South Station (subway)

Not to be confused with South Street (MBTA station).

For the commuter rail and Amtrak station, see South Station.

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A southbound Red Line train at South Station
General information
Location	Atlantic Avenue & Summer Street Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Coordinates	42°21′09″N 71°03′19″W
Owned by	MBTA
Line(s)	Red Line   Silver Line
Platforms	2 side platforms (Red Line) 2 side platforms (Silver Line tunnel) 1 side platform (Silver Line street level)
Tracks	2 (Red Line)
Connections	MBTA Bus: 4, 7, 11, 448, 449, 459 MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak at South Station Intercity buses at South Station Bus Terminal
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Bicycle facilities	"Pedal and Park" bicycle cage
Accessible	Yes
History
Opened	August 22, 1901 (Atlantic Avenue Elevated) December 3, 1916 (Red Line) December 17, 2004 (Silver Line)
Closed	September 30, 1938 (Atlantic Avenue Elevated)
Passengers
2013	25,037 (weekday average boardings)
Services
Preceding station   MBTA   Following station Template:MBTA stations toward Template:MBTA stations Template:MBTA lines Template:MBTA stations toward Template:MBTA stations Terminus Template:MBTA lines SL1 Template:MBTA stations toward Template:MBTA stations Template:MBTA lines SL2 Template:MBTA stations toward Template:MBTA stations Template:MBTA stations One-way operation Template:MBTA lines SL4 Terminus Template:MBTA stations toward Template:MBTA stations   Future services   Terminus Template:MBTA lines SL6 Opening 2017 Template:MBTA stations toward Template:MBTA stations   Former services   MBTA Terminus Template:MBTA lines SL3 Closed 2009 Template:MBTA stations toward Template:MBTA stations BERy Terminus Template:BERy lines Closed 1938 Template:BERy stations toward Template:BERy stations Template:BERy stations toward Template:BERy stations Template:BERy lines Rush hours only Closed 1938 Template:BERy stations toward Template:BERy stations

South Station (also signed as South Station Under) is a transfer station on the MBTA rapid transit Red Line and bus rapid transit Silver Line, located at Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. It is a part of the South Station complex, the second busiest transportation center in New England. Eight MBTA Commuter Rail and three Amtrak intercity rail services terminate at South Station; many of those passengers then transfer to the subway to reach other destinations in the city. With 25,037 daily boardings by a 2013 passenger count, South Station is the busiest station on the MBTA subway system.

History

In this early 1900s view, the Atlantic Avenue Elevated passes in front of South Station. The old elevated station is on the far right.

A station serving South Station was located on the Atlantic Avenue Elevated. Service on the Atlantic Avenue "El" was discontinued on September 20, 1938. The structure itself was torn down in the spring of 1942. Before stairs were added, passengers wishing to change lines from the underground station had to use a paper transfer and go outside to change trains.

In 1957, the original fare lobby and the rounded top of the tunnel to the west were removed during construction of the Dewey Square Tunnel. The tunnel was rebuilt with a flat ceiling, while the fare lobby was moved to the east closer to the South Station headhouse.

Tile mosaic being restored in 2005

A second renovation began around 1980 and consisted of the adding of a passageway to already existing stairs and escalators upstairs to the main terminal building. An entrance was also added to the Federal Archives Building as well as a passageway under Summer Street connecting the other street entrances. In 1985, the Red Line platforms were extended 60 feet on either end to allow 6-car trains.

The final renovation was triggered by the massive highway project known as the "Big Dig". Since the Red Line tunnel beneath Summer Street is perpendicular to Atlantic Avenue, where the new I-93 northbound tunnel was to be built, builders had to tunnel under the tracks. After the first tunnel was complete, another tunnel was added along with a station for the Silver Line. Since the new tunnel was built at the former fare level, another fare level was constructed a level above. This allowed combined access for the Silver and Red lines. The original lobby that was destroyed was replaced by stairways. This project was completed at a cost of 35 million dollars.

After the first sections of the Silver Line opened in 2002 and 2004, a Phase III was proposed which would build a tunnel connecting South Station and the South Boston Waterfront section with the Washington Street section of the line. In 2010, the project was placed on indefinite hold. Currently, those wishing to take the Silver Line to Dudley Square can walk to the Atlantic Avenue side of South Station (by Track 1) and cross Atlantic Avenue to the street-level Silver Line bus stop.

In early 2005, a blue and white tile mosaic reading 'South Station Under' was discovered during renovations to the Red Line platform. The MBTA had the mosaic restored to its original condition during the project.

Station layout

G	Street Level	Exit/Entrance
	SL4 platform (Essex St)	← Silver Line toward Dudley Square (Tufts Medical Center)
M	Mezzanine	Crossover, fare control, to entrances/exits and underground passageways
	SL1/SL2 platform	→ Silver Line toward Logan Airport (SL1) or Design Center (SL2) (Courthouse) →
	SL1/SL2 platform	→ Silver Line toward Logan Airport (SL1) or Design Center (SL2) (Courthouse) →
P Platform level	Side platform, doors will open on the right
	Inbound	← Red Line toward Alewife (Downtown Crossing)
	Outbound	→ Red Line toward Ashmont or Braintree (Broadway) →
	Side platform, doors will open on the right

The Red Line part of the station has two tracks and two side platforms. The Silver Line SL4 service that began in October 2009 stops at Atlantic Avenue and Essex Street near the Bus Terminal. Other Silver Line service is provided in an underground tunnel near the Red Line platforms. There are underground passageways upstairs to the inter-city rail station and many restaurants. There are entrances at street level on all four corners of the intersection of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue.

Nearby destinations

• Boston South Postal Annex, with a post office that is almost never closed.
• Boston's financial district including the Federal Reserve Bank Building
• Boston Children's Museum
• Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
• Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, about a 15 minute walk east, or one can take the Silver Line to the World Trade Center stop.
• Boston's Chinatown
• Boston Harborwalk
• Boston Theater District
• Massachusetts Turnpike
• Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
• Rose Kennedy Greenway
• Rowes Wharf ferry terminal, several blocks north of the station
• Tufts University medical campus and Tufts Medical Center hospital

Gallery

• 
  Silver Line underground station
• 
  Silver Line street-level station
• 
  Station turnstiles
• 
  Outbound train approaching South Station

See also

• Dewey Square Tunnel
• South Station
• South Station Bus Terminal
• South Station Headhouse

External links

• MBTA official website
• Atlantic Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View