JFK/UMass MBTA Station

Not the best of times to write a review about anything MBTA. But — it is what it is… Testing times here for us Bostonians. Maybe the 2024 Olympics could fix these issues.
One of the very crucial stops on the red line although out in the open. Still this station serves great purpose and convenience for the UMASS students and the general population connected with middle Dot Ave and Southern most end of Southie.
— The waiting area is really the upper level where you can wait for your train before they approach the respective platform. Given the platforms are out in the open, this greatly serves as the resting spot when it is blistery cold like it is these days… Although there aren’t any benches /​seats for the elderly. But that’s that.
— There is only one main entrance from where you can load up your charlie cards or buy new tickets and scan and get in to board your trains for the subway.
— Besides the main entry point, there are exits from each end of the platform that are Exits only.
— Majority of major bus connections are from the Columbia Rd /​UMASS exit. Where there are also free shuttles to UMASS and JFK museum.
— While waiting for your inbound train towards Downtown Boston /​Alewife — it is best to stay in the waiting area and keep track of the platform where the first train is expected (whether from Braintree or the Ashmont side).
— There is a Star Market and a liquor store when exiting from the UMASS side.
Hopefully all the troubles that the T is facing these days go away sooner than later. An optimist can only hope for the best I guess…

I used to be here all the time (I used to live around the corner) and the biggest complaint everyone had was ‘how do I know which side to wait on?’. While saying ‘pay attention to the light when you’re upstairs’ made sense to me, I know a lot of people missed it. Now the announcement says where the next train will be! It startled me when it happened the first time!
Pretty easy to stay out of rain or snow, even though it is outside.

Close to Star Market and a liquor store.
Next to a bus stop and near UMASS
I like this one bc it’s above ground so it’s not as stinky as other stations.
It’s about a mile from Savin Hill stop, so if you miss one, it’s not that rough a walk.
Beware the stairs when it rains though, it floods very easily.

This is an okay station, but very confusing. The trains seem to be arriving on the wrong tracks (but they’re not). Nothing much here. Wait… Hold on… THE ELEVATOR SMELLS LIKE OLD PEE MIXED WITH OLD TOILET WATER (on the alewife-​Braintree platform). Enough said

This T stop is DIRTY & DICEY.
The vibe is edgy in a slightly scary way,
as if something could always go down,
at any moment, during any given day.
THE DEAL: Don’t set down your bags,
and keep a firm grip on your cell phone.
NOTE: There is a FREE SHUTTLE
to UMass Boston & the JFK Museum.

Step into the hellmaw and wait for your southbound train. Whichever one you’re looking for won’t be the one that comes first, I guarantee. Freezing in the winter. Beware the stairs.

Let’s cut to the chase. It’s a public transit stop. No frills, no fuss. HOWEVER, they could use a better snack/​food establishment. Even a vending machine would be light years better than the ONE dingy looking «café» that’s there right now. Otherwise, it’s a meh for me.

It’s not my favorite station, but it gets the job done.
Pros:
This station is a major transfer point to Boston and the south shore. There are a few bus lines and the commuter rail stops here too.
Cons:
Nasty, unclean conditions, and the inability for staff to conduct crises properly without people freaking out. Station needs to be cleaned more or it just needs a makeover.

Always this area of the Red Line causes delays by either a signal/​switch/​track problem. Thank you MBTA for making my morning commute such a hassle.

You can get trains here in THREE directions. How many other red line stops can you do that, eh?

I have lived near this stop for 8 years and it has served me well.
Pros:
For inbound commuters, it is the last stop that lets you benefit from trains coming from both branches. Any station further outbound gets only one of them, essentially halving the average train frequency. I once tried Savin Hill instead and the wait felt like an eternity, especially when you see the train on the other line bypass you.
It gets you into downtown in 10 minutes.
Enclosed waiting area keeps you protected from the elements.
It is also a commuter rail stop.
Cons:
The only way in or out from Sydney street is a 2-​flight staircase. That is usually fine by me, except when I’m carrying luggage on my way to the airport or south station.
It is confusing for outsiders. It is the only station on the MBTA to have 2 platforms going to the same place (inbound), forcing you to choose the right one depending on where the train is coming from, which of course you don’t care about. The station uses a set of lit arrows and a cheap-​sounding school bell that rings when a train is approaching, but someone new to the station would have no idea what is happening. I always have to explain it to first-​time visitors. It also has 4 possible exits with no map to help you find the right one.
Furthermore, the approach alert system is obviously just a simple trip-​wire. It is not intelligent enough not to go off if the approaching train is out of service. On the occasional time when an out-​of-​service train is closely followed by an in-​service train on the other branch, you get the following chaotic experience: a mass rush down the stairs for the platform followed by a look of disappointment on everyone’s face, seeing trains coming on both platforms, realizing you need the other train, rushing back up the stairs to cross over, and rushing back down to the other stairs hoping you won’t miss it.
I have also witnessed the following infuriatingly retarded train behavior a few times: You’re in a hurry as you approach the station and will barely manage to catch the train. Two inbound trains arrive simultaneously, each on its own platform. You have your pick. Surely if you miss one, you can cross over and get the other one because it has to wait before it can merge. You miss the first train and as you head over to the other platform, the second train is also closing its doors and departing. How could they both leave? They have to merge! The first train is off on its way. The second one barely leaves the station and THEN stops, with some of its rear cars still beside the platform with the doors closed. And now you’re standing on the platform, next to the train you want, but you can’t get in because it’s half-​left the station. Why can’t it wait, you know, at the station with its doors open? Great thinking MBTA!
Besides venting, the point of all this is that the MBTA could manage the whole track merge a little more intelligently. Instead you occasionally have to deal with these quirks that no other station has.

You’re way cooler than the other stops named after presidents, you’re where the redline splits, and home to Boston’s only public University. Keep your head up!

umass Boston stop
open air station. access to both Red Line trains. Braintree and Ashmont.

The bell ringing to indicate which platform will go to Alewife makes me feel like a rat. Seriously. There are packs of people, bored, not sure where to look. Once that bell rings, like trained rats, we dash down the stairs. I know it’s necessary, but I still hate it.
One time while waiting for my train to arrive, I took out a container of food. Suddenly, I felt two pigeons dive. One in front of me, and another above me. Um, I packed my food away, intimidated by the flying rats.
You get the job done, JFK-​Umass, but I feel like I’m in a huge experiment. where is my prize at the end of the maze, huh?

It’s a T stop. I’m not expecting to be able to eat off the floor, nor do I expect the trains here to run all the time just as they say on the schedule. (That’s an issue for the MBTA, not this specific stop.) It does what it’s supposed to do. The pigeons shitting on people’s heads from time to time… that’s a different story.

My opinion for this station practically mirrors Jeremy’s. I’ve been living in this neighborhood for almost 1.5 years now. Yes, the red line service leaves alot to be desired, but having both the Ashmont and Braintree lines running through here minimizes wait time for a train. I definitely will not live any further out in Dot than where I am now, firm. The free Metros are cool, as is the vendor (even though I rarely buy anything from them). This station is about a 6 min. walk from my big-​ass apartment and I feel completely safe any time of the night walking to and from here. I do, however wish that there was a cab stand here. In time hopefully.

I actually really enjoy this station. I used to live down the road from it and it was nice to have a choice between ashmont and braintree trains. I rarely took the braintree train even if it came first as it was always packed to the max.
Ashmont was easier and less crowded both at night and in the morning so I really enjoyed it, plus i like the red line trains the most… i hate the redline service the most but the trains were good.
As for cabs, i think you might have to call for one because most people live around the T stop, but the #8 and 16 bus plus the UMass Boston shuttle are always there. Shaws supermarket is next to the station and a liquor store. The walk to Harbor Point was anywhere from 10 – 15 minutes.

WHERE the heck is the cab stand at this station? You’d think that with as busy as this station ALWAYS is, there would be a cab stand! Also, why does it take soooo long for an Ashmont outbound train to show up? Braintree trains seem to come every 6 minutes or so. Guess that’s an MBTA question, huh?

This trolley stop located on the Red Line isn’t as bad as most MBTA stops on the same line. First off, we could be waiting outside in the heat of summer or the coldness of winter on the platforms if it weren’t for this little ingenious light system with a buzzer that goes off when a train headed inbound from either Ashmont or Braintree is on its way so people can head down to either the left or right platform. I find that awesome, especially in the winter although it isn’t always accurate sadly enough but still does the trick. The problem with its unreliability is actually a much deeper problem of scheduling, unreliability and incompetency coming from the MBTA and the way they manage their trolleys.
The station does have free Metro newspapers available every morning which is nice though and there is also a convenience stand where people can grab coffee, a cookie or doughnut, or even gum, candy, popcorn or a drink. The hours of that stand are usually from morning to evening during the peak hours and they also have hot dogs and a whole bunch of other stuff. I was only there once in three years for a pack of gum and a red bull so I don’t really know what they offer aside from what I see marked on the site of the booth.
There is really little else to say aside from the fact that it’s a subway and bus station. Bye.

I go to UMass Boston so I have to go through this station almost everyday. The stairs can be a pain the arse on snowy and rainy days. The waiting area can be really crowded but there’s plenty of space on the platforms.