Union Station, Washington Visitor Guide 2024: Everything you need to know

Union Station in Washington has been operating for over one hundred years. When the station first opened in 1908 it was a revelation of monumental architecture, decorated with statues of Greek gods. Inside, the station was akin to a small city with all kinds of facilities like deluxe lounges, stores, tea rooms, and barber shops. Time took its toll on the busy transport hub though and it required a series of renovations to bring it up to modern-day standards.

The modernization of Washington's Union Station began in 1981 and took almost a decade to complete. After the work was finished the station had been returned to its former glory and was able to continue serving the millions of passengers who use it every year. Union Station in Washington still resembles a small city inside and is no place to be with baggage in tow. Leave your bags at a luggage storage service near Union Station and you'll be able to explore this impressive transport hub unhindered.

Bag policy at Union Station in Washington

Union Station in Washington is one of North America's busiest train stations with over five million passengers using its eighteen platforms and twenty tracks annually. When you are on the station concourse or anywhere in the installation, you must keep your bags with you at all times. Not only will leaving your baggage unattended initiate a major security alert, it may well inspire someone to walk off with them. Don't get left without your personal belongings and if you can't stay with them, use a luggage locker facility which will assure you of the safety of your property.

Food policy at Union Station in Washington

Not only is Union Station one of the USA's busiest, it's also one of the least boring to be stuck in while waiting for a train. There's so much to do at Union Station you could well find yourself hoping your train does get delayed. If you want to eat something reasonably decent then the best place to start is in the food court. There you'll encounter all manner of casual dining and fast food options as well as coffee shops. If you can't find anything to suit, there are plenty more restaurants and cafeterias on the streets around Union Station.  

Camera policy at Union Station in Washington

It is permitted for members of the public to take photographs inside Union Station in Washington. The photos taken should be for personal use only and not reproduced commercially. There's a lot of interesting features to snap inside the station building including the arched roof and the statues. You should be careful though not to include any other passengers in your shots unless you know them or have asked their permission first. It's a good idea to avoid snapping pictures of areas where there are security cameras or security staff, or you could find your equipment being confiscated.

Rules at Union Station in Washington

The rules that apply to using Union Station in Washington are comparable with the rules in place for the use of any public building in the United States. Good conduct is expected as the norm and any bad behavior can result in you being evicted from the station. Drinking alcohol in public, being drunk and disorderly, or being abusive to other passengers or station staff would all be classed as unacceptable behavior. Smoking inside the station building or in any of the on-site cafeterias or eateries is strictly prohibited and you will need to make sure you're twenty-five feet from the main entrance before you do light up.  

Lockers at Union Station in Washington

Luggage storage facilities at Union Station in Washington are non-existent, so if you were planning on leaving your bags there before going on somewhere else, save yourself the time and trouble. As large and efficiently organized a station as it is, luggage lockers seem to be the one amenity that has been overlooked.

The fact that there are no luggage lockers at Union Station isn't the end of the world. You can easily store your baggage at a Bounce luggage locker site near Union Station with no problem whatsoever. Bounce provides convenient and economical suitcase storage not just at Union Station, but all over Washington DC. There are Bounce luggage lockers to suit all sizes of bags and to hire one all you pay is a small daily per bag charge.