Today, Illinois celebrates the 100th anniversary of Chicago’s Union Station.
The landmark opened on May 16, 1925 as part of architect Daniel Burnham’s 1909 Plan of Chicago. Construction of the station began in 1913 and cost $75 million to complete. Along with the station itself, the project included several bridges and viaducts to ensure trains could move efficiently and separate from other traffic. The station quickly become a transit hub, connecting the Midwest to nearby railroads including the Chicago and North Western Railway, the Burlington Route and Pennsylvania Railroad.
Chicago Union Station is known for its architecture, specifically in the Great Hall which was restored to the public in 2018 after years of construction. Clad with Bedford limestone, the station was built in the Beaux-Arts style and includes large Corinthian columns and a vaulted skylight. The hall holds the Grand Staircases, which have been featured in iconic movies like “The Untouchables,” “The Sting,” “The Blues Brothers” and more.
Currently, Union Station facilitates travel to over 500 cities across the United States and holds 24 tracks and 30 platforms. Over 38 million passengers use the station annually with over 300 trains providing service to Amtrak and Metra passengers every day, making it the third most traveled train station in the country.
The Chicago Department of Transportation, Metra and the Regional Transportation Authority are partnering to make improvements to Union Station through a Master Plan unveiled in 2012. The plan includes efforts to expand station capacity, introduce green initiatives and expand multi-modal connections. Amtrakand Metra metra are collaborating on the Chicago Hub Improvement Plan (CHIP) to improve passenger rail service across Chicagoland and reduce carbon emissions.
After 100 years of service, Chicago’s Union Station will continue to be a transit hub for Chicago, Illinois and the entire United States.
