just, why?

The good: It’s got lots of local access from the immediate area. Plus, the usual pluses of the D branch with heated waiting areas.

The bad: The nearby highway kills it. Also, there’s no accessible boarding – DESPITE THE SIGNS DESIGNATING ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCES/EXITS. WHY, HOW, WHY?! WHO THE FUCK IS GOING TO WALK UP/DOWN THE RAMP ON ROUTE 9?!

Nearby points of interest: Not a lot over here.

Transit connections:
Green Line (D)

Overall, this station actually kinda sucks. No accessible boarding and it’s right next to a highway, it’s gonna be pretty bad overall. Ugh.

Rating: 5.5/10

Bustitutions? What are those? Well, I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter because they never stop here! Welcome to Beaconsfield, children!

So, what’s special about Beaconsfield? Well, it’s so small you can’t bustitute it! One side has a heated waiting area typical of the branch, while the other lacks in amenities a bit. Unsurprising, as most people probably aren’t going outbound from here. Well, either way, you got a small amount of parking too making this technically a park & ride! Woohoo!!! Oh yeah, there’s an on-foot transfer to Dean Road on the C branch too. Neat.

The good: It’s a small station primarily for the local residents! Also, it’s nice and quiet, which is to be expected being deep in a residential neighborhood in Brookline.

The bad: It’s not accessible! It also doesn’t help the nearest stations (all on the C branch) aren’t accessible either! Also, it is annoying how D branch bustitutions bypass this station entirely, though to be fair the local streets are absolutely TINY.

Nearby points of interest: Eh, not much. There’s a playground at least.

Transit connections:
Green Line (D)

Overall, it’s alright, however the biggest issue I got with this station is the lack of accessibility. In general, I just don’t have a lot to note about it.

Rating: 6/10

North Station, the north-side terminal for the MBTA, as well as the southern terminus for Amtrak’s Downeaster, stands underneath the TD Garden on the Charles River. Likewise, in recent years, it’s seen heavy development both on street level and inside. Let’s take a look at the rail terminal, shall we?

So, the Green and Orange Line station opened in 2004, as a replacement for the Causeway St. elevated and an older station for the Orange Line (which, in of itself replaced the Charlestown Elevated with the extension to Oak Grove). Some would even call it a “superstation”, and I’d say that would be a fitting description. I’d argue, the energy this place gives is more akin to your average WMATA station, if anything, but with that MBTA twist. Now, what’s the platform configuration? Well, the southbound Green and Orange Lines facilitate a cross-platform transfer. Meanwhile, the northbound Orange Line and Green Line requires some form of “up and over”, however it’s much more straightforward. Also, for “new”, a tunnel opened up between the Commuter Rail platform and the subway concourse in 2019 to connect the two together (yes, they were separate!). And, while it’s a little dingy, it gets better on either end.

HOLY CRAP. This is NICE! The concourse is very, VERY modern, and there’s a few shops located in the concourse as well. Above the station is TD Garden, where the Bruins and Celtics play. On the other end of the concourse is where the Amtrak and MBTA ticket offices are, along with a food court. Outside you have Star Market and a few other shops. There’s also a Quik-Trak machine tucked away in a corner. The fare-controlled section of North Station (yes, there’s faregates!!!) has benches, the Dunkin’, and the platforms. Not much to be said about the platforms, aside from the presence of some helvetica.

The good: It’s modern! Also, the transfers are probably the easiest on the entire system, boiling to either an easy up/over or across the platform. Furthermore, all the north-side Commuter Rail station terminate here, along with the Downeaster. Also, it’s close to the North End, so it’s also a “gateway” to it like Haymarket. Also, the entrance on Causeway Street is pretty nice!

The bad: THOSE. DAMN. FAREGATES. Best hope you don’t end up like Charlie! Also, where does the 4 board? And, it’s a bit of a nuisance than anything, but why is the subway headhouse a few streets over? And, according to a friend, the women’s room is dingy. (I, however, cannot attest for the men’s room, as I never needed to use it.)

Nearby points of interest: The North End and TD Garden are the big ones! Regina Pizzeria is pretty good if you’re in the area. There’s also a few parks and whatnot, and I think there’s probably a few sports bars, if that’s your thing.

Transit connections:
Amtrak (Downeaster)
Commuter Rail (Fitchburg, Lowell, Haverhill, Newburyport, Rockport)
Orange Line
Green Line (D/E)
MBTA bus (4)

Overall, this station is probably the definition of a “10/10” station/terminal. And yes, that’s the score. It’s got everything you’d expect, and amenities relating to the building directly attached to it (TD Garden), plus it’s got a modern subway station underneath that feels like it’s befitting for WMATA.

Rating: 10/10

OOH BOY, NOW WE’RE REALLY BALLS DEEP IN DOWNTOWN! Meet: Downtown Crossing, and the much older conjoined sibling Park Street. Now, because these two stations are interconnected, I’ll have to start with Park Street, which is the smaller of the two stations. With that out of way, here we go.

Say the line, everyone! “The doors will open on both sides of the train. For elevator service, please exit the left side of the train onto the center platform.” This announcement on the Red Line #3s pretty much sum up the unusual platform configuration here: two tracks with sides and an island. The station’s decently lit, and for being the oldest of the five downtown transfer stations, it’s actually not too terrible. The Green Line is a short walk up the stairs (or an elevator ride, for accessibility), and is probably the most straightforward transfer on the system. However, sometimes crossing to the other Green Line tracks can be a bit tricky. Some shops can also be found on the Green Line level, along with the Winter Street concourse and fare control.

And now, welcome to Downtown Crossing! Yep, still in fare control too! The platforms are much of the same as in Park Street, tiles and a little dingy. I was primarily on the Orange Line platform, however there isn’t a lot of difference with the Red Line. Now, speaking of the Red Line, Downtown Crossing is known for a “transfer of death”. Yes, it seems easy on paper if you’re from New York, where transfers from its Red and Blue Lines could be crazy, involving the Purple and Yellow Lines and is likely an ADA violation as well. However, when you have transfers like “up the stairs” at Park or Govvy, or “down & around” at Haymarket, it’s a pain. Also, it’s not friendly to tall people. The mezzanine around DTX is also a maze, which if I tried going around would’ve taken too much time and sanity away from me. However, the best I can tell you is it’s got an entrance to Macy’s and Roche Brothers, and likely a hotel as well. Oh yeah, the SL5 stops on the street at Temple Place. Neat!

The good: It’s two of the most-used stations! Downtown Crossing is also, as the name suggests, in the heart of downtown Boston where all the economic activity takes place, so naturally everyone’s going to be passing through. Park Street is a similar story, though is located on one corner of the Boston Common. So, if you’re looking to take the T to the park, get off at Park Street. Also, the Red-Green transfer is easy! And it’s easy to transfer from Orange (SB) to Green, as the concourse is right there.

The bad: They’re kinda dingy! Also, I didn’t visit it for this particular review, however what’s with that one staircase on one of the Red Line platforms leaving fare control perpetually smelling like piss? It’s always offputting when I’m trying to leave/attempt a transfer at DTX. Also, the transfers between Red and Orange aren’t exactly straightforward, so it’s easy (perhaps TOO easy) to leave fare control.

Nearby points of interest: The big ones here are the Boston Common and the various shops in Downtown Crossing. You’ve got theaters, restaurants (some better than others), Macy’s, Marshalls, and a number of smaller shops. Sam Adams’ grave is close by, too!

Transit connections:
Green Line (B, C, D, E)
Orange Line
Red Line
Silver Line (SL5)
MBTA bus (43 @ Park St, with the 7, 11, 501, 504, and 505 at DTX)

Overall, I’m not too big on either of these, although I’d definitively say Park Street is better. I mean, for one it’s not a freakin’ maze and it’s trying to be a nice station. Furthermore, I just feel more relaxed in general when I’m at a park. As such, I’d have to rate Park higher than DTX.

Ratings:
DTX: 5/10
Park St.: 6.5/10

Transfer station #3!!! Woohooo!!!! So, we’re looking at Haymarket, or as I nickname it: the gateway to the North End.

The headhouse is located on Congress St., underneath a parking garage. This means technically it’s a park & ride in downtown Boston, however you’d have to be batshit crazy to drive here, given there’s other park & rides on both the Orange and Green Lines outside downtown (for instance, Oak Grove and Riverside). The mezzanine is alright, but not a lot to ring home about. And now, the platforms.

So, since the Orange and Green Lines run parallel here, you don’t have any longform up-and-over maneuvers that you see at State Street, so all transfers are up-and-overs and are short. Or, in the case of Green to Green transfers, changing direction, it’s an island platform. I’ll have to admit, though, the Orange Line platform was very dingy, with all sorts of weird stuff dripping onto the floor. What was it? I don’t even want to know.

The Green Line is your standard island platform, with supports dividing it. Not much to say that wasn’t said about the Orange Line here, however someone did draw the GLX onto the system map here.

And now, let’s get to the elephant in the room. I didn’t visit on my trip to review, however I’ve been around in the past – and it’s concerning, to say the least. Take a look.

You see that glass shelter in the above picture? That’s the Haymarket busway. Around all that, is the Government Center garage. It’s been in the process of being razed to the ground. This thing is like a tumor – the source of MANY issues. It’s why the station is shut down and bypassed on weekends as of late. Hell, someone DIED in a collapse of the garage a year ago! And yes, OSHA stepped in on that one. As such, with the demolition of the station, all the stops for Haymarket are on Congress St.

The good: Well, it’s pretty much the gateway to the North End! There’s also quite a bit of shopping nearby. You’ve also got the RMV in the same building, along with various federal government buildings nearby. In other words, it’s in a pretty good spot downtown.

The bad: The Government Center garage is a tumor! Hell, it’s a DEATH TRAP, even! Jesus CHRIST it’s bad! Also, it feels dingy once you get past the mezzanine, and the lack of a busway presently. Though, I can’t fault the station itself for that so much as I should fault car dependency.

Nearby points of interest: You’ve got the Public Market and the RMV in the same building, and it IS the “gateway to the North End” as I stated earlier. You’ve also got the northern end of the Kennedy Greenway, as well. But, good luck crossing the Surface Road.

Transit connections:
Green Line (D, E)
Orange Line
MBTA bus (4, 92, 93, 111, 117, 354, 426, 428, 450)

Overall, if you’re expecting something that’s not dingy or anything, this ain’t it. This station is probably your stereotypical subway station, dinginess and everything. Not to mention, the parking garage for Government Center is a freakin’ death trap. And, because of that, I cannot give this station too high a rating.

Rating: 5.5/10