It’s true you need a car to get around L.A. but that’s not always the case. I’m an enthusiastic commuter of the L.A. Metro, especially when I go downtown. I’ve also taken the Amtrak train to destinations beyond such as San Diego and Santa Barbara. It’s always a thrill to get off at Los Angeles Union Station because it’s still the on ground transportation hub for our vast city.
Find more things to do and where to stay in downtown Los Angeles, here.
The station is a historical and iconic landmark that opened in 1939 and was designed in stunning Mission Revival and Art Deco style. The interior was renovated for the 2021 Academy Awards reviving its vibrantly painted ceiling.
The set of many memorable films
Union Station Los Angeles is a popular filming location, especially its historic ticketing lobby which is blocked off to the public and only used for banquets, special events, and movie shoots. Films that have been shot there include Catch Me if You Can with Elizabeth Banks and Leonardo DiCaprio, The Way We Were with Barbra Streisand, Blade Runner, Charlie’s Angels, Can’t Hardly Wait, The Dark Knight Rises, Pearl Harbor, and Best Picture nominee, Sea Biscuit.
Everything Everywhere All at Once, which won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2023 was also filmed there.
The history of Los Angeles Union Station
When it opened in 1939, Los Angeles Union Station became the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States. Before Amtrak took over, the Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe companies all rolled into Los Angeles along its tracks.
The building’s architects were the father and son team of John and Donald Parkinson who designed it in Mission Moderne. It is a combination of Spanish Colonial, Mission Revival, and Art Deco. The design expresses a vision of the California lifestyle by paying homage to Los Angeles’s Spanish heritage as well as the splendor of the film industry which was at its zenith when it opened.
It was the center of transportation from the East Coast to the West for decades until airplanes and cars gained popularity and train travel diminished. The station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
It is located in the oldest section of downtown L.A. on land that was once the original Chinatown. An odd mound can be found in the rotunda area that contains artifacts from the demolition of Old Chinatown.
The train station today
Union Station Los Angeles has evolved with the times but still retains its historic charm. Trains are still running up and down the coastline to Albuquerque, Klamath Falls and Eugene, Oregon, and Seattle.
Fine dining is available at the station. Traxx is located near the waiting room where you can enjoy a craft cocktail at the bar and classic new American cuisine in the dining area. Often, you can enjoy a piano concert near the bar.
Homebound Brew Haus is a gastropub on the South Patio. It used to be a Fred Harvey Restaurant. You may remember the film The Harvey Girls with Judy Garland. There were many Harvey House depots along rail routes in the Western United States.
Mary Colter was the original architect best known for her work on buildings at The Grand Canyon. She was chief architect and decorator for the Fred Harvey Company from 1902 – 1948.
The Harvey restaurant closed in 1967 but the building was also used for filming and events in the past.
Fast food and Starbucks are also available in the terminal for travelers who want a quick bite.
Read this Amtrak Guide for 15 Great Train Trips from Los Angeles.
The station today is the main gateway for the Los Angeles Metro Transportation System which includes the L.A. Metro Rail system, and Metro Link trains. Bus transportation is located adjacent to the station including the LAX Flyaway bus that takes passengers to Los Angeles International Airport.
Special events at the Station
The magnificent venue of Los Angeles Union Station is often used for events, concerts, art exhibits, and cultural programs. It also goes all out to celebrate the holidays hosting street markets, lighting ceremonies, and entertainment.
The lovely outdoor North and South patios are often rented out for corporate and social events, weddings, and other occasions.
For current Happenings at Union Station, click here.
Take a walk outside of the train station
If you cross the street from the main entrance of Union Station you will walk directly toward Olvera Street and the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. Shop, have a yummy Mexican lunch, or visit the Italian and Chinese American museums and LA Plaza De Culturas y Artes.
Chinatown is less than a mile away. The L.A. Metro Gold line from Union Station heads toward Azuza and the first stop is Chinatown but it’s also a fairly easy walk.
Philippe the Restaurant is famous for its original French Dipped Sandwiches. The restaurant opened in 1908 and is a quick walk from Union Station to 1001 N. Alameda St, 90012. Its sandwiches are to die for and they even have a sawdust floor.
Jump on the L.A. Metro
The Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles is not far from Union Station but you can also pick up the L.A. Metro Red Line at Union Station and get off at Pershing Square to see the Los Angeles Central Library, The Millenium Biltmore Hotel, Grand Central Market, the Old Theatre District, The Last Bookstore, Angel’s Flight, the Bradbury Building, and much more.
The Civic Center Red Line stop puts you within a block or two of the Disney Concert Hall, The Music Center, City Hall, Grand Park, and the Broad Museum.
The Red Line Ends at North Hollywood with stops at Hollywood and Vine and the Walk of Fame, Highland and Hollywood, and Universal Studios.
The Gold line is an above-ground ride through Pasadena, Arcadia, and Duarte that ends at Azuza. It also runs from Union Station through East L.A., including Little Tokyo, although part of it has been closed recently for renovation.
The E Line (formerly known as the Expo line) can be picked up at 7th St. and Metro off the Red and Purple lines. It ends at Santa Monica and stops near USC, Exposition Park, and Culver City along the way.
The Purple Line ends at Wilshire and Western with 2 stops in Koreatown.
The Metro A line (Blue) is mostly above ground and ends in Long Beach passing the L.A. Convention Center and Staples Center. Get off at 5th Street in Long Beach to see the Queen Mary and Aquarium of the Pacific.
The Los Angeles Metrolink, from Union Station, are trains that take you into Perris Valley, San Bernardino, Antelope Valley, Ventura County, Orange County, and Riverside.
Los Angeles Union Station
800 N. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
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