Pros: Great location, great connectivity (Orange, Commuter Rail, #39 bus + the Green Line is just a very quick walk down the street). Cons: The air is thick with diesel exhaust, and this isn't helped by the platforms running alongside an interstate tunnel. The fumes from passing traffic get sucked into the station along with those from the commuter rail and Amtrak engines. The bathrooms are positively horrific. Conclusion: Not a bad station. Fixing the air quality and hiring a bathroom attendant with arrest privileges would be nice. It would be so easy to make the place a four or five star station. That's what infuriates me. read more

BackBay is ok in my book. The only thing i dont like is the amount of exhaust that is actually INSIDE the station with nowhere to escape. I step off the orange line and the second you get off youre choking from the commuter rail exhaust. Go up the escalators and its 100x as bad. BUT, the station makes sense and is easy to access and use. read more

I feel so sorry for the people who have to work in this hellhole. Even cutting through it on may way from Clarendon to Dartmouth Street leaves me dizzy and nauseous from the exhaust fumes. I'm surprised they haven't been cited by OSHA. Plus it's cold and dirty. All I can think of is how horrible it would be to pass out from all that carbon monoxide and wake up with my face pressed against that frigid, filthy floor. Assuming I even wake up at all... read more

The station is safe, nicer stops out of many of the mbta. It has a cafe, bathrooms, nice decor and adjacent to the orange line. Newbury street nearby and copley/prudential across the street. It's in a nice neighborhood. It can get very cold, and from time to time you have a bum or sketchy people going in and out of the bathroom. read more

This Orange Line stop has hands down the best restroom area of all the MBTA. It's shockingly nice & clean. I'm afraid by sharing this information I'm about to ruin it.... Oh well, prove me wrong Boston! read more

This weekend was my first time in this station (last time I was in Boston we went through South Station) and I must say I was shocked by what I saw. It's cold, dark, and dingy, with some interesting people around. I did not feel unsafe at all, just uncomfortable enough to ask myself why I decided to come to the station early enough to have to sit around for the train. There is no "waiting room" in the sense that I expected. Also, there isn't a fancy board with the numbers that shuffle when they change and at least entertain you while you're waiting. You look at the digital board to see what track you need and you proceed down the escalators to continue to freeze down there. I guess this station serves its purpose, location-wise, because it certainly does not offer the amenities that some other major urban stations do (namely Philadelphia and Penn Station New York, with all of their food offerings, actual waiting spaces, and ample display boards). The Dunkin Donuts (there are 2) is a saving grace because I had to get a hot chocolate just to survive the cold wait for my train. Sitting in this station for an hour or so was quite an experience, to say the least. read more

Typical train station. Strange two dunkin donuts across from each other. Bathrooms could be a bit cleaner.

I like train travel a lot. Back Bay primarily serves commuters in this section of Boston; it's good to have a second station in town to supplement South Station. Signs, however, could really be better. And the boarding announcements could be far closer to accurate. They're clearly made by someone who doesn't actually know where the train is. On the positive side, the old photos of train stations gone by along the platform are fun to look at. read more

Luckily I didn't have to linger too long here. I arrived on Amtrak and swiftly went outside to the taxi line. From what I did see, it's a pretty bare bones transit station. I did see a donut/sandwich cart and I think that was the highlight. Not sure if I would use the bathrooms here either. But it's small and close to the hotel I was staying at in Back Bay. read more

This is in reference to the orange line platform. While I get the homeless are allowed to exist, does this one who smells consideribly terrible and whose stench is permiating everything, be allowed to crash here. It's cooler and nicer outside anyway. If you are homeless and aren't enjoying the warmth, don't complain when you are shivering in the cold. This is one of the cleaner Orange line stations, great for people watching on weekend evenings. read more

(1-100 score) - 80. It is very easy for people on here to give poor scores for the MBTA. Typically most people rate based on a bad experience or late service, long lines etc. I think that you are going to experience something similar at any public transportation hub anywhere in the US. You have to compare services in comparison to other stations. My score is relative to what over MBTA stations have. This station has two Dunkin Donuts, Multiple food vendors, Vending machines for electronics, Vending machines for clothes, toiletries as well as a Red Box drop box. This is also a center transport hub. The commuter rail runs to the western part of the state as well as having the subway. read more

Just a couple of blocks from Copley Square. Looks modern enough, but they needed a huge noisy portable fan to keep air circulating. Ticket booth for the train was very helpful. Bathrooms were fine. What I liked about this station was the historical exhibits about the Pullman porters. Please spend a few minutes to read about this important part of American history. read more

What a great station in center of town, many great shopping in the station acces to comutter rail and Orange line but decided to start using it as an interstate since Amtrak pick up and drops off there. I will be using it today or the next time i am coming up I will actully try the Bolt bus today fromsouth station to NY Back bay is more conveniant than south station its quit not so noisy and all the amtrack trains pick up there. read more

Dirty, dusty, and grimy. Stone benches seem to absorb the dirt that blows in or is tracked in by the homeless that wander through. I would be afraid to sit down on the stone benches if I was wearing a light colored suit. I might be wrong, perhaps the benches were wood but are so encrusted with filth and dirt that they look like stone. I am not quite sure what the smell is when you are in the belly of the station. Is it sewer gas, years and layers of filth, something dead in the corner? I am not sure but I am sure I don't want to know. if it wasn't in a convenient and important location for getting into Boston then it would rate 1 star. read more

Sooo I come here more often then I check in, probably because I try to get in and out as quickly as possible. There is always tons of people just hanging around, in the way and don't move for incoming or outgoing traffic. The conditions of station itself (upstairs before you go down to the actual train) are horrendous. The floors are always wet, puddles when it rains, quite a hazardous area. The upstairs does have a Dunks, 2 ATMS (Citizens and BOA) and some other small concession stands. This is also the station where you can convert your Charlie Tickets to Charlie Cards or add all your Charlie Tickets to one Charlie Card. Some of the other orange line stations are better maintained and easier to access. read more

Diesel-filled AND two Dunkin' Donuts? Sure why not. I recently became a daily commuter to Boston and while it's not the glamorous station, it's not nearly has overwhelming as South Station. I do love that there are two DD's at this station so hot coffee is always available if you need the extra boost. Another cool thing, sometimes Girl Scouts sell their cookies at the station. Yum. Overall, not the worst but not the best either. read more

At least the train was where it was supposed to be and on time. Plenty of seating if the station isn't packed. Not very clean compared to others I have been in. read more

MBTA - Back Bay Station - Statue of A. Phillip Randilph - Public Transportation Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Back Bay Station is located at the border of the Back Bay and South End neighborhoods. It is convenient for accessing Amtrak, the Commuter Rail, and the Orange Line. It also has a small convenience store with a Dunkin Donuts. Overall, the station has very poor ventilation. Exhaust from the trains can be seen from both the station platform and the station waiting area. The bathrooms are undesirable and not well-kept. However, since I do commute and live in the area, it is convenient as it has entrances from the 100 Clarendon parking garage and entrances from both Clarendon and Dartmouth Streets. read more

My protest against the Back Bay station can be boiled down to this: I am afraid that if I ever drifted to sleep there while waiting for a train, I'd wake up to a rat gnawing on my leg. read more

Only giving one star because it cannot go any lower. This station has no heat and because of proximity to south station there is little information about trains in regards to the delays. This is the last station you want to get stuck at especially if you are taking an amtrak train, the workers there know nothing. read more

One of my least favorite T stations in Boston. This place is a dump. It's dirty, sticky, and dark. Good luck not catching a disease when you use the bathroom. Do yourself a favor and avoid the bathrooms at all costs. There are a few food vendors that seem ok - I've heard good things about the taco/burrito food stand (and its vegan options) but not sure about the others. They are doing construction there right now so it's a maze to get anywhere. The thing that urks me the most about this station is the lack of proper signage. It seriously took me 4 years to realize that the commuter rail trains going inbound were on one side of the building and the commuter rail trains going outbound were on the other. So every time I came to catch a train I didn't know which side (where the sign is) to go to - to find my train. Why couldn't there be a big clear sign that says that? The tracks for the Orange Line are fine just dark and lack much seating. It also doesn't have the loud speaker system that South Station has that tells you the train is boarding/leaving so you have to be much more on top of things here at Back Bay. Another signage problem is when you get off the Orange Line and it's not clear which exit to take. I've ended up totally on the wrong street corner exit when I first moved here. They need to have better clear signs that explain exactly where you end up and where the 39 bus is to catch. When you leave/go to the station you get bombarded by homeless & addict people asking you for money right outside the station. Not trying to sound classist here - just some of them are harassing and say uncomfortable things to women. I've had my fair share of snide/harrassing remarks made to me over the years. The only thing I like about this station is the location which is why I use it so much - when I head to Newbury/Bolyston/Copley, oh and the Citizen's ATM machine. read more

The Place is DIRTY particularly the bathrooms which are just disgusting. The T workers are rude and are not helpful. The information booth is a joke. They don't even attempt to look something up they just shrug and say I don't know or scream. But the one star is for the convenient location. This place is the shame of the city, the Government in action. Thanks read more

Yes, this is definitely the worst train station in the northeast. Maybe the worst in the us? Horrible air quality with restrooms that are not fit for use by anyone. Use south station if you can read more

Best tickets info service ever (ironically speaking). The only info we got is to "look at the screen" reeeeally helpful, thank you!

Bathrooms are very dirty, the entire place smells unpleasantly, the MBTA employees are (almost always) very rude when you ask for help.. Only good thing is that you have 4 modes of transportation to get out of there (orange, amtrak, mbta and silver line).. and it's located in the heart of Boston. read more

Connected to the T station. Inside and enclosed. Machines and tellers. Oh and bathrooms.

Years ago this train station wasn't really the greatest but within the last year and a half or so they've done a really great job of cleaning it up. It's nothing like it used to be, there's a cool burger place in there and a few Dunkin' Donuts stores. It's a lot cleaner too! read more

A really good and safe place to transfer from Amtrak to the local subway line for the ride up to North Statoin.

This is a very busy commuter rail / orange line station. It could use more retail and it could be kept cleaner. Sometimes there is a funky biological odor as you walk through. It also seems a bit dark and gloomy inside. Much different than it's brother south station. read more

This station has a great, easy to get to location. There are limited food options and not much seating but the bathrooms are the best in the city, a great reason alone to come here. read more

It's a train station! But it's easy to catch the train to NYC, PHL, or WDC from here. this station gives you great access to the entire Back Bay area as well. read more

Overall I like this station okay (like it better now that I can get my commuter rail ticket on the T app because the workers at the ticket window were usually rude). But there are a couple of outlets so charging phones is possible. And the tunnel underground to Copley Place is a great feature. I have never been into the restrooms so cannot comment on those. What is not so great is that I see people smoking on T property pretty frequently and really often at Back Bay, usually in the area where the buses come in. There is no way all the T employees are not seeing it, too. So why is the law not enforced here? Also, the commuter rail area is pretty grungy. I don't even mind the diesel fumes, which others have complained about, but there is usually litter on the platforms and even a lot in the tracks. Just kind of gross. read more

I love that you can stay inside and get to the prudential center (via copley) especially in the cold and snow. Trains are packed by the time they get here during rush hour, but I usually use it to get to the malls so it's easy to avoid that. read more

Ok this is hands down the ugliest actual train station I have ever seen. (All cement, dark, smelly etc etc. ) As others have mentioned sometimes it is even smokey from exhaust! I'd be fine for a subway station where no one is hanging around too long, but this is also an Amtrak station. To actually kill time here really stinks! The benches are round and oddly shaped and there are not a lot of good food and drink options like there are in clean(ish), shiny South Station. Just Dunkin Donuts and a food stand with hotdogs, and a convenience store. The bathrooms can be pretty gross. I've been going here for years simply because of the location and every time I go I think maybe they'll renovate it soon... not so much. read more

It's not grand central station like NY but it doesn't have to be. It's kind of dirty but pretty self explanatory. It has a burger joint next door that's pretty good. Otherwise, it's for people to come in and leave. That's it. read more

Oh Back Bay, so charming in a dirty, dirty, dirty way. I ride the commuter rail in from Worcester every day for work, and I've grown quite familiar with the station - more so commuter rail tracks 5 & 7 than anything else. There's never a dull moment in the 5 & 7 tunnel - I've seen the homeless wander into the dark mysterious tunnel only to be escorted out by the ninja MBTA tunnel police. Everything a man could possibly pee on is stained, with what you may ask - pee, of course. I've never been in the restrooms, but judging by how much pee *isn't* in the restroom, I'd imagine they'd be pretty clean. Homeless? I hope you like dogs, because they have one specifically to walk around and bark at you! Pigeons? oh yes, and they're not shy. It seems like there must be some FANTASTIC parties in the 5 & 7 tunnel at night because the tracks are constantly littered with empty containers of the best beer and vodka that $5 could buy. They really need to clean the station more often - not even clean, but simply pick up trash. So why the three star rating, you may ask? Well for one it's a train station - standards are set pretty low; I haven't seen anyone get stabbed here, so that wins at least one star. Also, while the station is dirty and often filled with the homeless (who attempt to cleverly hide themselves) - this can be highly amusing. Have you ever met a one-eyed janitor on parole? I have - and he has some really good stories. This station is generally well staffed (aside from the clean-up crews) - the MBTA police seem to frequent the station as well. I've never really felt as though it's a dangerous area (unlike some stops on the orange line). Even though the 5 & 7 tunnel platforms are half outside, they're generally somewhat warm. There's a convenience store, two dunkin' donuts, and a few news/food stands - which are all staffed by some very friendly people. The location is fantastic; you can get to anywhere you want to go from here. So, while I'd like Back Bay to clean up its act a bit, there's that lovely Boston train station charm that I'd occasionally miss if it wasn't there. The structure itself is quite nice and simple, as well. read more

A fantastic location, which is pretty much the basic idea of public transportation I believe. But they should close down for a day and rub some bleach around the place. read more

Nothing special but great location and lots of cabs... Great place to pick up the amtrak to NYC.

When I arrived from Amtrak Sunday, 10/18, I went to locate my Uber. I found ALL THE LOCAL BUSES now stop there. I'm handicapped with a cane and luggage and desperately tried to find an Uber. ThemUbers came on the side of the street where the buses now arrive and I watched two of them leave. I went to the Copley Square side and couldn't find it because of double parking. I went back to the entrance and, only by happenstance, AFTER 40' and in tears did I find my driver who couldn't help me with my luggage. There were NO ADA accommodations and NO ONE TO HELP. This is outrageous and a VERY BAD INTERIM PLAN. What are you doing to accommodations travelers like me? read more

Could be better, but it could definitely be worse. It was my first time taking amtrak and the station was pretty easy to get around in. Lots of machines for tickets, but not a lot of help from actual costumer service. read more