Chicago Union Station is the great hub of American long-distance rail: it's where Amtrak's cross-country trains to the Rockies, the Pacific coast and the Gulf all begin, and it's also a working commuter terminal for hundreds of thousands of Metra riders a day. The building itself, with its soaring Great Hall, is worth a few minutes of your time even if you're not catching a train. Here's how to find your way through it.
The Great Hall and the concourse
Union Station is really two connected spaces. The Great Hall, on the building's west side, is the grand original waiting room — a barrel-vaulted skylight, marble floors and the kind of scale that made train travel feel like an occasion when the station opened in the 1920s. Amtrak passengers can wait here for general boarding calls, and it's a genuinely pleasant place to sit rather than a leftover formality. The concourse, on the station's east side, is the more functional half: ticketing, most retail, and the platforms themselves, both for Amtrak and for the Metra lines that use Union Station. The two halves are connected by a wide passageway, so it's a short walk rather than a real separation, but it's worth knowing which one you actually need — boarding announcements and gate information are concourse-side.
Amtrak's long-distance departures
Union Station is the western anchor of Amtrak's long-distance network, and several of its best-known routes start here: the California Zephyr runs west across the plains, the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada to the San Francisco Bay Area, a roughly two-night journey that's among the most scenic in North America; the Empire Builder heads northwest to Seattle and Portland; the Southwest Chief runs to Los Angeles via the desert Southwest; and the City of New Orleans and Texas Eagle head south. Shorter corridor trains also radiate out from here to Milwaukee, Detroit, St Louis and beyond. Our USA by train guide puts Chicago's role in the wider Amtrak network in context, and if you're booking a sleeper for one of the overnight routes, our roomette vs bedroom guide explains the difference in space and price.
Metra commuter trains
Union Station also handles several of Chicago's Metra commuter lines, including the BNSF Line and the Milwaukee District services, with Metra ticketing and boarding concentrated on the concourse level rather than the Great Hall. It's worth being precise about this, because Chicago has more than one downtown Metra terminal: some lines, notably the Union Pacific North, Northwest and West lines, use a different station entirely — the Ogilvie Transportation Center, a few streets away — while others use LaSalle Street Station. If you're catching a Metra train, double-check which terminal your specific line uses before you arrive; turning up at Union Station for an Ogilvie-only line means an extra walk you hadn't planned for.
The Metropolitan Lounge
Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounge at Union Station is a quieter alternative to the Great Hall for travellers with a long-distance sleeper booking, business-class ticket, or certain Amtrak Guest Rewards status, and it's also open to anyone via a same-day single-visit pass. Inside there's seating away from the main crowds, workstations, a children's area, and luggage storage while you wait — genuinely useful before an overnight departure like the California Zephyr, when you might otherwise be sitting with your bags for a couple of hours. It's not a given amenity for every ticket type, so check whether your fare or status qualifies before assuming you can use it.
Luggage storage
Beyond the Metropolitan Lounge's luggage service for eligible passengers, Union Station has general left-luggage options for other travellers, useful if you've a gap between arriving and a hotel check-in, or want to see the Loop before an evening departure. As with most big US stations, it's worth checking current opening hours and location directly with the station, since services and their exact spot in the building can shift. If you're heading west on one of Amtrak's other classic long-distance trains rather than the Zephyr, our Coast Starlight guide covers the Pacific coast route from Seattle to Los Angeles.
Getting into the city and to the airports
Union Station sits in the West Loop, within easy walking distance of Chicago's financial district and a short ride from the rest of downtown by bus or the CTA. For the two airports, O'Hare and Midway are both reached by CTA rail lines rather than directly from Union Station itself, so budget time for a transfer; our Chicago airport to city guide covers both routes in detail. If you're planning to use Chicago's local transit while you're in town, our Ventra card guide explains how the fare card works for buses and the CTA.
Changing trains here
Transferring between two Amtrak long-distance trains, or between Amtrak and a Metra line that also uses Union Station, is a manageable walk across the concourse rather than a scramble — but Amtrak's long-distance trains are notorious for running late over their multi-day routes, so a same-day connection built on a tight margin is riskier than it looks on paper. If you're connecting onward to another Amtrak route such as the City of New Orleans to Chicago route, or planning a wider western itinerary, it's worth checking Amtrak's own status tools shortly before you travel rather than relying solely on the printed schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Metra trains depart from Chicago Union Station?
No. Union Station handles several Metra lines including the BNSF Line, but others — notably the three Union Pacific lines — use the separate Ogilvie Transportation Center nearby, and some use LaSalle Street Station. Check your specific line before you travel.
What is the Metropolitan Lounge and can anyone use it?
It's Amtrak's premium waiting lounge at Union Station, available to sleeper passengers, certain status holders and business-class ticket holders, and to anyone else via a same-day single-visit pass. It offers quieter seating, workstations and luggage storage.
Which Amtrak long-distance trains start at Chicago Union Station?
Several major routes originate here, including the California Zephyr to the San Francisco Bay Area, the Empire Builder to Seattle and Portland, the Southwest Chief to Los Angeles, and the City of New Orleans and Texas Eagle heading south.
How do I get to O'Hare or Midway airport from Union Station?
Neither airport is served directly from Union Station; you'll need to connect to the CTA rail network (the Blue Line for O'Hare, the Orange Line for Midway) elsewhere in downtown Chicago, or take a bus, taxi or rideshare.
Sources and further reading:
- Amtrak routes, schedules and the Metropolitan Lounge: Amtrak.
- Metra commuter lines and terminals: Metra.
- Practical station navigation: The Man in Seat 61.