Washington's Union Station is a 1907 Beaux-Arts terminal near the Capitol, still a working hub for Amtrak, commuter rail, Metro and buses. The Main Hall, with its gilded barrel-vaulted ceiling, is free to walk into, and the National Postal Museum is next door.
A 96-foot coffered ceiling covered in gold leaf, modelled on Roman baths, above a marble concourse lined with statues of Roman legionaries.
The white granite front with its arched portico, and the Columbus Fountain and flag plaza on the plaza outside, which is a national memorial.
A free Smithsonian museum in the former city post office beside the station, covering mail history and stamps.
The station building is free and open to the public as a transport hub and shopping concourse. The National Postal Museum is free. Retail and dining hours vary and parts of the building have seen long-running renovation. Check unionstationdc.com.
You can walk in off the street, see the Main Hall and the facade, and be on your way in half an hour. No ticket, no queue.
Expect crowds and luggage at peak times. Early morning or mid-afternoon is calmer for photos.
The Capitol, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress and the Postal Museum are all within a short walk, so the station works as a start or end point.
Do I need a ticket to go inside?
No. The station is a public building. You only need a rail or bus ticket if you are travelling.
Which Union Station is this?
This page covers Washington, DC's Union Station near the Capitol, not the stations of the same name in Chicago, Los Angeles or elsewhere.
Is the National Postal Museum free?
Yes. It is part of the Smithsonian and admission is free.
How long should I spend?
Thirty minutes to an hour for the hall and facade, more if you visit the Postal Museum or shop and eat there.
Washington Union Station opened in 1907 to a design by Daniel Burnham, consolidating the city's rail terminals in a monumental Beaux-Arts building near the Capitol. Its Main Hall has a gilded barrel-vaulted ceiling nearly 100 feet high.
After decline in the mid 20th century it was restored and reopened in 1988 as a station and retail concourse. It remains one of the busiest rail stations in the United States and is overseen by the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation with Amtrak.
This page is an independent guide for visitors, covering Amtrak and the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation.
