South Station (subway)
| Company type | Transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1916 |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
| Products | Rapid transit, bus rapid transit, commuter rail, intercity rail |
South Station—also referred to as South Station Under—serves as a key transfer point on the MBTA Red Line and the Silver Line bus rapid transit system. Situated at the intersection of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, it forms part of the larger South Station complex, recognized as New England’s second busiest transportation nexus. This hub functions as the terminus for eight MBTA Commuter Rail lines and three Amtrak intercity rail routes, facilitating numerous passenger transfers to rapid transit for urban travel. In 2019, the station averaged 24,639 weekday boardings, ranking it as the top station within the MBTA rapid transit network.
Station layout
The station is structured across three subterranean levels. The Red Line occupies the lowest tier beneath Summer Street, featuring two tracks each served by side platforms. Above this, on the middle level beneath Atlantic Avenue, the Silver Line operates with two side platforms as well. A fare mezzanine located just below street level links to both sets of platforms via stairs, escalators, and elevators, with access points positioned at all four corners of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue. Elevators are available at the north and south corners of this intersection. Additionally, an accessible corridor connects the mezzanine directly to the South Station terminal building used by Amtrak and MBTA Commuter Rail services.
Unlike its underground counterpart, Silver Line route SL4 operates on surface streets, stopping on Essex Street near Atlantic Avenue. Other Silver Line routes serve stops on Summer Street adjacent to Atlantic Avenue. Positioned above the station platforms is the South Station Bus Terminal, which functions as Boston’s primary intercity bus facility.
History
Previously, South Station was also served by a stop on the Atlantic Avenue Elevated, which ended operations on September 20, 1938, and was dismantled in spring 1942. The current underground station commenced service on December 3, 1916; at that time, passengers transferring between lines were required to exit to street level using paper transfers. Initially, access included four stairways and one escalator connecting street level to the mezzanine, along with two escalators dedicated for exits.
The construction of the Dewey Square Tunnel in 1957 led to removal of the original fare lobby and modifications to tunnel design. Consequently, the fare lobby was relocated eastward near South Station’s main headhouse. During the 1970s, Sylvana Cenci’s Wheels in Motion, an artwork created by shaping steel through explosive techniques, was installed as part of public art initiatives.
A renovation beginning around 1980 introduced an entrance linked to the Federal Reserve Bank Building (Boston) and established a pedestrian passage beneath Summer Street connecting various entrances. In 1985, extensions of 60 feet were added to each end of the Red Line platforms to accommodate trains consisting of six cars. By June 1990, a connecting passageway was opened between the Red Line lobby and South Station’s interior concourse.
The extensive Big Dig project triggered a significant station upgrade: as the new northbound I-93 tunnel crossed underneath Red Line tracks, further tunneling created a new Silver Line station. This development included a new fare mezzanine positioned above both lines’ platforms that provided shared entry; original fare lobbies were replaced by staircases. The $35 million project encompassed $13 million dedicated specifically to renovating the Red Line level.
Following initial Silver Line service launches in 2002 and 2004, plans for a Phase III tunnel linking South Station with Washington Street were proposed but ultimately postponed indefinitely in 2010. Nevertheless, surface operation of route SL4 commenced in October 2009 at Essex Street near Atlantic Avenue.
During Red Line renovations in early 2005, a historic blue-and-white tile mosaic displaying ‘South Station Under’ was discovered and subsequently restored. In 2019, Network, a glass mosaic map created by Ellen Harvey, was installed within the northeast headhouse. By May 2021, finalized plans aimed at improving wayfinding signage, lighting enhancements, and other station upgrades were completed.