Union Station — Attraction in Washington

THE most BEAUTIFUL train depot station I have ever seen, along with Chicago's (also named "Union Station") and NYC's Grand Central Station. INSANELY intricate in its lavish design, being a native Washingtonian, I have visited numerous times beginning in my childhood. This is a major historic landmark in the area and It is WAY more than a train station—but a destination in its own right! There is an insane amount of high-quality shopping and dining on multiple levels. It even has an underground level where there is even MORE shopping, a food court and even a movie theater!! In fact many locals regularly visit for non-traveling purposes and it has the aura of an exclusive shopping mall. I miss the European cafe-style dining tables that were located in the station's most visually outstanding area called the Great Hall. It was so fun to people watch and take your time carefully examining architecture that is so amazing that almost all are awe-struck by its grandeur. Now you can only stop for a moment while passing through it on your way to the various train gates. After all these years it is still an underrated gem in American architecture, and a must for visitors who want a TRULY indispensable exploration of the nation's Capitol since it is visited frequently by us locals. Captivated by its magnificence, I've always taken NUMEROUS pics of this incredible wonder over the years, but have never posted online anywhere (not even FB or IG) until now. This time I was there during the late morning to early evening waiting for several hours so it was the perfect opportunity to publicly document this splendor with the pride it deserves, by sharing with others. Architecture like this makes me proud to be a native...

As someone who has ridden the train many times in Japan and China, the beauty of this train station never fails to impress me. It brings you back to a time where America had the greatest rail network in the world. Overall the station is quite clean and safe with many interesting shops (they have a Uniqlo there, how cool is that). But the surrounding area is not so good, so sometimes you end up with some questionable people in the station. One time when I was using the restroom, the guy in the stall next to me was passed out and had his hand on the ground. The wonders of American cities. The boarding area is a bit of a letdown and desperately in need of a renovation. I cannot wait for the Union Station 2nd Century Plan because it looks absolutely amazing. Regardless, even in its present form, this is a pleasant station to travel through and marks a highlight whenever I travel by train. I’m glad DC preserved its station rather than demolish it like New York did to its...

The building itself is very cool one problem is the lack of facilities. If you are there for an event and are coming in to use the bathroom and catch the subway good luck. The only general public bathroom is in the train departure area in the very back and the line likely to be very long. Couldn’t even spring for a couple Don’s John’s? I know they don’t want to attract the homeless but guess what, they are there anyway. Another firsthand experience was catching the red eye train to NYC at 4:30AM. Parked in the US garage at the rear only to find station doors locked with a sign closed till 5AM. Had to guess our way around front with no directions or lit walkways. Found one unlocked door. Thought it was just me not understanding but when we got to the back where the trains depart we witnessed people forcing the door open from the parking garage and about 2 dozen people came in to catch the same train. Unbelievable. The rest of the...