SALEM, MASS. (WHDH) - After Salem’s mayor urged visitors to Salem last weekend to turn their cars around after parking lots filled up in the city, the MBTA and Commuter Rail operator Keolis are adding additional trains to the spooky city through the month.

“I’m grateful to Keolis and the MBTA for providing this expanded service for our busiest time of year,” said Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll. “Visiting Salem is fun, but trying to find a place to park is not. We strongly encourage visitors to plan ahead and take public transportation to get to Salem, so you can spend less time trying to find parking and more time discovering all that our city has to offer!”

Seven inbound trains and six outbound trains will be added to the Newburyport/Rockport Line during the weekends of October 22-23 and October 29-30. Seven additional trains will run from Salem to North Station, with at least two trains an hour after 6 p.m. There will also be four additional outbound trains from North Station to Salem, and two more outbound trains from Salem– one to Beverly and one to Newburyport.

“With historic crowds visiting Salem this Halloween season, we’re pleased to offer additional weekend Commuter Rail service during Haunted Happenings between Salem and North Station as well as between Salem, Beverly, and Newburyport,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “The extra Commuter Rail service is a convenient choice for folks heading to Salem’s festivities and an attractive alternative to driving into Witch City.”

He directed riders to mbta.com/CR to check the schedules.

“The Commuter Rail is a great option for people who want to enjoy the events in Salem,” said Abdellah Chajai, CEO and General Manager of Keolis Commuter Services. “We encourage passengers to plan ahead and arrive early for boarding.”

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