Chinatown station (MBTA)

Chinatown
A southbound Orange Line train entering the station in 2024
General information
Location	Washington Street and Boylston Street Boston, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°21′08″N 71°03′46″W / 42.3522°N 71.0627°W / 42.3522; -71.0627
Line(s)	Washington Street Tunnel
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	MBTA bus: 11
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Accessible	Yes
History
Opened	November 30, 1908 (Orange Line) July 20, 2002 (Silver Line)
Previous names	Boylston Street / Essex (1908–1967) Essex (1967–1987)[1]
Passengers
FY2019	5,747 boardings (weekday average)[2]
Services
Preceding station MBTA Following station Tufts Medical Center toward Forest Hills Orange Line Downtown Crossing toward Oak Grove Tufts Medical Center One-way operation Silver Line SL4 South Station Terminus Silver Line SL5 Downtown Crossing Terminus
Location

Chinatown station is a rapid transit station on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Orange Line, located at the edge of the Chinatown neighborhood in the downtown core of Boston, Massachusetts. The station has two offset side platforms, which run under Washington Street from Hayward Place to Lagrange Street. The three entrances are located at the intersection of Washington Street with Essex and Boylston streets. Like all Orange Line stations, both the subway platforms and all bus connections are fully accessible.

Boylston (southbound) and Essex (northbound) stations opened as part of the Washington Street Tunnel in 1908. The whole station was renamed Essex in 1967, then Chinatown in 1987. The southbound side was modernized in the 1970s, followed by the northbound side a decade later. The latter renovation added an elevator to the northbound side, with a southbound elevator added in 2002. Silver Line service began in 2002. The MBTA plans to reopen two 1970s-closed entrances at Hayward Place and Lagrange Street.