the train came early and I just barely made it. I got yelled at to run as I was running... then I made it on the train and walked into the open train car but the worker told me no and opened the other door and yelled at me to walk all the way down. then I did. he yelled again and told me to open 2 of the doors by my self. i then sat now and they skipped one stop. when my stop arrived, I had to walk all the way down to the other side of the car because the worker didn't open the door closest to me. it was terrible. read more

A poorly designed train station in Salem. This place seems like the parking garage is the whole point of the train station, with little thought given to the actual commuters who have to use this station. The station is set down from the road, separated by a large flight of stairs. I couldn't find any restrooms available. However, there was this dirty, dark passageway to the parking garage that others seemed to have made due with, based on the smell. There weren't nearly enough benches for people to sit on in the shade. There were a few long concrete places to sit, but no shade or way to get out of the weather. There's an old abandoned building at the far end of the station that's all boarded up, and looks like witches could be currently inhabiting. It'd be nice if they chased out the witches' coven, and set up a coffee shop or something inviting. read more

It got us from Boston to Salem and back. Staff at the Boston station was helpful to us since we are out of towners.

As the station is now under construction for a parking garage, using Salem Depot for commuter rail travel requires a hike from surrounding temporary parking areas outside the station. Be prepared to walk 1/4 mile or more to park or have someone drop you off at the one tiny drop-off point area where you can trudge to the platform. When the dust settles, hopefully the new garage and layout, albeit minimalist, will be an improvement over the earlier station! read more

This depot looks like where the collective dreams, souls, & possibly citizens of Salem go to die. From the moment you start your descent down the rickety, rusted stairs to the unattended platform & parking lot, decorated with some of Salem's finest, you may begin to wonder if this was one of your less intelligent ideas. This place is a dump. Dimly lit at night, cold & windy due to it's location along the river, no ticket kiosk, & you have a better chance of being struck by lightening than finding a parking spot. I'm grateful to be able to walk down the street from my place & jump on the train, but for the price of tickets now, I shouldn't have to wonder if I'm going to get shanked while I wait. I imagine MBTA & Salem could put their heads together & make the whole experience a little less sketchy & a little more pleasant for everyone. read more

Catherine G.'s review is on point. Many of the North Shore Commuter Rail Depots are similarly set-up, however, this is one where I'm a bit worried about crime, both personal and property, especially after dark. It's isolated, and I do not like to be alone there. I'm lucky that I rarely need to take the commuter rail (which is ridiculously expensive as well). read more

A truly excellent and clean place to wait For s train ride north or south. There are a limited amount of shelters on the parking lot and alongside the single set of tracks . The conductors are alway trying to be helpful and friendly. ;). for read more

A few years later, not much has changed since they rebuilt the garage/platform - in fact, not enough has changed! The one difference is the decorative rocks cemented to the would-be concrete seating are now chipping off in larger numbers, making this surface even more uneven and uncomfortable to sit on. It would have been fine if they left it as a flat concrete surface, but instead they wanted to limit seating options and pay a contractor money to do a job that has no real function apart from appearance (and a very temporary appearance given the effect of New England freeze-thaw cycle on this type of masonry). It's a shame, since the only other seating areas are wooden surfaces that hold water for hours and are therefore useless on even mildly moist days. Somehow, the wooden benches are always wet even in the enclosed seating area on rainy days. Everything else is still the same - the platform still pools water and becomes dangerously icy on the section where you walk (in poor lighting) around the northern end of the garage toward the sidewalk on the exit road. There is still no sun/weather protection for most of the seating area. You still have to walk a long way if you exit a train on the landscaped end of the platform to get to your ride in the kiss-and-drop area on the far opposite end. The parking fee is still more expensive than the lot right outside of the station. It's unfortunate that train problems have caused me to spend more time than should be absolutely necessary at this place! read more