City of Salem Strongly Urges Public Transportation for Weekends in October
Additional MBTA trains, larger ferry vessel, satellite parking added to accommodate Salem Haunted Happenings visitors
Salem is seeing record-breaking visitation this October, and crowds have grown each weekend. In the first nine days of October 2022, Salem saw 276,000 visitors, up from 164,600 visitors in the first nine days of October 2021. This past Saturday alone, nearly 80,000 visitors came to the city.
By planning to use public transportation or satellite parking, visitors will save time, money, and the inevitable frustration experienced when people get stuck in the downtown traffic jams that occur when garages and lots are full and street closures go into effect.
Transportation to Salem
The City of Salem is advising all travelers planning to visit during the weekends in October to take the train, ride the ferry, or use satellite parking.
MBTA Commuter Rail connects Salem to Boston’s North Station via both the Newburyport and Rockport lines. It is a short walk from Salem Depot to downtown shopping, dining, attractions, and the waterfront. The MBTA will add extra trains on the last two weekends of October. Travel time from North Station is 30 minutes.
Visitors coming from the north are encouraged to use the MBTA parking garage in Beverly (10 Park Street) and take the train one stop south to Salem. Visitors should access the Beverly Depot from Route 128 via Route 1A south to avoid construction delays on Route 62.
Please note: Buses currently replace train service between Rockport and Beverly to allow for signal improvement work.
Two MBTA buses serve Salem: Bus #450 from Wonderland; and Bus #459 from Logan Airport.
The City of Salem will provide free satellite parking at three lots in Salem and shuttle buses for the weekends. The shuttles run daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors can stay later and Uber or Salem Skipper back to the lots; overnight parking is not permitted.
The Salem Ferry is available between Salem and Boston daily. City Experiences is using a larger vessel for service between Boston’s Long Wharf and Salem Wharf at Blaney Street for the month of October. Travel time aboard the ferry is less than one hour.
Have a Parking Plan
If visitors must drive, please note that there are many street closures and weekend parking fills up by 10:30 a.m. in most parking lots and garages. Visitors should not park in resident parking areas or they will be subject to a $75 ticket or towing.
Here’s a list of parking locations:
- Museum Place Garage, 1 New Liberty Street
- Church Street West Lot, 19 Federal Street
- South Harbor Garage, 10 Congress Street
- The MBTA Commuter Rail, 252 Bridge Street
- Universal Steel Lot, 297 Bridge Street
A list of locations of parking garages and satellite parking locations can be found on the Destination Salem app or online at: hauntedhappenings.org/maps-info/parking-directions.
For satellite parking information and ongoing traffic and parking updates, visit www.parksalem.com.
For a complete list of Haunted Happenings programs, visit haunted happenings.org.
