Union Station is a major transportation hub serving the Capital Region. Located blocks from the US Capitol, Union Station is Amtrak's second busiest station with ridership over 5 million passengers a year. Also serving MARC and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) commuter train service, as well as WMATA Metrorail and several bus lines including Greyhound, Bolt Bus and the DC Circulator, Washington's Union Station is always getting people to where they need to go.
Opened in 1909, Union Station was the brainchild of Daniel H. Burnham, the principal architect of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Creating a structure using the Beaux-Arts style, Union Station's arches symbolize its primary function as a gateway. According to UnionStationDC.com, the "white granite and classic lines of Union Station set the mode for Washington's classic monumental architecture for the next 40 years through the construction of the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the Federal Triangle, the Supreme Court Building and the National Gallery of Art."
After falling into disrepair, a public/private partnership was formed in 1981 to restore Union Station. With $160 million in funding, it was the largest, most complex public/private restoration project ever attempted in the United States.
Union Station is more than just transportation. With over 210,000 square feet of retail space and 100,000 square feet in office space (used as the corporate headquarters for Amtrak), Union Station has more than 90,000 daily visitors. There are over 30 eating establishments and 100 retail outlets selling everything from clothing, mobile phones and DC Lottery tickets.
Parking Information: 2,194 spaces are currently available in the Union Station Parking Garage. The garage is multi-tiered and has elevators, escalators and stairwells for easy access to the Shops, Restaurants and Transportation services at Union Station (Amtrak, MARC, VRE, Gray Line / Gold Line, Old Town Trolley, DC Ducks and Tourmobile). No reserved parking.
Bikestation: The Union Station location is located on 1st St NE just to the west of Union Station.