The saga of reviewing Green Line street stops starts right now! The section of the E from Northeastern to Brigham Circle is one of the nicest street-running sections of the Green Line. Of course, it’s the E, so the likelihood of trains being on time is about 0.000001%, but hey! It looks great! Let’s start with the first station out of the portal, Northeastern University.

Looking down the platform.

Northeastern is right at the heart of – you guessed it – Northeastern University, and thus many college buildings surround the station. There are crosswalks to the median of Huntington Ave on either side of the platform. The Green Line right-of-way is very picturesque along this section, with numerous trees lining the tracks.

On the inbound side.

The majority of the platform is unsheltered, but there are still a lot of amenities. Wastebaskets and benches line the platform, interspersed with lovely trees. The station signs still have those old Green Line maps, though, with service to Arborway still considered “suspended” rather than “permanently obliterated.”

The shelters.

Both platforms at Northeastern have two shelters, and since benches run along their whole length, it offers a bunch of protected seating. The station also has those strange CharlieCard validators that let you tap your card and get a paper ticket in return. The one here wasn’t working at the time, but…well, hopefully they work during rush hour.

Um…what?

One strange anomaly about Northeastern is a station sign that’s located beyond the end of the platform heading toward the portal! I have no idea why it’s there – all that lies past the platform is dirt. Perhaps the earthworms residing there need to know which station they’re at…

A train coming into the station…

…and heading into the portal.

Station: Northeastern University

Ridership: With 2,650 riders per day, Northeastern is the 10th busiest Green Line branch stop. Most of this ridership comes from students (of course), and lots of ’em. It’s too bad they have to rely on the worst branch of the Green Line, but I digress.

Pros: In terms of street running stations, this one is great. It has a wide platform with a good amount of shelter and lots of benches, plus those trees really add a lot of character.

Cons: The shelters have a bit of peeling paint, and this station just isn’t as nice as Museum of Fine Arts a few blocks away. Also, the fact that Ruggles is located 0.2 miles from here is kind of insulting – that’s a much better station on a more reliable line that’s only 4 minutes of extra walking! Seriously, just don’t trust the E. Ever.

Nearby and Noteworthy: The surroundings are mostly college buildings, and the student-oriented businesses and restaurants usually associated with them. It’s a pretty busy place.

Final Verdict: 7/10
It may be simple, but Northeastern is definitely one of the better Green Line street stops. Its platform is a good width, with lots of shelter and seating, plus it’s accessible. Yes, it may be on the unreliable E, but the 39 stops right next to the station if you’d rather take that. Also, Ruggles is only a few minutes away. Basically, the E Line will always be terrible, but at least its stations are nice.

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates