Renovations to Back Bay station are now underway: Here’s what to know

Transportation

The construction project’s first phase will tackle the east side of the station and is expected to last until late June.

By Darin Zullo

January 25, 2026 | 10:12 AM

1 minute to read

The first phase of the MBTA’s Back Bay Station Renovation Project will begin this month, marking the beginning of a complete revamp for the station’s interior.

After a seven-month pre-construction phase, work crews will begin reconstructing the center and east side of the station’s interior, along with the Clarendon Street side of the exterior, according to the MBTA. This phase is expected to last until late June, when crews will move on to reconstructing the west side of the station and the Dartmouth Street exterior.

The project’s MBTA page has cited the station’s cramped layout and outdated electrical systems as the primary reasons for the renovations. Through its completion, the MBTA said, there will be new lighting and audio equipment, better pedestrian flow, improved signage, new Orange Line fare gates, and expanded waiting areas and retail opportunities.

Highlights of the proposed renovations include an additional six fare gates, a 52 percent increase in seating space, and a 69 percent increase in dedicated waiting space, according to a 2023 project presentation. Other expected expansions include a 49 percent increase in bike parking space, a 287 percent increase in heated and cooled spaces, and a 209 percent increase in retail spaces.

During this first construction phase, the Clarendon Street entrance will remain closed, and scaffolding will be set up along the Orange Line platform, according to the project’s website. Elevator access will still be available, and a new bike cage, located outside the Clarendon Street entrance, is expected to open by the week of Feb. 9.

The MBTA is undergoing the project in collaboration with the City of Boston and BXP, a publicly traded developer. The second and final phase is currently expected to be completed in April 2027, according to the project’s website.

Through the revamp, BXP aims to transform Back Bay station into “a first-class transit hub of ‘airport quality,’ according to the presentation. Plans for the project have been in place since August 2015 and had an initial estimated construction start of August 2023.