Fine marble and blooming gardens. Is this really a station? Union Station in Los Angeles is not only a train station but can be considered one of the historical buildings you should visit when in the City of Angels. Between 2014 and 2019, in view of the 75th anniversary of the station, a major five-year restoration was planned in order to make it shine. If you’re passing through Los Angeles, even if you don’t get there by train, be sure to stop by the station!
Contents
How to Get to Union Station, Los Angeles
The main entrance to the station faces N Alameda St, enclosed between Santa Ana Fwy and East Cesar E Chavez Avenue. If you have a car you can easily reach Union Station, but if you don’t want to deal with finding parking the best way to get there is in the most classic way to reach a station, that is, by train.
Of course, if you are already in the city, you won’t take a train to get to the station. Instead, you can use the metro. In fact, both the Red and Purple lines come through here, while the stops for the Gray and Orange lines are not too far away. Therefore, you can arrive easily by metro. Finally, there are also alternatives such as buses or Metrolink short-distance trains. On Union Station’s official website, you will find all the details, and we also have an article with many useful tips on how to get around Los Angeles.
Union Station Los Angeles History
Union Station was built in 1939 and is still the largest train station on the West Coast. Called today “The last of the great train stations”, it was intended to be the crossroads of the Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroads. The style of the building, designed by John and Donald Parkinson (father and son), is an example of Mission Moderne, or a mix of Spanish colonial architecture, Mission Revival, and Art Deco.
The design was intended to express how life in California was perceived, both eccentric and lavish. The enormous walnut ticket booth, giant brass-finished windows, Art Deco chandeliers, and inlaid marble floors are some of the examples of the style chosen to convey grandeur and affluence. It took about $11 million (which today would amount to $1.2 billion) to bring to life this railroad station that was inaugurated with three days of events attended by half a million citizens.
When Union Station first opened, there was a constant bustle of trains and people, with one hundred trains a day, loaded with troops, during World War II. Then, starting in the fifties, planes and cars began to dominate over trains and the train saw less and less traffic. In 1972, Union Station was designated as a historic-cultural monument and in 1980, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Why Visit Union Station
Union Station is not just a train station. It bears witness to a chapter of American history and does so with class. It is one of the most important historical buildings in the city of Los Angeles, but inside it also houses works of art and it is home to events and initiatives that make it an even more relevant place of interest.
Movies Filmed at Union Station
Before delving into what we can see in Union Station, let’s ask ourselves: where have we seen this building before? In fact, it looks familiar, there is a reason. Union Station has appeared several times on the movie screen. Many films set in Los Angeles include a scene in Union Station, at least in passing. There are 152 of them (at least as of 2021), some not so well known and others of great importance, such as Pearl Harbor (2001).
However, there are some movies that have scenes set right inside it, for example, Speed (1994), Drag Me to Hell (2009), and perhaps the most famous, Blade Runner (1982). In Blade Runner, the station is transformed into the waiting room of the police station. Moreover, in 2021, Union Station hosted none other than the Oscars! How better to express the connection between this station and the world of cinema, than with the most important Hollywood awards ceremony?
Art in Union Station
Union Station deserves to be included in a tour of Los Angeles for its distinctive architectural features, such as the clock tower, the hand-painted tiles that decorate the interior, and the vintage seats in the waiting room. Over the years, however, so many other forms of art have been added, both in Union Station and in the nearby Subway building, making this place a sort of passing museum. One example is the multifaceted “City of Dreams, River of History” (1995) by May Sun and Richard Wyatt. This large mural depicts early settlers and contemporary residents.
In the lobby of the metro station, on the other hand, we find the “Traveler” mural (1993) by Terry Schoonhoven, which intertwines historical and contemporary references of travel to Los Angeles and creates the illusion that the station corridor continues into the artwork. The variety of art spans from paintings to benches, fountains to mosaics. You can see the main ones on this website. Every year the station also hosts temporary exhibitions, both art and photography, so anytime you go to Los Angeles you can find something new and breathtaking at Union Station.
Union Station Events
Art is prevalent in Union Station, but it is not limited to artworks. In addition to exhibitions and displays, in fact, the premises of the station also open their doors to shows, concerts, and events of various kinds. On this website, you can check if there will be any public events you can attend while you’re in Los Angeles.
Places to eat in Union Station
By now, you know that Union Station is much more than a station. From a major crossroads for local and national transport, it has become over time a container of various art forms, as described above, but that’s not all. Inside there are restaurants, bars, and meeting places that make it an ideal place to grab a bite to eat during your visit to the city.
If you are passing through, you may find it useful to know that here you can find places to have coffee, a snack, or a quick lunch. There are multiple Starbuck locations, Green Bowl 2 Go for salads and other light and quick dishes, Subway or even Wetzel’s Pretzels for German doughnuts and other snacks. In terms of dining options, there are breweries or restaurants, such as Imperial Western Beer Co. and the Streamliner, which offers craft beers and American fare, or Traxx for elegant dining.
Union Station Tours
Metro Community Education offers free guided tours of the station for groups of 5 to 40 participants. These tours last about 30 minutes and require reservations at least one week in advance. Full details are available on the dedicated page. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a walking tour that takes you to all of Los Angeles’ historic sites, including Union Station, here are a couple of interesting options:
Where to Stay Near Union Station
The best area to find accommodations in the vicinity of Union Station is definitely in the Los Angeles downtown area, which I also recommend due to its strategic location with respect to other major Los Angeles attractions. You can find more specific tips for this and other neighborhoods in the city by clicking on the link below.
