Symphony station (MBTA)
| Company type | Light rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | February 16, 1941 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Light rail transit services |
Symphony station serves as a subterranean light rail stop on the E branch of Boston's MBTA Green Line. Positioned at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Huntington Avenue, it represents the final underground station on the E branch before outbound trains emerge from the tunnel and continue along the median of Huntington Avenue. The station derives its name from the nearby Symphony Hall.
Currently, the station does not offer accessible features. Utility work related to accessibility upgrades commenced in 2023. Following delays caused by budget concerns, comprehensive reconstruction is slated to occur between 2025 and 2028.
Inception
Symphony station began operations on February 16, 1941, as part of the Huntington Avenue tunnel project initiated under the Works Progress Administration. This tunnel aimed to alleviate streetcar traffic congestion on Boylston Street and around Copley Square. Stretching from just west of Copley to just east of Opera Place, the tunnel included prominent stops near significant landmarks such as Mechanics (now Prudential) and Symphony stations.
Alterations
The station features an unusually wide separation between its inbound and outbound tracks. Constructed simultaneously was the Huntington Avenue underpass, which enables vehicular traffic to pass beneath Massachusetts Avenue at track level between the platforms. Previously, a pedestrian passage linked both platforms but was closed off in the early 1960s when the MBTA shifted Symphony to an unstaffed model. Each platform originally had two staircases positioned on opposite sides of Massachusetts Avenue, each branching into two street-level exits.
In August 1978, the MBTA allocated $91,750 for installing new glass shelter entrances. Around this period, inbound-side staircases were reconfigured during construction of the Symphony Plaza Towers, consolidating what had been dual stairways into single angled stairs leading to street level.
Due to financial cutbacks, the station was closed from January 1981 until June 1982. Renovations in the early 1990s included updated tiling and enhanced lighting fixtures.
Fare system
Unlike most Green Line stops where fares are paid upon entering stations, Symphony and Prudential stations previously required payment when boarding trains. This changed in May 2006 when electronic CharlieCard fare readers were installed at these stations, bringing their fare collection in line with other locations on the network. Passengers now pay upon entry at platform level and may board through any train door.
Future upgrades
Symphony is one of several MBTA subway stations—including Bowdoin, Hynes Convention Center, and Boylston—that currently lack full accessibility accommodations. Under the Light Rail Accessibility Project, planned improvements include installing two elevators per platform along with platform alterations and other modifications to comply with ADA standards. Progress on design has been complicated by historic preservation concerns, existing utilities, and regulatory requirements; by September 2011, conceptual design had reached approximately 15% completion.
A plan released in July 2017 incorporated emergency egress routes and restroom facilities alongside accessibility enhancements. In August 2019, MBTA awarded a $6 million contract for design work. By March 2021, design completion stood at 75%, with final station designs finalized early in 2022 and utility designs completed midyear. The project was segmented into two construction phases during 2022; bidding for utility relocation took place late that year. In December 2022, a $66.6 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration was secured to fund these renovations.
Utility relocation efforts began in April 2023, with main construction initially planned from mid-2024 through 2026. However, by June 2024 bids submitted far exceeded expectations—the lowest bid was $119.9 million compared to an MBTA estimate of $70.9 million—leading to a reassessment of project plans. A second round of bidding commenced in September 2024 with a revised budget target of $71 million.
The transition to a construction manager at risk (CMAR) delivery approach—previously employed only three times by MBTA—and proceeding with re-bidding without altering designs attracted criticism from a construction industry advocacy group.
The construction manager received notice to proceed in February 2025. Construction activities are scheduled to run from mid-2025 until late 2028.