Everything you need to know about visiting Union Station (225 S Canal St, Chicago IL 60606)
This classic Chicago landmark opened in 1925 as a replacement for an 1881 train station. Today, the transportation hub runs Amtrak and Metra trains in and out of the city. Union Station also features a variety of retail stores, eateries, and offers a grand ballroom for banquets and weddings.
The main attraction
Whether you're waiting on a train or passing through the building, you can't miss Union Station's crown jewel, the Great Hall. That space, which lives up to its name, boasts a 219-food-long barrel-vaulted skylight that acts as the ceiling for the room. Film buffs will recognize the Great Hall from its appearances in movies like The Untouchables, My Best Friend's Wedding and Flags of Our Fathers, among others. If you have time to poke around, find the two Henry Hering statues—one holding a rooster and the other holding an owl—which represent the around-the-clock nature of an outpost like Union Station.
On the food front
Passengers looking to grab a bite before taking off can expect airport-like fare including Nuts on Clark, Gold Coast Dogs, Robinson's No. 1 Ribs and a bevy of fast food chains. More adventurous foodies will want to pad their schedules with time to explore the surrounding neighborhood for light bites and boozy drinks.
A transportation hub
Step foot near Union Station during rush hour, and you'll witness how many Chicagoans depend on Metra and Amtrak trains to get them in and out of the city. Metra services areas like Wheaton, Barrington, Winnetka and Homewood, while Amtrak connects passengers to Denver, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, New York and other cities across the country.
Our Chicago editorial team is constantly updating and reviewing the best attractions, activities and venues across the city, so that you're always in the know, with the best of Chicago at your fingertips. Chicago was most recently updated with new tips on June 28, 2017.