Chinatown station (MBTA)
| Company type | Rapid transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | November 30, 1908 |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
| Products | Orange Line subway service, Silver Line bus rapid transit service |
Chinatown station serves as a rapid transit stop on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Orange Line, situated at the boundary of Boston's Chinatown district within the downtown area. The station consists of two staggered side platforms located beneath Washington Street, stretching from Hayward Place to Lagrange Street, and offers three access points at the intersections of Washington Street with Essex and Boylston streets. Both subway platforms, along with all connecting bus services, are fully accessible.
Initially opened in 1908 as separate platforms named Boylston (southbound) and Essex (northbound) within the Washington Street Tunnel, the station was renamed Essex in 1967 before adopting the Chinatown name in 1987. The southbound platform underwent modernization during the 1970s, followed by upgrades to the northbound platform in the 1980s, which included installation of an elevator; a southbound elevator was added in 2002. Service by the Silver Line commenced that same year. The MBTA has plans to reactivate two entrances that have been closed since the 1970s, located at Hayward Place and Lagrange Street.
Station layout
Within the Washington Street Tunnel, Chinatown station features two side platforms serving a pair of tracks. These platforms are both horizontally and vertically offset: the northbound platform extends from Essex Street to Hayward Place at a higher level, while the southbound platform lies beneath, running from Boylston Street to Lagrange Street. This unique configuration makes Chinatown the sole Orange Line station lacking cross-platform transfers between directions.
Entrances to the northbound platform are incorporated into commercial buildings along Washington Street near Essex Street, including one within the Liberty Tree Building. These lead down to a fare lobby beneath Essex Street, equipped with an elevator at its northern access point. The southbound platform offers a single entrance with an elevator on Boylston Street just west of Washington Street, opening into a fare lobby beneath a triangular plaza. Nearby bus stops include Silver Line services adjacent to the northbound entrance and route buses serving the southbound entrance.
Historically, additional access points existed: a northbound entrance at Hayward Place featuring separate headhouses now repurposed as emergency exits within a newer structure; an unused northbound entrance east of Washington on Essex Street; and a closed southbound entrance at Lagrange Street currently functioning as an emergency exit. A former pedestrian sub-passage once connected inbound and outbound platforms but is no longer in use.
History
The station began operations on November 30, 1908, coinciding with the opening of the Washington Street Tunnel. At that time, the Boston Elevated Railway's Main Line (later known as the Orange Line) was rerouted from the Tremont Street Subway into this new tunnel. The platforms were separated and designated as Boylston for southbound trains and Essex for northbound trains. To prevent confusion with the Green Line's Boylston station, on February 11, 1967, the entire station was renamed Essex. A fatal robbery took place at this location on November 27, 1972.
In May 1972, a new southbound headhouse was opened as part of realigning Boylston Street, supported by a federal grant covering approximately two-thirds of a $14.3 million modernization initiative. During this period, studies were conducted on pedestrian tunnels linking Essex with , Washington, and ; however, only Park Street and Washington stations were connected through the Winter Street Concourse by 1979. A contract valued at $378,323 was awarded in 1975 for southbound platform modernization including extension work; it is believed that entrances at Lagrange Street and Hayward Place were closed during this project.
In 1976, artist George Greenamyer contributed an , sculpture titled Farewell to Steam on the southbound platform—the inaugural artwork within the MBTA's arts program—crafted from salvaged locomotive components. This piece was subsequently relocated to the commuter rail level at Back Bay station.
A $3.3 million project to modernize the northbound platform received approval in April 1986 and commenced construction in May of that year. This renovation introduced an elevator and a new entrance located north of Essex Street, leading to closure of the original Essex Street headhouse. Prior to initiating six-car train service in August 1987, the northbound platform was lengthened accordingly. This upgrade also featured Colors on the Line, an installation comprising 44 vibrant enameled steel panels by Toshihiro Katayama along the northbound track wall. On May 4, 1987, coinciding with the Southwest Corridor opening and as part of efforts to revitalize Boston’s declining Combat Zone area, the station adopted its current name: Chinatown.
The Millennium Place development, completed in 2001 on a previously vacant site encompassing the southbound headhouse, included reconstruction of this entrance along with addition of a new elevator integrated into the building’s structure. This $5 million project concluded in 2002 rendered Chinatown station fully accessible. Silver Line service along Washington Street (route SL5) began on July 20, 2002; later expansion included route SL4 service to South Station starting October 15, 2009—both routes serve Chinatown only in the northbound direction.
Wayfinding signage enhancements were initiated in mid-2019 and finalized by 2021. In May 2020, MBTA awarded an $8.75 million design contract aimed at accessibility improvements for Chinatown and stations. Planned upgrades for Chinatown encompass reopening previously closed entrances at Hayward Place and Lagrange Street with elevators installed, replacement of existing elevators, and renovations within fare lobbies. Design progress reached 30% completion in 2021 and advanced to 75% by 2022. The entire Orange Line—including Chinatown station—was closed for maintenance from August 19 through September 18, 2022.
External links
- MBTA - Chinatown Station
- Street View of Entrances on Google Maps: northbound (upper), northbound (lower), southbound
- Previously used entrances: Hayward Place, Essex Street, Lagrange Street]