UPDATE 8/16/19: This station has been completely rebuilt! Check out the new review here.

Wollaston is definitely one of the most notable stations on the Red Line. Does that mean it’s good? Hahahahahahaha, absolutely not. And being the only non-wheelchair accessible station on the Red Line isn’t something you want to be called “notable” for.

Sigh…what am I getting into here?

The platform is really ugly. Although it’s technically elevated, it’s not that high up and there isn’t much to see. It’s also in brutalist-style, making it really imposing. The benches are in these ugly waiting areas with peeling paint and dirty glass, but due to the weather, most people were waiting in the mezzanine. Speaking of which,..

The mezzanine was still freezing, though.

Descending the stairs (there’s no elevator), you reach an enclosed area with a couple of vending machines. After passing through the fare gates, there’s the mezzanine, which for some reason is below ground level. This means that it’s prone to flooding – probably not the best design choice to put it below ground, then.

When it’s not flooding, the mezzanine still isn’t very good. It’s spacious and all, but the architecture is pretty bland and ugly. And why does this station have an open skylight? For one thing, you can’t see the sky because the platform roof is in the way. For another, it just makes the place colder! The mezzanine also makes sure to remind you what country we’re in, with no fewer than three American flags in it.

That station sign is comically tiny.

The first entrance leads out to the station’s parking lot. It’s fairly large, with 550 spaces. The entrance, however, is still ugly and brutalist, with a tiny “Wollaston” sign. Really, it’s super small. Surprisingly, this station also has a “Pedal and Park” bike cage, which is a nice touch. It’s good to have these facilities in the middle of a dense area like this.

How is anyone supposed to notice this entrance?

On the other side of the tracks is another entrance. This one is pretty hidden – the only indication that it exists is a low Wollaston sign and a small T logo almost right next to a traffic light. Interestingly, there’s a small Chinatown on this side of the station, with a few businesses featuring Chinese lettering. And further down the street is a bus stop for the 211 and 217. It’s just a stop – no shelter or anything. But I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some concrete monstrosity bus stop, just like the rest of the station.

A train leaving.

Station: Wollaston

Ridership: Low, as expected – with about 4,625 riders per day, this is the least-used station on the Braintree branch. Wollaston’s surroundings are mostly residential, so for the most part it’s used by local riders. The summer might be a different story, when Wollaston Beach is open.
Pros: It’s nice that they have a sizeable parking lot and a bike cage, I suppose.
Cons: But everything else about this station is awful! The platform is imposing, the mezzanine floods all the time, and the western entrance is barely visible. Plus, it’s the only Red Line station that’s not accessible! How embarrassing, Wollaston!
Nearby and Noteworthy: The beach, I suppose. But actually, North Quincy is closer. You’re losing more and more of my respect as we go, Wollaston.
Final Verdict: 3/10
This is just an awful station. The architecture is really dated and imposing, it floods a lot, and most importantly, it’s not accessible! Since it’s the only non-accessible station on the Red Line, I should probably lower this to a 2, but it does have a few good features. By that I mean one good feature, and that’s the fact that there’s a parking lot and bike cage here. That’s still only worth a 3, though.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates