Description: The "Last of the American Great Railway Stations" was inaugurated in May 1939; however, it is considered small in comparison to other union stations, acting thus as an early sign of the decline of railways in America.
The station originally served the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Southern Pacific Railroad, and Union Pacific Railroad, as well as the Pacific Electric Railway and Los Angeles Railway (LARy).
Name
The current owner, Catellus Development, changed its name from the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (LAUPT) to Los Angeles Union Station (LAUS).
Location
Union Station is located in downtown Los Angeles, opposite the historic Olvera Street; it was built on the site of LA's first Chinatown.
Design
John Parkinson and Donald B. Parkinson (father and son) designed most of the station. They were assisted by a group of architects, including Jan van der Linden; the teamwork resulted in a architectural combination, which includes Dutch Colonial Revival Style (by the Dutch born Jan van der Linden), Mission Revival, and Streamline Modern style.
The station main hall floor is terracotta tile with a central strip of inlaid travertine marble. The lower part of the interior walls is covered in travertine marble, and the upper part is covered with acoustical tiles. despite the crowds, the station is pleasantly quiet. the main hall is of awesome dimensions, creating a sharp contrasts with the humble functionality of the corridors leading to the tracks.
Enclosed garden patios are on either side of the waiting room; in the past, passengers exiting the trains were directed through the southern garden. nowadays, they offer a pleasant sitting spot before stepping out into busy LA. Buying snacks at the station's cafeteria and bringing them out is possible and recommended.
Identity Checks
Amazingly, identity checks are carried out; passengers must hold identification papers at all times. Even in
China there is more personal freedom than in 21st century America.
Baggage
Baggage given away while boarding is received here at a carrousele very similar to the ones at airports. However, a sign warns getting the baggage may take up to thirty minutes; in my case it was about twenty. Before leaving the area a guard checks that the baggage tag fits the receipt the passenger holds.
Amtrak Lines
Amtrak offers four long distance trains out of Los Angeles: the Texas Eagle to San Antonio and Dallas, the Coast Starlight to Seattle, the Sunset Limited to Orlando via New Orleans (nowadays reaching only New Orleans), and the Southwest Chief to Chicago.
Metrolink Lines
Metrolink is the name of the main transportation system in LA, it includes subways and buses. Three rail lines (Red, Purple, and Gold) reach the station as well as several bus routes. the whole of LA is easily reachable from here. I strongly recommend buying a combined daily pass for the subway and the buses, for five dollars it provides access to everything between Holywood and the Pacific Ocean.
FlyAway
The FlyAway Bus service connects Union Station with Los Angeles International Airport. The blue buses operate every 30 minutes between 5AM and 1PM and on the hour between 1PM and 5AM just on the back exit of the Patsaouras Transit Plaza. Clear signs mark the way within the station. A one way ticket costs $4 for adults; special discounts exist. the trip longs up to forty minutes, depending on the road conditions.
Movies
LA Union Station has been featured in many films and thus is a very well known landmark. However, the most impressive apparition of the building on the silver screen was on the monumental Blade Runner, where the station's waiting area appears as the year 2019 police department.
Don't Run Away
It is worth planning the first hours in town at the station's surroundings. Beyond being an important landmark by itself, several attractions are located next to it. Across the road is "El Pueblo de los Angeles," the original downtown of the city. At its northern edge is Chinatown, that moved there when the station was constructed on its original site. Modern Chinatown sits on the original site of Little Italy. South of the station is Little Tokyo, LA's Japantown.
The Map
In my way out of the station, I approached the information desk.
"Do you have a transportation map of the city?"
"Sorry, we run out of them."
Reluctant to give up so easily, I noticed a map stuck to the desk. it displayed the transport lines in colors and seemed perfectly suited for my needs.
"Maybe you have one of these," I said pointing at it.
"Oh, that's a 'Dash.' That's the name of the local shuttle buses system. I can give you one."
Close