Providence station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Providence, RI
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Providence station in January 2018
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| Location | 100 Gaspee Street Providence, Rhode Island |
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| Coordinates | 41°49′45″N 71°24′48″W / 41.829087°N 71.41325°W | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Amtrak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | Northeast Corridor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 island platforms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 5 (4 passenger; 1 freight) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connections |  RIPTA: 50, 55, 56, 57, 62 R-Line |
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| Construction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disabled access | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | PVD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1986 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traffic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passengers (2019) | 767,195 per year  0.09% (Amtrak) |
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| Passengers (2018) | 2,091 (daily boardings) (Commuter Rail) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Providence is a train station in Providence, Rhode Island. It is used by two major train services: Amtrak and MBTA Commuter Rail. The station has four tracks for passenger trains and two platforms where people wait. A fifth track goes through the station for Providence and Worcester Railroad freight trains.
This station is very busy! It is the 11th busiest Amtrak station in the entire country. It is also the second busiest station on the MBTA Commuter Rail system, not counting stations in Boston. The station was built in 1986. This was part of a big project to move train tracks that used to be above ground in downtown Providence. The station is fully accessible for people with disabilities.
Contents
Train Services at Providence Station
Providence station serves two types of passenger trains. These are Amtrak trains and MBTA commuter trains.
Amtrak Trains
Amtrak runs two different train routes through Providence.
- The Acela Express is a high-speed train. It is the only high-speed rail service in the United States.
- The Northeast Regional is a local train service. It makes more stops and is slower than the Acela.
Both of these Amtrak trains connect Providence to the Northeast Corridor. This important rail line runs from Boston all the way to Washington D.C.
MBTA Commuter Rail
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) also serves Providence. The Providence/Stoughton commuter rail line connects Providence to towns between the airport and Boston. This line shares tracks with Amtrak trains.
The southern end of this line is at Wickford Junction. This station is two stops south of Providence. In 2018, about 2,091 MBTA passengers boarded trains at Providence each weekday. This makes it the second-busiest MBTA station outside of Boston.
History of Providence Train Stations
Providence has had several train stations over the years. The very first one was built in 1835 by the Boston and Providence Rail Road. It was located at India Point.
Union Station
In 1847, the first Union Station was built. It was a brick building designed by a young architect named Thomas Alexander Tefft. This station was used by several different railroad companies. Sadly, this building was destroyed by a fire in 1896.
A new, much larger Union Station was finished in 1898. It had five big brick buildings. These buildings are still standing today and form the northern side of Kennedy Plaza in downtown Providence.
The Current Station
In 1986, the main train tracks through Providence were moved north. This project helped to free up land in downtown Providence. Before this, a large group of elevated tracks, called the "Chinese Wall," had blocked off parts of the city.
The new station, which is the one used today, was built across Gaspee Street. It is located near the Rhode Island State House. The station's five tracks and two platforms are actually below ground level, underneath the station building.
Train Service Changes Over Time
Amtrak has served Providence since it started in 1971. Its trains connect Boston to New York and Washington. Local commuter train service to Boston has changed many times over the years.
In 1988, rush-hour commuter service to the new station began again. More service was added later, including off-peak trains in 2000 and weekend trains in 2006. A new place for MBTA trains to rest, north of the station in Pawtucket, opened in 2006. This allowed the MBTA to run more trains to Providence.
Train service was later extended even further south. It went to T.F. Green Airport in 2010 and to Wickford Junction in 2012.
Special trains also run from Providence for certain events. Since 1994, trains have gone to Foxboro for New England Patriots football games. They also run for some New England Revolution soccer games and college sports events.
The first Acela Express train arrived in Providence on December 11, 2000. In 2019, the station received funding for a major upgrade project. This $25 million project will make the station even better.
Station Design
The Providence station was designed by a company called Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. It is a simple building with a large square clock tower. The style of the building is called "Brutalist." This style often uses strong, simple shapes and materials like concrete.
Even though much of the station is underground, it has been praised by people who study architecture. They say its design was very smart. It helped to plan for the future growth of downtown Providence.
Bus Connections
The main bus hub for RIPTA bus service is Kennedy Plaza. It is about 0.25 miles (0.40 km) south of the station.
However, five RIPTA bus routes stop directly at Providence station. This includes the R-Line rapid bus service. Four routes stop on Gaspee Street, on the north side of the station:
- 50 Douglas Ave
- 55 Admiral / Prov College
- 56 Chalkstone Ave
- 57 Smith St
- 62 URI/ Providence Station
Two routes run on Park Row West, on the south side of the station:
- R-Line Broad/North Main
- 66 URI/ Galilee
There is also a taxi stand on Gaspee Street, on the north side of the station.
- Amtrak – Stations – Providence, RI
Images for kids
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The second Union Station
See also
In Spanish: Estación de Providence para niños
