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Union Station
Rail Station and Bus Station
Washington
Has a stamp of approval from Travel + Leisure and Michelin Travel & Lifestyle
"Acela is the best!!!"(14 Tips)
"Beautiful architecture and a good way to be welcomed into the city."(30 Tips)
"Fantastic food court lower level, also good sit down Restaurants"(56 Tips)
"Best shoe shine in town!"(4 Tips)
643 Tips and reviewsFilter:
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Great for people-watching, when you have time to spare. Security/station staff are friendly & knowledgeable answering your questions. Head to the lower-level food court for additional dining options!
Upvoted 6 days ago
If you go off to the side of the main hall in between the Columbus Club and Thunder Grill, the room is nice and quiet. No one ever ventures in there. It's a nice way to find a seat to sit and get awayUpvoted 2 weeks ago
Kien NguyenMarch 30, 2015Beautiful architecture and a good way to be welcomed into the city. All the good restaurant chains are here for when you're waiting. There's shake shack, chop't, and chipotle.Upvoted 2 weeks ago
Beautiful station. Pretty easy to get around. Everyone here has to get where they have to go so stand to the side if you want to look around.Upvoted 1 week ago
HISTORYApril 1, 2010Completed in 1908, the station was the largest train station in the world at the time it was built. In fact, if put on its side, the Washington Monument could lay within the confines of the station.
Upvoted Dec 6, 2024
Bronwyn BaileyOctober 9, 2013Take advantage of the red cap service. For a small tip, they'll happily wheel your luggage to the train & let you board before the crowd.
since no one who works in the entire train station knows where these are: the ups + fedex drop boxes are located on the Amtrak concourse between the two escalators, next to Amtrak police booth.
beautiful train station with great pre train food options (chopt or shake shack) . don't forget to look up
One of the greatest stations in America. Amtrak, MARC and VRE can get you practically everywhere and there鈥檚 plenty of shopping, dining and amazing architecture in between trains to keep you busy.
A wonderful place to people watch. There's always something new and weird happening. Just make sure you're watching from the sidelines, not the middle of the walking path.
One of my favorite places in the district. You can shop, eat...and hop on one of the arteries departing the city.
Goksel TanNovember 26, 2017For Uber pick ups, if you dont have any luggage, cross the street towards your right and call the driver in front of the Postal Museum. It will save you time
Michelin Travel & LifestyleAugust 15, 2012The Beaux-Arts Union Station houses one of DC鈥檚 most popular shopping & dining complexes. Familiar retailers join American specialty shops like Appalachian Spring & Alamo Flags -- Green Guide Editor
Chris SheehyJuly 6, 2015Ask for help the first time using the ticket machine - the staff was especially friendly in walking us through the first ticket purchase. It was fast and easy after that.
Travel + LeisureNovember 14, 2014More than 70 retail outlets make Union Station a shopping destination. Check out the impeccably mixed architectural styles throughout the colossal building: from Classical to Beaux-Arts to Baroque. Read more
Take time to appreciate the architectural beauty. This travel hub provides means to getting around the city, as well as the region with Greyhound, Bolt Bus and Amtrak all making stops here.
If you ask a red cap to help you with luggage (it鈥檚 a free service but you should tip them), you can get seated on your train before boarding starts.
Parking validation available! If you're dropping off or picking up someone for the train/bus, you can have your parking validated. $1 vs $7. Validation machine at the entrance of garage
Parking overnight is expensive, use metro or car service if you are going for a few days. Make sure you see the main hall not just the train waiting area. Major history spot in DC.
This is a great place to take kids and watch the trains coming and going from Union Station. There's a raised platform that overlooks the tracks where you can watch.
Go upstairs and sit for awhile. Admire the architecture (though under restoration). Oh yeah, and Starbucks has free wifi near Amtrak. And don't sit on the floor, security will yell at you.
You can get anywhere on the East Coast from here. Visit it even if you're not traveling. Appreciate the architecture, the shops and the restaurants. It's a beautiful building.
It's embarrassing that Union Station is in the condition it's in and this is the first place most visitors see their first visit to Wash DC. #CLEANUNIONSTATION
There are excellent water fountains in the Main Hall just inside the main doors. One is next to the SBUX
Gates H-L Waiting Lounge have the best WiFi. It's right in front of Einsteins & Jamba Juice, and Einsteins is a better alternative than Starbucks and its long line anyway.
This is the start and the end of the Acela Express Service, with some service only going to New York and other Acela trains going through to Boston which is the final stop for the Acela Express xx
Taxi queue can be very long. If you're an Uber user calling a black car can be much faster and many wait on side streets. A one block walk can save 5 min of traffic gridlock!
Pay attention to your track assignment before you enter the exterior track boarding area. It鈥檒l save you time, frustration and worry.
Beautiful architecture, a myriad of good restaurants and shops. Being a major station, however, it's too much to handle for an introvert at times.
Whenever I meet guest and give them tours of Washington, DC, I always tell them that Union Station reminds me of Ellis Island. This beautiful architecture is the gateway to Washington, DC.
Washington PostSeptember 11, 2013Waiting around? Read this story about the "Millennial Trains Project." 24 twenty-somethings ride 3,000-miles aboard three chartered, mid-century cars, pulled by Amtrak locomotives. Find out why. Read more
Sean MillerDecember 28, 2019All kinds of food and shopping. Easy to spend 2 hours here on a layover between trains.
Eateries and shopping while you wait to board your train! Beautifully decorated for the holidays.
- Michelin Travel & LifestyleAugust 13, 2012Board the Old Town Trolley every 30min at locations around town. A ticket allows free reboarding. The Monuments by Moonlight Tour departs from Union Station nightly at 7:30pm. -- Green Guide Editor Read more
Elizabeth BursteinJune 17, 2017Beautiful train station w a Starbucks, shake shack, and more inside! Make sure you get to the train 10min before boarding!
No need to buy new shoes, stop by the experts and we will make your shoes better than new! @SHOESHINESAVANT on duty. Let us cater to you :-*
Charlotte CJuly 1, 2012The Amtrack staff is super helpful! A holiday weekend& there was a mixup with my train & one of the attendants did her best to get me on the next one which was already sold out,I really appreciated it
CurbAugust 12, 2011The cab stand waiting line out front is hellacious. Save 15 minutes with Taxi Magic on your mobile phone: book a ride and an immediate pickup at a side entrance (like 1st & G NE).
whatever you do, have the person you are picking up walk a block or two away from the station. It is impossible to pull up and pick up someone quickly...
Angela LansburyJune 29, 2013A train trampled a tramp on the tracks outside Union Station! The tramp turned out to be a Senator's son and I sleuthed that the killer was a top aide looking to protect the Senator's reputation.
Geoffroy BablonMarch 31, 2014If the million calorie options at the food court downstairs isn't your thing, there's a Le Pain Quotidien on the west side of the main floor, with delicious sandwiches.
Brian ChamowitzMarch 20, 2014Juice/smoothie place downstairs (food court) is much better than the one upstairs (Jamba Juice). All natural w/ no added sugar and it's cheaper to boot!
Jen SDecember 30, 2011Unlike Penn Station, the tracks are announced pretty early ahead of time. Get to your train's waiting fairly early in order to get close to the front of the line.
The Amtrak Northeast Regional heading north switches from a diesel to an electric engine here. You have about a 20 minute stop here w/out power on the train. Great opportunity for a nap!
Mia SMarch 27, 2023Beautiful building. Even if there are no seats they will not allow floor-sitting. Problem with beggars on food court level. Overprice chargers, always bring your own. No charging stations.
- The netting is to catch falling debris that resulted from the earthquake 2 years ago. Repairs are underway, so it'll be gone soon!
Check out the statue of labor & civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph. In 1963 Randolph organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where MLK delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
Great lower-level food court. Don't be cheap, spring for Ref Cap service, leave your bags, enjoy the building, and board early.
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Union Station
50 Massachusetts Ave NE (at Columbus Cir NE)
Washington, D.C. 20002
United States
Washington, D.C. 20002
United States
Open (Show more)
- Mon鈥揝un
- 24 Hours
(202) 289-1908
Features
Credit Cards
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
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Places inside Union Station
- 6.1
"I absolutely love this Starbucks. I go here every morning for quick, fast, and friendly service. You should too."
DJ Greenberg 
"A very large facility, of course, as you would expect with a bus terminal. Go inside and take the escalator down a level, and the Starbucks is just on the left. You can't miss it."
David Bouchard- 6.2
"Go for Barbacoa you will not regret it. and don't forget the guac!"
Tim Newton
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