14 Most Beautiful Train Stations in the U.S.
Train station architecture in the U.S. runs the gamut. You'll find stunning Beaux Arts structures, like the classic Grand Central or the petit depot in Greensboro, North Carolina; more modern, glass-filled atriums in Penn Station's new train hall; and even mishmashes of three different styles in San Diego. But these 14 stations are more than pretty facades, or even just simple railway hubs. Some feature museums, planetariums, hotels, and more, making them worth a visit even if you aren't hopping on the train. Below, find some of the most beautiful train stations in the country.
If you want to travel the rails further afield, check out our list of the most beautiful train stations around the world.
This gallery was originally published in January 2019. It has been updated with new information.
GettyGrand Central Terminal, New York City
At over a century old, the grande dame of train stations sees 267,000 people crisscross through its main concourse—passing the iconic information booth and four-faced clock—each day during a normal year. The most striking feature of the Beaux Arts station, though, is the constellation mural painted across its green arched ceiling. Astrologists beware, not all of the stars are in their rightful place.
GettyUnion Station, Kansas City, Missouri
While trains to Chicago, L.A, and St. Louis still run through the working station—built in 1914 and restored to its Beaux Arts glory after a prolonged closure in 1999—the real draws here are the more recent additions: a permanent rail history exhibit, a planetarium, science center for kids, and movie theater. Be sure to look up in the main hall to catch a glimpse of the three 3,500-pound chandeliers hanging overhead.
AlamyUnion Station, Washington, D.C.
The stunning arched main hall of D.C.'s Union Station is the centerpiece, featuring 22-karat gold leaf decorating the ceiling and 46 statues of Roman soldiers that appeared in the original 1908 station, according to Curbed. Besides being a working Amtrak station, the hub attracts visitors to its underground shopping concourse—a whopping 37 million travelers, shoppers, and D.C. natives annually.
Alamy30th Street Station, Philadelphia
You'll want to spend most of your time in one of the busiest station in the country looking up: five-story-tall windows and glamorous Art Deco chandeliers illuminate the interiors. Be sure to schedule time before your train to sit and people watch in the waiting room, which stretches some two football fields long.
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GettyUnion Terminal, Cincinnati
Everything about the central Cincinnati station screams Art Deco, thanks to two massive relief figures carved in stone on the buildings exterior. While the station still welcomes Amtrak passengers, it's been mostly transformed into the Cincinnati Museum Center—home to the city's history museum, children's museum, and the Museum of Natural History & Science. Visitors also head there for a look at Winold Reiss's restored ultra-colorful rotunda murals, which illustrate the history of the United States and Cincinnati itself. (Can't make it IRL? Take a 360-degree look inside the rotunda on Google Maps.)
AlamySanta Fe Depot, San Diego
Opened in 1915, the Santa Fe Depot is defined by its Spanish revival–style building reminiscent of 17th-century missions, and the rows of palm trees that line its track. The starting point for Amtrak's coastal Pacific Surfliner ride—ending in San Luis Obispo, California—the station has an impressive arched ceiling in its cavernous waiting room.
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Courtesy The Crawford HotelUnion Station, Denver
This Union Station, originally built in 1914, was renovated and restored in 2014 to include a hotel, three bars, all-day brunch spot Snooze an AM Eatery, and Ultreia, one of our favorite restaurants in Denver. The decor of the interior is relatively basic compared to other train stations on this list but the grand exterior of this Beaux Arts–style station makes our jaws drop every time.
Roy Rochlin/GettyMoynihan Train Hall, New York City
Did we ever think Penn Station—with its low ceilings and all around dinge—would make it on a list of the most beautiful train stations in the country? No, but that time has come, thanks to the attached gleaming Moynihan Train Hall that started servicing Amtrak trains in January. Housed inside the historic James A. Farley Post Office Building across the street, the hall features a 92-foot-high all-glass ceiling, an Art Deco–inspired clock at its center, and upgraded Amtrak lounges. Unfortunately LIRR and subway passengers will have to continue using Penn's main train hub, a far cry from the original Penn Station, demolished in the '60s, which rivaled Grand Central in glamour.
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GettyKing Street Station, Seattle
Bless the historians and preservationists who had the main hall of this station returned to its original form in 2010, after previous attempts to "modernize" the building by covering up its beautiful ceiling with run-of-the-mill acoustic tiles. Look down when you enter the building to check out the intricate mosaic floor tiles; it's clear why this entry is called the Compass Room. You won't be able to see inside the building's clocktower for yourself—it once made the train station the tallest building in Seattle—but local news channel KING-5 did a video tour last year.
GettyUnion Station, Los Angeles
If this train station looks different from the rest, that's because it pioneered its own architectural style, called Mission Moderne. Influenced by a mix of California classics like Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival and a dash of Art Deco, the building has spectacular wood-inlayed ceilings, 1930s-style chandeliers, and sweeping 110-foot-long ticket counter. Even if you've never been to the station, odds are you've seen it on screen: it's appeared in movies like Blade Runner, Catch Me If You Can, and Hail, Caesar!
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AlamyUnion Station, Worcester, Massachusetts
Less than 40 years ago, Worcester's Union Station in central Massachusetts was in complete disrepair, and Amtrak was actually using a separate station to service the area. But after a restoration in the late '90s, the station is as good as new, with its 175-foot-tall towers rebuilt and stained glass ceiling and marble floor returned to their former glory.
AlamyMain Street Station, Richmond
Travelers driving through Richmond will recognize the station's six-story brick clocktower that abuts Interstate 95. Inside, the fully restored station mimics the design of the original Victorian-era building—with a peach, green, and white paint scheme, according to Amtrak's Great American Station historical website.
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GettyUnion Station, Portland, Oregon
It takes a lot to look this good at 123 years old. There have been numerous renovations, starting in 1927, when Italian marble was added to the walls and floors, and later in 1987, with the restoration of the waiting room's detailed floral-patterned ceiling. As for the clock on the station's tower? It still has to be wound every seven days.
Rose-Marie Murray/AlamyJ. Douglas Galyon Depot, Greensboro, North Carolina
First built in the 1920s, the train station was restored in 2005 to welcome train passengers after nearly 30 years out of service. Now serving Amtrak’s Crescent, Carolinian, and Piedmont lines, the station's Beaux Arts architecture shines. The building's front features three-story-tall columns and an arched, glass entrance, while the small interior showcases murals from the era when the Southern Railway line ran through the station.