Riverside station (MBTA)
Riverside is the western terminus of the MBTA Green Line "D" Branch (Highland Branch) light rail line. It is located at 333 Grove Street, off Exit 23 on Interstate 95 (Route 128), in Newton, Massachusetts. Scheduled travel time to Park Street is 46 minutes. Riverside includes a parking lot with spaces for 925 automobiles and bicycle parking. A loop allows trolley cars to reverse direction for the trip back to Boston, and storage tracks and the Riverside Carhouse are connected to the loop.
Riverside station is home to the dwarf planet Pluto in the Museum of Science, Boston community-wide Solar system model.
History
When the Highland Branch was run by the Boston and Albany Railroad, Riverside station was a bit to the north of its current location, at the place where the tracks turned back towards Boston to merge with the B&A's main line. The MTA built a new station with better local access, and opened the branch to streetcar service on July 4, 1959. The old connection tracks still exist (now connecting to the Framingham/Worcester Line) and have been used for emergency Commuter Rail service due to Green Line flooding.
Bus connections
Riverside station also offers local and long distance bus service:
- 500 Express bus to downtown Boston financial district via Massachusetts Turnpike
- 558 Downtown Boston via Newton Corner and Central Square, Waltham
- Many intercity buses to and from Boston stop at Riverside, including Greyhound Lines and Peter Pan Bus Lines. There is frequent service to and from New York City.
Accessibility
The station is accessible when served by the MBTA's newer low-floor trolley cars and buses. There is accessible parking. See MBTA accessibility.