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South Station
South Station is a railroad terminal located at Dewey Square in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, US. It is the busiest railroad station in Greater Boston and the second-busiest transportation facility. It is New England's second-largest transportation center after Logan International Airport. Along with North Station, it is one of two Boston terminals for the MBTA Commuter Rail system and Amtrak intercity rail service. South Station is a major intermodal transit hub; the South Station Bus Terminal is located above the platforms, and the adjacent subway station is served by the Red Line and Silver Line of the MBTA subway system.
Four terminals were built near downtown Boston in the 19th century to serve railroads running south and west from Boston. South Station was constructed in 1899 to replace these terminals with a union station. The Classical Revival structure was designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge. Passenger rail service declined during the 20th century; the bankrupt railroads sold the station to the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) in 1965. Portions of the station were demolished for redevelopment. Plans to demolish and redevelop the remaining section fell through; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 as South Station Headhouse.
In 1978, the BRA sold what was left of the station to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). A major renovation of the station, including the construction of accessible platforms, took place from 1984 to 1989. The bus terminal opened in 1995. The station was renamed for former Massachusetts governor Michael S. Dukakis in November 2014, officially becoming The Governor Michael S. Dukakis Transportation Center at South Station, though maps and station signs continue to use the shorter "South Station". The South Station Tower was built on air rights over the station from 2020 to 2025; it included an arched waiting area and expansion of the bus terminal. Proposed changes to the station include an expansion eastward with additional tracks, and a new underground station as part of the North–South Rail Link.
South Station is located on the southeast corner of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square in the Financial District of Boston. The station building faces Dewey Square, with the tracks running southwest parallel to Atlantic Avenue. The terminal has 13 tracks served by six island platforms and one side platform. It is the end point of the Worcester Main Line, Northeast Corridor, Dorchester Branch, and Old Colony mainline. The station building contains a waiting room, food court, ticket offices, and the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge. South Station is fully accessible.
South Station is the downtown terminus for eight MBTA Commuter Rail services: the Framingham/Worcester Line, Needham Line, Franklin/Foxboro Line, Providence/Stoughton Line, Fairmount Line, Fall River/New Bedford Line, Kingston Line, and Greenbush Line. It is the Boston terminus for three Amtrak intercity services: Acela, Northeast Regional, and the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited.
The South Station Bus Terminal, Boston's intercity and commuter bus terminal, is located over the platforms. The South Station subway station, located under Dewey Square, serves the Red Line and Silver Line (routes SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) of the MBTA subway system. Silver Line route SL5 and several MBTA bus routes stop at street level.
The South Station head house and wings incorporate Neoclassical architecture. The building's symmetry and stone façade are common to the style. The granite came from nearby quarries in New England. The main doorways are located in a section that protrudes from the curving shape of the building. The doors are housed under tall arches that give the impression of grandeur while also making the building appear smaller from far away. This visual trick is common in classical buildings and is further amplified by the oversized windows and large balustrade on the third floor and roof.
Above the doorways are classical Ionic order columns that ostensibly hold up the frieze and pediment. Uncommon for Ionic order columns is the lack of fluting, which is usually used to draw the eye upward, increasing the grandeur of the facade. The numerous projections and recessions on the façade attribute to the planar quality of the building, while also creating interesting shading and lighting patterns on the stone and within the building. Inside, a coffered ceiling adorns the terminal and protects travelers from the rain and snow.
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South Station AI simulator
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South Station
South Station is a railroad terminal located at Dewey Square in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, US. It is the busiest railroad station in Greater Boston and the second-busiest transportation facility. It is New England's second-largest transportation center after Logan International Airport. Along with North Station, it is one of two Boston terminals for the MBTA Commuter Rail system and Amtrak intercity rail service. South Station is a major intermodal transit hub; the South Station Bus Terminal is located above the platforms, and the adjacent subway station is served by the Red Line and Silver Line of the MBTA subway system.
Four terminals were built near downtown Boston in the 19th century to serve railroads running south and west from Boston. South Station was constructed in 1899 to replace these terminals with a union station. The Classical Revival structure was designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge. Passenger rail service declined during the 20th century; the bankrupt railroads sold the station to the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) in 1965. Portions of the station were demolished for redevelopment. Plans to demolish and redevelop the remaining section fell through; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 as South Station Headhouse.
In 1978, the BRA sold what was left of the station to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). A major renovation of the station, including the construction of accessible platforms, took place from 1984 to 1989. The bus terminal opened in 1995. The station was renamed for former Massachusetts governor Michael S. Dukakis in November 2014, officially becoming The Governor Michael S. Dukakis Transportation Center at South Station, though maps and station signs continue to use the shorter "South Station". The South Station Tower was built on air rights over the station from 2020 to 2025; it included an arched waiting area and expansion of the bus terminal. Proposed changes to the station include an expansion eastward with additional tracks, and a new underground station as part of the North–South Rail Link.
South Station is located on the southeast corner of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square in the Financial District of Boston. The station building faces Dewey Square, with the tracks running southwest parallel to Atlantic Avenue. The terminal has 13 tracks served by six island platforms and one side platform. It is the end point of the Worcester Main Line, Northeast Corridor, Dorchester Branch, and Old Colony mainline. The station building contains a waiting room, food court, ticket offices, and the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge. South Station is fully accessible.
South Station is the downtown terminus for eight MBTA Commuter Rail services: the Framingham/Worcester Line, Needham Line, Franklin/Foxboro Line, Providence/Stoughton Line, Fairmount Line, Fall River/New Bedford Line, Kingston Line, and Greenbush Line. It is the Boston terminus for three Amtrak intercity services: Acela, Northeast Regional, and the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited.
The South Station Bus Terminal, Boston's intercity and commuter bus terminal, is located over the platforms. The South Station subway station, located under Dewey Square, serves the Red Line and Silver Line (routes SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) of the MBTA subway system. Silver Line route SL5 and several MBTA bus routes stop at street level.
The South Station head house and wings incorporate Neoclassical architecture. The building's symmetry and stone façade are common to the style. The granite came from nearby quarries in New England. The main doorways are located in a section that protrudes from the curving shape of the building. The doors are housed under tall arches that give the impression of grandeur while also making the building appear smaller from far away. This visual trick is common in classical buildings and is further amplified by the oversized windows and large balustrade on the third floor and roof.
Above the doorways are classical Ionic order columns that ostensibly hold up the frieze and pediment. Uncommon for Ionic order columns is the lack of fluting, which is usually used to draw the eye upward, increasing the grandeur of the facade. The numerous projections and recessions on the façade attribute to the planar quality of the building, while also creating interesting shading and lighting patterns on the stone and within the building. Inside, a coffered ceiling adorns the terminal and protects travelers from the rain and snow.