MBTA – Quincy Center Station

This is perhaps one of the better red line stations in the area. Just imagine staying in the cold while waiting for the train at the Wollaston station; this one at least gets you covered.
The service of red line can be terrible or frustrating as everyone knows, but to me that is not the station.

I really don’t think it’s as bad as everyone is saying. It’s an MBTA train station stop, you can’t expect it to be beautiful. I never really noticed a «smell» but to be honest, I’ve never smelt nice train stations and I’ve learned to be a mouth breather when needed (I’m a nurse lol). Theres enough room to wait for the train but I hate that there is only one set of stairs from the platform (it takes up to 5 minutes to get outside during rush hours home). There is an elevator also.
Coffee shop is nice at station and being at Downtown Quincy, there are plenty of bars, restaurants, and other services in the area. Sabatino’s on the other side of parking lot is awesome! There can be a lot of creepy people outside, but seriously, it’s downtown Quincy and we all know the drug problem in the area. I’m sure you know how to keep yourself safe, but there are always cabs waiting too so if you feel uncomfortable at busstop, you could always take a cab out of there. But I feel like it’s better than Boston. I work at BMC at «methadone alley», I’ve seen people way more effed up there than at Quincy Center so it doesn’t really bother me (but I would def not want to be alone at night, just go straigt to the cab stand). But it’s really not my job to judge them, just keep youself safe.
But this is a train stop in Quincy, I am not expecting something fancy or pretty, but it def does the job and gets us to work. Which I feel, is all that matters in the end.

It’s a convenient spot to have public transportation… but hold on tightly to your bags girls. I wouldn’t trust any of the drug infested people hanging around outside. I have seen women all cracked out with there children in strollers, its awful. I have seen and read of so many arrests and drug dealing. It looks like a version of the Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video walking out of there. The people hanging around there are all effed up. The place is disgusting, trash and cigarette butts everywhere and smells terrible. Cant wait until Quincy’s «redevelopment» puts more common area for these people to hang out in! Just gives our city a bad rep!

There are many reviews out here that have listed all the negatives about this T stop. Here are the things that I really like about Quincy Ctr. station that will be useful for anyone who could benefit from these:
— Adams National Historical Park (
). The tours to the beautiful park start from right outside the T station (galleria building is the tour pickup point)
— Buses: outside of Boston City limits, Quincy Ctr has the most number of local bus services (15 routes) going as far as Randolph, to Ashmont, to South Shore plaza, to Hingham etc.
— Restaurants in Quincy Ctr: The big list of really great dining options around here. From Sushi to Falafel to Indian to Thai to all American fare. So many options.
— Other essential services: Quincy Medical center is a 10 minute walk away from here. So also are other services like Quincy Court, Banks (Citizens, BOFA, Santander, and more all within walking distance), grocery stores (Shaws and S&S, Roxie’s), harvard medical services, Quincy College, Quincy High School. All of these are within a mile radius.
— Security: One of the biggest points about this T stop. There is always Transit Police here — especially at late hours.
I don’t know about Braintree because I have never used that stop, but every time I am around North Quincy T stop later in the night, I am pretty scared (kinda) given how lonely the access is and that I have never seen Transit Police ever during late hours. Wollaston is slightly better but still I never see Transit Police there, that often.
— Cabs: Even late in the night, getting cabs here is so easy. A big challenge if you are at any other T stops in Quincy
— The parking lot here is shut indefinitely. If you are a regular commuter who needs to drive to the T, you can park at Quincy Adams, Wollaston or North Quincy.
— Nathans hot dogs /​coffee shop helps many folks (including me) stay warm during cold days with hot coffee when waiting for the bus or a pickup.
For someone who is in Town a lot for work and for pleasure, I am so grateful for the way this T stop is strategically located and even more grateful for the way it is managed.

Holy moley. ‘Sketchy peeps’ is an understatement. The general aroma of this station is cigarette butts and urine. It is in a convenient location and the employees are usually cool… I just feel bad that they have to spend several hours a day here.
Also, the convenience store attached to it has a terrible stench. Do not go in there! Unless of course you love the smell of old pee!

Here’s where I go a little nuts with a review. I am sorry if this offends anyone.
Pros:
— close to the town center, shops, salons, restaurants, e.t.c
— has a cute coffee shop
— connections to major bus lines
— COMMUTER RAIL
That’s it.
Cons:
— dilapidated construction
— barren, leaky garage
— sketchy peeps
— smells like urine everywhere
This station is one of the worst on the red line. It may be accessible from Quincy to town or other areas on the south shore via train or bus, but it’s disgusting. People openly spit and pee in every crevice they could find, and no one cares. There’s a bathroom at the top of the stairs in the station, but no one will use it. Absolutely disgusting.
I have to use this station because I live in the area. I put up with the craziness, but I have no qualms about writing about my disdain. I know in other MBTA reviews of mine, I add that they need a facelift/​renovation, but THIS station needs a major makeover… like a huge one. Like I wouldn’t mind a fare hike if this station gets renovated. Big dreams… big dreams.

Cover your mouth when you cough!!! For some reason, everybody with a hacking cough uses this subway station. Approximately 93% of those people hack away without covering their mouths. When you add the fact that the bus waiting area has been soaked with urine for the past 30 years or so, it makes using this station difficult to withstand. Seriously, can’t they pressure wash the outside area every now and then? The City of Quincy is trying to better itself and has been slowly doing this for years. Since this subway stop is a major on for the city, I just wish the MBTA would step matters up and try to make it a bit more bearable.

Here is my issue with this station … there is a condemned parking garage on top of it. Does that make anyone else nervous? Yikes.
Could use better pedestrian-​friendly approaches on the back side — the Granite/​Burgin Parkway intersection is not a fun place to cross the street.

Hell on earth. Well, the Red Line side anyway. The Commuter Rail platform isn’t that bad. The real problem with this station is the seedy types that hang about near the entrances/​exits looking for change and cigarettes.
And now that the MBTA has closed the parking garage component due to serious faults with the structural integrity and threat of imminent collapse, it makes you wonder what would happen to the actual station should the garage come toppling down on it.
Yeah, I’ll stick to Wollaston and North Quincy, thanks.

Of course, if your in Boston parking is always an issue unless you take the public transportation. All the best places are in walking distance and these days a little exercise doesn’t hurt, especially that person who takes up two seats on the commuter rail! It’s a very good idea to bring an ipod or mp3 player to avoid the person who thinks they should be on American Idol. Hand sanitizer is a must!

What can I say about Quincy Center? Well, this is where you can get almost all the busses that travel through and out of Quincy.
You’re in the center of downtown Quincy and you’re walking distance to many restaurants and businesses.
For the most part it’s pretty safe. It can get a little sketchy at night. there’s some questionable people I’ve seen while I wait for the bus.
sidenote: The hubby and I love to visit the Christmas displays at Quincy Center during the Holidays. The town makes it look very festive with their Christmas tree, Big Santa, and Snowman. Super Cute.

Quincy Center is a major MBTA bus terminal, you can get lots of places around the South Shore from here. Downstairs you can catch the commuter rail and the Redline to Braintree/​Alewife. There’s parking that is attached to the train station too.
There’s plenty of great restaurants and bars in Quincy that are within walking distance of Quincy Center. So come to Quincy and have a fun time! Just watch out for hoodlums that gather around here after school gets out… there’s all sorts of wacky characters.

I like this station. It’s close to some restaurants and bars I like. It has a convenience store and a coffee shop/​food court thing attached to it. It’s Redline, which is my train of choice and of necessity.
I agree with the people below: Donut & Donuts is sorely missed. Mostly because that is the best name for a business ever. Their coffee was good too, but so is the coffee in the new replacement shop (i don’t know if it even has a name).
The cons of this station are possibly actual cons. Some unsavory characters hang out here, because it the main MBTA bus hub of the south shore. If you are creepy and/​or dangerous looking, you would fit in pretty well here. Also if you are a teenager, but I tend to think that teenagers fit the above criteria 10 out of 10 times, so I guess you’ll have to do your own math on that one. Basically, if you spend any time here waiting for a bus you will do a lot of «avoiding eye contact».

No more donuts. Where did the donuts go? And why didnt they take all the crazy/​sketchy people with them.
Its ok, there are some crazy people at this station thought. Beware whats going on around you, especially upstairs by the buses. Lately there has been at least one cop car parked upfront and one officer by the turnstile. I guess something bad went down. Ive never been there past 5 pm, so I dont know whats its like in the dark…

The donut smell was magical but now it is gone as Donuts N Donuts moved to Franklin Street.
Now it is just a plain, boring Red Line station.

It smells like donuts on the platform. Fresh donuts. It’s magical.

The expression «it takes all types» really sums up the whole Quincy Center T experience. I consider myself a veteran of this station even though I now live 3,000 miles away.
Since I grew up in Weymouth, I spent many an hour here waiting for the 222 (woot-​woo) or waiting for my mom to pick me up (rare) or waiting for the train on the freezing cold platform.
Even though Charlie card has made the T a little fancier, the old sketchy flavor remains at the T station. For those who are not aware, there is a parking garage here (entrance on the Burgin Parkway side near Dimmock St.) as well as a pick up/​bus stop area which is on the Quincy Center/​Hancock St side. This is important to note as I remember the days before cell phones and I would check both sides in case my mom and I miscommunicated (so glad I’m not 14 anymore!!).
There are a couple of stores on the Hancock street side. There is a Dunkies which totally sucks but is necessary in case of sub-​freezing temperatures. A sure bet for burnt coffee and stale donuts. There is also a «packy» which is equally dingy.