Are you planning on visiting Salem, Massachusetts this October to celebrate all things Halloween? We are happy to have you here in town and we want to make sure that your experience is a positive one. The best way to guarantee a fun and memorable visit to our lovely seaside town is by planning ahead before your visit. One of the biggest challenges when visiting Salem in late October is planning your transportation and arrival into town. We highly recommend using our public transportation and avoiding driving into Salem. Some wonderful transportation options that we have available for visitors and locals alike is the MBTA public train and transportation system, as well as the Salem to Boston Ferry.
MBTA
The MBTA is a great way to travel to and from Salem, MA during the month of October and is about a 30 minute ride from North Station in Boston to the Salem MBTA station. The line that will take you to and from Salem and Boston is the Newburyport / Rockport line that runs daily. During the weekends of October 22nd to 23rd and the 29th to 30th there will be extended train services available for visitors. If you are looking for specific times you can click the link HERE for a full schedule of extended services, or you can view the PDF below. We recommend parking at our neighboring train stations of either Beverly or Swampscott, and the taking the commuter rail the remainder of the trip into town.
Salem Ferry
Another way to reach Salem from Boston is to hop aboard the Salem Ferry. In just under an hour, the ferry can take passengers between Salem and Boston, while offering scenic views of both cities. The ferry, Nathaniel Bowditch is equipped with enclosed and open-air seating, tables, and restrooms, making the trip a quick and comfortable one. During the month of October the Boston to Salem Ferry launches their larger boat the Salacia to make room for the higher levels of passengers.
The ferry departs from Long Wharf in Boston, and docks in Salem at Blaney Street, both of which are within walking distance to many local attractions. The ferry runs seasonally through October 31st and rates vary, so be sure to check out the Salem Ferry website before planning a trip. To see the Ferry’s schedule and timetable for each week you can click HERE.
Hot Tip: A hot tip that we recommend taking advantage of while you are visiting Salem, MA is to take advantage of our Blue Bikes that are located at both the Salem MBTA Station and the Blaney Ferry Dock when you arrive for the day. You can check out information on our Blue Bikes HERE.
