USDLast verified: October 27, 2026 (O'Keefe lot address, dates and walk time on Salem State's page, and the MBTA garage closure on Halloween), October 22, 2026 (Halloween road closures and drone show), October 20, 2026 (Halloween garage and train rules), October 16, 2026 (private and university lots, no-shuttle notice), October 14, 2026, on the City of Salem's October parking page, its parking map data and May 12 council minutes, the MBTA and Destination Salem, all listed under Sources.
Salem in October 2026: what changed
- No city shuttle this year. The city says "NEW FOR 2026, there will be no shuttle service provided by the City." Nobody bid on the contract.
- Free weekend lot: 108 Jefferson Ave is free on October Saturdays and Sundays, with no shuttle. It is closed to the public Monday to Friday, and cars there are towed.
- Garages on October weekends: $20 for up to 2 hours and $50 for longer at Museum Place and South Harbor, per the city's parking map and May 12 council minutes.
- Halloween, Saturday, October 31: downtown streets close to all traffic no later than noon, and the city says closures "may begin earlier, depending on crowd size and public safety considerations." A drone show replaces the fireworks and starts at 10:15 p.m., and Bridge Street closes to all traffic between the westerly overpass ramps and Sgt. James Ayube Memorial Drive from 9:15 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Plan to arrive by train (City of Salem, October road closures, September 17, verified October 22, 2026).
Short answer. Don't drive into downtown Salem on an October weekend if you can avoid it. The Commuter Rail from Boston's North Station is $8 each way and takes about 30 minutes, with extra trains every October weekend. If you drive, the city garages charge $20 for up to 2 hours and $50 for longer on October weekends, the city's surface lots charge non-residents $40, and the lot at 108 Jefferson Ave is free on weekends but has no shuttle.
Where to park in Salem in October
| Option | Where | October weekend cost | Know this |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museum Place Garage | 1 New Liberty St, downtown | $20 up to 2 hours, $50 longer | Normally $1.25 an hour; closest to the Witch Museum and Essex St |
| South Harbor Garage | 10 Congress St | $20 up to 2 hours, $50 longer | Normally $0.75 an hour, $1.50 on weekends |
| City surface lots | Church St West and East, Salem Green, Old Salem Jail (161 Bridge St), Sewall St, Crombie St | $40 flat for non-residents | Residents with permits park free |
| Front Street and Washington Street lots | 48 Lafayette St; 201 Washington St | $7 an hour for non-residents | Short visits only |
| MBTA garage at Salem station | 252 Bridge St | $2 a day on weekends | The MBTA lists $5 weekdays and $2 weekends. On Halloween the MBTA bans vehicles in or out of the garage from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. (Destination Salem says the garage is closed 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.) |
| 108 Jefferson Ave | West of downtown | Free, Saturdays and Sundays | No shuttle; towing Monday to Friday; limited spaces |
| Shetland Park (Prime Storage) | 35 Congress St | $40 a car, $60 RVs and oversize; Saturdays and Sundays only | Private lot; cash or credit; no overnight parking (Destination Salem listing) |
| O'Keefe Lot, Salem State University | 225 Canal Street; lot entrance on Forest Ave, a 20 to 30 minute walk to downtown | $20 a car | Only on set dates: Oct. 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31 and Nov. 1; staffed 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; no overnight parking |
The city says garage, lot and meter rates "are subject to change on October weekends and holidays," and it doesn't list the weekend amounts on its October page. The $20 and $50 garage rates come from the city's own parking map and the parks director's description in the May 12 council minutes. Check the sign at the entrance. For questions, the Salem Parking Office is at (978) 745-8120.
The train is the easy way in
- From Boston: the Newburyport/Rockport Line leaves North Station; a one-way ticket to Salem is $8 and the ride takes about 30 minutes (MBTA). A $10 Weekend Pass covers unlimited rides.
- Extra trains: Keolis runs extra service every October weekend, 25 trains a day each way at Salem through October 25, and sells a $5 round trip between Beverly and Salem on those weekends (Keolis, schedule).
- Halloween, Saturday, October 31: the extra-train schedule ends October 25, so expect the regular Fall/Winter Saturday timetable: roughly one train an hour, the last train from Salem to North Station at 11:01 p.m. and the last from North Station to Salem at 11:50 p.m., arriving 12:23 a.m. (MBTA schedule data read October 20, 2026; check mbta.com before you go). The MBTA bans vehicle traffic in or out of the Salem station garage from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. that day, and the Salem Depot busway closes at 6 p.m.
Rules that catch visitors out
- Resident-only streets run September 15 to November 1. Destination Salem puts the ticket at $75, and the council has considered raising it, so read every sign.
- The $10 "visitor permit" isn't for tourists. It is one guest permit per household, sold only to residents of eligible streets.
- Essex Street closes to through traffic, with no on-street parking, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and from noon on Fridays (Destination Salem).
- Private lots must register with the city, may take incoming cars only from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and lots under 50 spaces must have cars out by 11 p.m. (city overlay rules). Their prices aren't set by the city.
Questions visitors ask
How much is parking in Salem in October?
On October weekends the city garages charge $20 for up to 2 hours and $50 for longer, and city surface lots charge non-residents $40. The lot at 108 Jefferson Ave is free on Saturdays and Sundays, and the MBTA garage at the station is $2 a day on weekends.
Is there a shuttle in Salem this October?
No. The city says there is no city shuttle in 2026, including from the free lot at 108 Jefferson Ave.
Is there free parking in Salem in October?
Yes, at 108 Jefferson Ave on Saturdays and Sundays, with limited spaces and no shuttle. It is closed to the public on weekdays, and cars are towed.
What's the best way to get to Salem for Halloween?
The Commuter Rail from North Station, $8 each way. Downtown streets close to all traffic by noon on October 31.
Disclosure: ParkingAccess doesn't sell parking in Salem. The prices on this page come from the City of Salem, the MBTA, Destination Salem's lot listings and Salem State University.
Sources
All checked October 14, 2026.
- City of Salem, October Parking and Transportation: no shuttle, 108 Jefferson Ave, visitor permits, rate changes, Parking Office.
- City of Salem parking map data: garage and lot rates, including October rates.
- City Council minutes, May 12, 2026: shuttle contract and weekend garage rates.
- Destination Salem, Shetland Park / Prime Storage and Salem State University, Haunted Happenings parking: private and university lot prices, dates and rules, checked October 16, 2026.
- MBTA, Salem garage: weekday and weekend rates.
- MBTA, Salem, Keolis and the October weekend schedule: fares and extra trains.
- Destination Salem, October road closures and October overlay rules.