Woonsocket Train Depot, Rhode Island
Historic rail siteFreeExterior and Hachiko statue can be seen anytime; the building houses state offices
Built by the Providence & Worcester Railroad in 1882 after fire destroyed the 1847 station, the Woonsocket Train Depot on Depot Square was hailed as the finest local station in New England and still anchors downtown Woonsocket.
- Brick depot completed in 1882
- Original station built in 1847
- Up to 26 trains a day
- Hachiko statue out front
- Polar Express departure point
Woonsocket Train Depot at a glance
- Hours
- Exterior viewable anytime; Historical Society open Wednesday 9 am to noon and Saturday noon to 2 pm, or by appointment
- Admission
- Free to view the depot exterior
- Train rides
- Polar Express excursions depart here in the holiday season (run by the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council)
- Seasonal events
- The Polar Express, Depot Square Photo Presentation, Main Street Walking Tour
- Plan for
- About 30 minutes
- Best for
- Fans of the movie Hachi and families on Polar Express day
- Best ages
- All ages
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Woonsocket Train Depot? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Woonsocket.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
The finest local station in New England
The Providence & Worcester Railroad built Woonsocket's first station in 1847, linking the city's textile mills to the rest of New England. In January 1882 a fire destroyed that wooden building, and the railroad replaced it the same year with a more substantial, fire-resistant brick depot. People at the time called it the finest local station in New England, and in its busiest years as many as twenty-six P&W trains a day stopped here for passengers and freight.
Automobiles and highways slowly took the traffic away, and passenger service ended by the 1960s. The depot survived and has been carefully reused, with offices for the Rhode Island Department of Transportation inside. In 2009 Depot Square became the main filming location for Hachi: A Dog's Tale, and a statue of the faithful dog Hachiko now waits in front of the station. The Woonsocket Historical Society, founded in 1915, includes the depot in its collections and walking tours.
Depot Square and its famous dog
The building's elaborately decorated brick exterior is the main sight, along with the Hachiko statue out front. Because the depot holds state offices, it is not a walk-through museum. For more of the story, the Woonsocket Historical Society, a short distance away on South Main Street, has research collections and runs walking tours and a Depot Square photo presentation.
Don’t miss
- The Hachiko statueIt honors the film Hachi: A Dog's Tale, much of which was shot at this depot in 2009.
- The 1882 brick depotAn ornate Providence & Worcester station built to replace the 1847 depot lost to fire.
- The Polar Express departuresEach holiday season the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council's Polar Express trains leave from here.
Say hello to Hachiko
Kids can visit the Hachiko statue and look at a grand old station any day of the year. The big draw for families is the Polar Express excursion at Christmas, which departs from the depot. Outside of that, plan a short stop rather than a full outing.
Plan your visit: tips for Woonsocket Train Depot
- The depot is at 1 Depot Square in downtown Woonsocket.
- The building holds state offices, so plan to enjoy it from outside.
- Visit the Woonsocket Historical Society at 42 South Main Street for more history.
Each holiday season the Woonsocket Train Depot is the departure point for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council's Polar Express excursions, with Santa on board. Tickets and dates come from the tourism council, not the historical society. For more holiday rides, see our list of Christmas train rides in Rhode Island.
The Woonsocket Historical Society
The Woonsocket Historical Society, founded in 1915 and revived in 1947, collects and shares the city's history, including the story of the depot. It welcomes members, volunteers, research questions and donated artifacts through its contact form or by phone.
More rail history near the Blackstone Valley
Slater Mill in Pawtucket is about 11 miles away, and the Old Colony & Fall River Railroad Museum is about 28 miles. The Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad is about 31 miles off. See all Rhode Island train museums.
- Slater Mill / Blackstone Valley railway-history exhibitsPawtucket, RI · about 11 mi
- Old Colony & Fall River Railroad MuseumFall River, MA · about 28 mi
- Newport Railway / Newport & Narragansett Bay RailroadPortsmouth / Newport, RI · about 31 mi
- Boston Street Railway Association historic collectionBoston area, MA · about 33 mi
- Rhode Island Railroad MuseumWoonsocket area, RI · about 36 mi
- Edaville Family Theme Park historic railroad collectionCarver, MA · about 40 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
A statue of a loyal dog waiting at a train station made me tear up a little. Rally is loyal too, though he would rather be on the train than waiting beside it. In our book his short corgi legs cannot climb the big train stairs, so Dad lifts him up. I like to think Hachiko would have appreciated that little boost.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Rhode Island: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Rhode Island
- Halloween train rides in Rhode Island
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Woonsocket Train Depot?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Woonsocket Train Depot: 20 questions answered
Where is the Woonsocket Train Depot?
The Woonsocket Train Depot is at 1 Depot Square in downtown Woonsocket, Rhode Island. It sits in the heart of the city on the square that grew up around it. The Woonsocket Historical Society, which tells the depot's story, is nearby at 42 South Main Street, Garden Level.
When was the Woonsocket Train Depot built?
The current brick depot was completed in 1882 by the Providence & Worcester Railroad. It replaced the original wooden station of 1847, which was destroyed by fire in January 1882. The new building was designed to be more substantial and fire resistant.
Can you go inside the Woonsocket Train Depot?
The depot now houses offices for the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, so it is not open as a museum. Visitors can see the decorated brick exterior and the Hachiko statue out front, and Polar Express riders gather there during the holiday season.
Was Hachi: A Dog's Tale filmed at the Woonsocket depot?
Yes. Depot Square was the main filming location for the 2009 movie Hachi: A Dog's Tale, starring Richard Gere, and much of the film was shot at the historic depot. A statue of the faithful dog Hachiko stands in front of the station to mark it.
Where is the Hachiko statue in Rhode Island?
The Hachiko statue stands in front of the Woonsocket Train Depot at 1 Depot Square in downtown Woonsocket. It commemorates the filming of Hachi: A Dog's Tale at the depot in 2009, and fans of the movie often stop for photos with it.
Does the Polar Express leave from Woonsocket?
Yes. The Woonsocket Train Depot is the departure point for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council's Polar Express excursions in the holiday season, with Santa aboard. Tickets and schedules come from the tourism council, so check its listings well before December.
How much does it cost to see the Woonsocket Train Depot?
It is free to see the depot and the Hachiko statue from outside at any time. Polar Express tickets are sold separately by the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, and the Woonsocket Historical Society does not post an admission fee for its own visiting hours.
Which railroad built the Woonsocket station?
The Providence & Worcester Railroad built both the original 1847 station and the 1882 brick depot. The line linked Woonsocket's textile mills with the rest of New England, and at its peak the P&W ran as many as twenty-six trains a day through the station.
When did passenger trains stop at Woonsocket?
Passenger service at the Woonsocket depot ended by the 1960s, as automobiles and highway travel drew riders away from the railroad. Freight and passenger traffic had been heavy in earlier decades, with up to twenty-six trains a day in the depot's busiest years.
Why was the Woonsocket depot called the finest local station in New England?
When the brick depot opened in 1882, contemporary accounts praised it as the finest local station in New England. It was an elaborately decorated building, and the praise showed both community pride and how important rail travel was to Woonsocket's economy and daily life.
Who uses the Woonsocket Train Depot today?
The historic depot has been repurposed to house offices for the Rhode Island Department of Transportation. It also serves as the departure point for the Polar Express excursions run by the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council each holiday season.
Is the Woonsocket Train Depot good for kids?
It makes a short, fun stop, especially for kids who know the Hachi story or love dogs. They can see the Hachiko statue and an old brick station. The best family time to visit is during the Polar Express season, when trains depart from the depot.
What are the Woonsocket Historical Society hours?
As of October 2026, the Woonsocket Historical Society lists visiting hours on Wednesdays from 9 am to noon and Saturdays from noon to 2 pm, or by appointment. It is at 42 South Main Street, Garden Level. Call (401) 356-0067 to confirm before visiting.
Does the Woonsocket Historical Society have depot tours or talks?
The society lists a Depot Square Photo Presentation and a Main Street Walking Tour among its events. Check its events page for dates. A self-guided walking tour map with QR codes also includes the depot, with a video telling its history.
How do I contact the Woonsocket Historical Society?
Call (401) 356-0067, email woonhistsoc@gmail.com, or use the contact form on woonsockethistoricalsociety.com. The society answers questions about Woonsocket history, membership, volunteering, research and donating artifacts, and says it will get back to you as soon as possible.
When was the Woonsocket Historical Society founded?
Six Woonsocket residents filed an agreement with the Rhode Island Secretary of State to form the Woonsocket Historical Society on March 28, 1915. Its charter lapsed in the late 1930s, and residents revived the society in April 1947. Frank A. Jackson was its founder and first president.
Where do I park to see the Woonsocket Train Depot?
No dedicated parking for depot visitors is posted online. The depot is in downtown Woonsocket, so look for street or public parking near Depot Square. On Polar Express days, follow parking directions from the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council.
How long should I spend at the Woonsocket Train Depot?
Plan on about 30 minutes to see the depot exterior, take photos with the Hachiko statue and walk Depot Square. Add time for the Woonsocket Historical Society on Wednesday mornings or Saturday afternoons, or for a Main Street walking tour.
Can I donate Woonsocket railroad items to the historical society?
Yes, the Woonsocket Historical Society accepts artifact donations. Its contact form has a donate an artifact option and a file upload so you can share photos. You can also call (401) 356-0067 to ask whether an item fits its collection.
What train attractions are near Woonsocket, Rhode Island?
Slater Mill in Pawtucket is about 11 miles away, and the Old Colony & Fall River Railroad Museum in Massachusetts is about 28 miles. The Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad, which runs scenic rides along the bay, is about 31 miles from Woonsocket.
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