Salem expands ferry, rail service and steps up security ahead of October visitor season

Salem City officials, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and local public-safety leaders on Monday outlined stepped-up transit service and security measures ahead of the October visitor season and Halloween events.

Mayor Dominic Pandelo urged visitors to plan ahead and use public transit, saying the city will supplement its regular 150-passenger Salem ferry with an additional 600-passenger vessel on weekends and on Halloween and will extend ferry service through Nov. 2. “For the easiest and most enjoyable visit to Salem, come by train, come by ferry, come by broom,” Pandelo said.

The announcement included detailed service changes from the MBTA. Ryan Coholan, chief operating officer for the MBTA, said the agency will add commuter-rail capacity on the Newburyport/Rockport line during October by running seven additional inbound and eight additional outbound trains on Saturdays and Sundays and by operating trains every 30 minutes to and from Salem on Halloween. Coholan also listed fares and pass options: an $8 one-way fare, a $10 Halloween day pass valid for unlimited travel Friday, Oct. 31, and $10 weekend passes covering unlimited travel on Saturdays and Sundays. He warned riders to expect heavy crowds and to allow extra time: “Arrive early to board your services, plan ahead and certainly be safe,” Coholan said.

Coholan attributed part of the need for added service to rising ridership: he said ridership on the Newburyport/Rockport line increased about 25% year over year between 2023 and 2024 and that “over 170,000 passengers rode to Salem in 2024 versus … 110,000 in 2022.” He also said bicycles and scooters will not be allowed on weekend trains on the Newburyport/Rockport line because of heavy demand and that additional MBTA staff will be deployed at Salem Station and other locations to assist riders.

Public-safety officials described a layered security approach. Lucas Miller, chief of police for Salem City, said the department will rely more on hard barriers than in past years and will use expanded personnel deployments — on foot, in vehicles, on bicycles, in plain clothes and with canines — supplemented by mutual-aid officers from neighboring cities and state and federal partners. “We will be installing additional cameras throughout Salem, both permanent and temporary,” Miller said, and added that counter-drone measures will be in place.

City staff representatives discussed the cost trade-offs of increased security. A city official said the municipality compares direct costs and revenues after each season and looks to mutual-aid agreements to limit expense. The official reported that the city’s net direct income from October events was about $73,000 last year (down from about $84,000 the year before) not including excise taxes from restaurants and lodging, and said the city collects “a few million dollars in excise revenue” related to the season.

City officials also urged visitors and residents to be respectful of private property and local businesses; Pandelo noted the city recently approved triple fines for certain downtown violations in the final days of October. Officials recommended installing the Destination Salem app and the city’s My Salem MA app and using the MBTA’s mTicket and MBTA Go apps for up-to-date information and ticket purchases.

Mayor Pandelo provided the city’s visitor estimates and best-case planning guidance: city officials said Salem drew more than 1 million visitors during October last year, and Pandelo said he conservatively expects 1.1 million to 1.15 million visitors this season, contingent on weather.

Officials closed by urging patience and courtesy during the busy season and reminding visitors that Salem remains a working city with residents and businesses continuing day-to-day activities.