Union Station

The last of the great rail depots, a portal to a bygone era.

by Contributor at Citysearch

In Short
Built in the heyday of railway, Union Station opened in 1939 to incredible acclaim. During its first three days of operation, nearly 2 million people walked through its doors. Although the crowds have thinned a bit, the station is still a regular stop for local rail commuters. Union Station is not a tourist destination, per se. Still, you may want to visit to snap a picture of the long-promised central station of L.A.'s light-rail system (still in the works).

07/13/02

A new landmark

by netter1 at Citysearch

Union Station will probably never be as famous as Grand Central Station in NYC, but it's our own landmark train station. Now that the MetroLink and MTA are making good use of it, improving it's look and upgrading the local transit system, Union Station has become a NEW landmark. More people travel through there than ever before. I think if they added a couple more restaurants, even a fast food place or two, it would become an even bigger highlight of downtown.

I recently traveled Amtrak to Seattle, and again was awed by the beautiful decor of this station. As they have unused space (often used for filiming purposes), they could easily expand the entertainment/dining options in the local area. The small Traxx restaurant is nice, but an alternative would be a welcome addition.

• Pros: history, conveniently located
• Cons: crowded at rush times