North Station (Boston)
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| Inbound Orange Line train at North Station | |
| Boston North Station | |
|---|---|
| Station statistics | |
| Address | 126 Causeway Street Boston, MA 02114 |
| Lines | MBTA Subway Orange Line Green Line ("C" and "E" Branches) MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line Lowell Line Haverhill/Reading Line Newburyport/Rockport Line Amtrak Downeaster |
| Other service | MBTA Bus: 4 |
| Parking | privately-owned garage |
| Bicycle facilities | bike lockers |
| Other information | |
| Opened | September 3, 1898 (Green Line surface, closed 1997) June 1, 1912 (Green Line elevated, closed June 2004) April 7, 1975 (Orange Line) |
| Rebuilt | June 28, 2004 (Green Line) November 2005 (station) |
| Accessible |  |
| Code | BON (Amtrak) |
| Owned by | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority |
| Traffic | |
| Passengers (2006) | 294,686[1]  24% |
North Station, located at Causeway and Nashua Streets, in Boston, Massachusetts is a major transportation hub. Its facilities include:
- Terminus for MBTA Commuter Rail northern routes
- Station on the Boston subway's Orange Line and Green Line
- Southern terminus of Amtrak's Downeaster Maine train service
- Local bus service
- Water taxi service at nearby Lovejoy Wharf
- Staffed ticket windows
- Small food court and waiting area
- Parking garage (privately operated)
In November, 2005, the MBTA completed construction of its North Station Superstation which placed the Green Line underground, offering inbound cross-platform transfers from Green to Orange Lines. Outbound Green Line trains arrive on the mezzanine level. The project was done primarily to improve transfer between the two lines, but also to tear down the old elevated North Station Green Line stop.
In April, 2006, the MBTA announced plans to enlarge the cramped waiting area at the station by building over the south end of the tracks and platforms. The expansion was expected to be completed by November and was paid for by Delaware North Companies, owners of the adjacent TD Banknorth Garden, who struck a deal for sharing revenue from concessions and advertising with the T. The project was substantially completed by the end of January, 2007.
Note: Several MBTA commuter rail lines, plus Amtrak's Northeast Corridor service to New York City, Washington, D.C. and beyond, originate from South Station, about 1-1/4 miles around the Boston peninsula from North Station. No direct link exists between the two stations although MBTA subway connections are available. Transfers to Amtrak may also be made at Back Bay, a one seat ride on the Orange Line from North Station. A North-South Rail Link is proposed to link North and South Stations.
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[edit] History
Before the union station opened on the spot in 1893, there were four separate stations in the area:
- The Boston and Maine Railroad terminal was just north of Haymarket Square, between Canal Street and Haverhill Street, stretching most of the way to Traverse Street. This approach was later used by the Green Line and Orange Line.
The other three were all on the north side of Causeway Street, with the first two in the area where North Station is now:
- The Boston and Lowell Railroad terminal was on the east side of Nashua Street, stretching east for about a block.
- Next was the Eastern Railroad terminal, across Causeway Street from Friend Street.
- The Fitchburg Railroad station was on the other side of the Boston and Maine Railroad approach, right next to Beverly Street, the approach to the Warren Bridge.
Just south of North Station was the Canal Street Incline through which the Green and Orange Lines originally went from elevated to subway.
[edit] Gallery
 Northern MBCR lines terminate at North Station. |
 The waiting area of North Station, sharing room with ticket counters for Celtics games at TD Banknorth Garden. |
 Outbound Orange Line Train at North Station. |
 Lechmere-bound Green Line train arrives at North Station. |
 The nearly completed new waiting area at North Station, as of January 29, 2007. |
 Entrance to the MBTA Green Line at North Station. |
[edit] Timeline
This timeline shows which Green Line services terminated at North Station at which times (after 1940). 
[edit] Nearby destinations
- Boston's TD Banknorth Garden (formerly the FleetCenter), home of the Boston Bruins hockey and Boston Celtics basketball teams.
- Sports and ethnic bars and restaurants along Causeway Street
- Boston's North End, a majority-Italian ethnic neighborhood with a wide variety of restaurants, Old North Church, and Paul Revere's house.
[edit] Bus connections
- 4 World Trade Center via Federal Courthouse & South Station
- EZRide Cambridge
[edit] Accessibility
- North Station is wheelchair accessible.
- Other Amtrak stations on the Maine route may have low-level platforms, but Amtrak provides level boarding through the use of station-board lifts.
- Only selected MBTA commuter rail stations have wheelchair access and most of those have short elevated platforms on the outbound end that only serve one or two cars. See MBTA accessibility.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Amtrak only.
[edit] References
- Various Sanborn maps
[edit] External links
- Elaborate Union (North) Station facade, circa 1890.
| Previous station | Amtrak | Next station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminus | Downeaster |
toward Portland
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| Previous station | MBTA | Next station | ||
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toward Heath Street
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Green Line
"E" Branch
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toward Lechmere
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|
toward Cleveland Circle
|
Green Line
"C" Branch
|
Terminus | ||
|
toward Forest Hills
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Orange Line |
toward Oak Grove
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|
toward Fitchburg
|
Fitchburg Line | Terminus | ||
| Terminus | Lowell Line |
West Medford
toward Lowell
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| Haverhill/Reading Line |
toward Haverhill
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| Newburyport/Rockport Line |
Chelsea
toward Newburyport or Rockport
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