If you’re meeting friends from the Surfliner, aiming a camera at those terra-cotta tiles, or figuring out the cheapest way to LAX, this is the place where the city actually works. The trick is knowing which side of the station to use, when to show up, and what’s worth your time between trains.
Yes, with a caveat. The historic spaces are gorgeous, but they’re not a museum. This is a live transit hub with a steady stream of commuters, families, Dodgers fans, and suitcase-dragging visitors. If you want a clean look at the Mission Moderne details in the waiting room and the Spanish-tile arcades, come early on a weekday and you’ll actually hear the fountain. The station is open to the public from 4 am–1 am daily. Overnight access between 1 am and 4 am is restricted to passengers with tickets for trains arriving or departing in that window, so don’t plan a 2 am photo session inside unless you’re traveling.
If you have 60–90 minutes, add the most local detour possible: cross Alameda Street to El Pueblo and Olvera Street. The marketplace is usually open daily 9 am–6 pm, which fits neatly into a layover. It’s close enough to jog back if your platform is called early, and it’s a real window into the city’s roots without trying to “do” downtown in one bite.
Want more structure? The LA Conservancy runs a recurring Union Station walking tour that typically lasts around two hours; a recent tour listed $25 for adults, $18 for youth and members. It’s a good way to see spaces that are easy to miss when you’re distracted by departure boards.
Union Station has two very different fronts. If you’re driving, pick your side based on what you’re doing.
Union Station East is the modern portal connected to Patsaouras Transit Plaza and Metro HQ. The garage is open 24 hours, allows overnight, and is priced for transit users: $2 per 15 minutes, $8 maximum per 24 hours. Long-term parking lives here only. If you’re leaving your car for 3–30 nights, you’ll need to complete the station’s overnight/long-term parking form and submit it to the East parking office before you go. It’s also where you’ll board the LAX FlyAway and Metro J Line buses, so if that’s your plan, aim for East.
Union Station West is the postcard face with the palm-lined forecourt and historic waiting room. Parking here is $2 per 15 minutes, $16 maximum per 24 hours, lots are open 4 am–2 am, and no overnight parking is allowed. Meeting someone in the grand hall or grabbing a coffee in the historic concourse? West is easier. Just don’t leave the car here if you’re catching an overnight Amtrak — you’ll be hunting for your vehicle at 2:15 am when the lot closes.
Electric drivers: EV charging is available on the East side (Level P2, areas D and H) and in West Lots D and G. Bike people: the Metro Bike Hub at Union Station offers 24/7 secure bike parking for registered users, which beats hoping an outdoor rack is still full of bike when you return.
If you’re choosing between saving money and saving brain cells, here’s what consistently works when you start at 800 N. Alameda.
| Option | How it works | Typical cost | Boarding spot at Union Station | Good when… |
| FlyAway bus | Nonstop coach to every LAX terminal. Buses run early to late, with frequent service. | $12.75 one-way. Pay contactless on board or via mobile/web ticket. | Bus Stop 1, Patsaouras Transit Plaza, Union Station East. Leave 10 minutes to walk from the historic side through the tunnel. | You want the fewest transfers and don’t mind paying to avoid guesswork. |
| Metro Rail + LAX shuttles | Ride Metro Rail from Union Station and connect to the LAX/Metro Transit Center, then take the free airport shuttle to terminals. | $1.75 base fare with 2-hour transfers, capped at $5/day or $18/7 days when you tap with the same card/phone. | Union Station platforms for the A, B, or D Lines. Follow signs downstairs for B/D or to the surface platforms for the A Line. | You’re comfortable transferring and want the cheapest predictable fare. |
| Drive + park | Park at Union Station, then grab FlyAway or Metro to LAX. | Union Station East $8/day or West $16/day, plus your chosen transit option above. | Park in East if you’re using FlyAway or the J Line; West if you’re meeting in the historic wing first. | You’re returning to Union Station anyway and want your car waiting. |
Wayfinding note that will save you five minutes of muttering: private cars no longer enter the Patsaouras Plaza level. If you’re being dropped off or picked up on the East side, drivers use the underground passenger pickup/drop-off accessible from Vignes Street, one level below the bus plaza. For FlyAway specifically, you want Bus Bay 1 at Patsaouras — not Alameda Street.
The station splits its food between the historic concourse and East Portal. If you only have ten minutes, you’ll find grab-and-go options in both places. If you have a little more time, the most unique sit-down option is inside the old Fred Harvey dining room, now home to Everywhere Los Angeles. The taproom and kitchen operate Sun–Thu 7 am–10 pm and Fri–Sat 7 am–midnight. If you prefer cocktails, The Streamliner bar tucked inside posts hours of Thu 3–10 pm, Fri–Sat 3 pm–midnight, and Sun 1–6 pm. It’s a rare chance to drink in a room that still looks like a 1939 train palace without leaving the station footprint.
If you’re sprinting: the East side has quick-service stands for coffee, pretzels, and snacks adjacent to the escalators down to Metro. On the West side, the historic arcade has staples like Subway and coffee. If you’d rather eat outside the station, Olvera Street is a two-minute walk for taquitos and aguas frescas during its roughly 9 am–6 pm day.
Public access runs 4 am–1 am. If your train or bus schedule lands you here overnight, you can still access the building 1–4 am only with a valid ticket for a departure or arrival during that window. Amtrak’s Metropolitan Lounge in the station is typically open Mon–Fri 5:30 am–10 pm, Sat–Sun 6 am–10 pm for eligible passengers and pass purchasers, which can be a lifesaver on hot or rainy days.
Union Station is served by Metro Rail’s A, B, and D Lines plus the J Line busway at Patsaouras Plaza. Base Metro fare is $1.75 with two-hour free transfers, and you’ll never pay more than $5 in a day or $18 in seven days when you tap with the same credit/debit card or TAP card. If you need a physical TAP, machines at the station sell one for $2, and the Metro Customer Center in the East Portal is typically open Mon–Fri 6 am–6:30 pm and Sat–Sun 10 am–6 pm for in-person help.
For weekend explorers, Metrolink still sells a $10 Weekend Day Pass valid systemwide on Saturdays and Sundays, which is an easy way to pair a coastal ride with a FlyAway hop if you’re squeezing in a same-day beach-and-flight combo. The fine print is friendly to families too, with kids riding free on weekends with a paying adult.
Amtrak riders will find Red Cap assistance in the concourse and a staffed baggage counter. If you want to store bags and stretch your legs in Chinatown or the Arts District, temporary baggage storage at Union Station is available through Amtrak’s baggage services at $20 per item per 24 hours for Amtrak customers and $30 per item per 24 hours for the general public with ID.
Casual, non-commercial photography is fine in public areas with a handheld camera or phone. If you bring a tripod or lighting, or you’re attempting anything commercial, you’ll need permits and coordination, and some areas may be off-limits. Save yourself the security chat and leave the sticks at home unless you’ve arranged a shoot.
- Meeting an arriving train? If you parked on the West side, the benches in the grand waiting room are still the easiest rendezvous point. Give yourself 5–10 minutes to reach the intercity platforms via the tunnel in case your person is already rolling down Track 9 with baggage in tow.
- Going to a Dodgers game? The Dodger Stadium Express leaves from Union Station and is free with a game ticket. Lines start forming early for giveaway nights; plan to be at the loading area at least an hour and a half before first pitch if you care about the bobblehead.
- Need a quiet corner? If you’re not lounge-eligible, the North Patio and South Patio just off the historic hall are good breathers between departures, and they’re often calmer than the main concourse after mid-morning.
- Reloading fare or fixing a TAP issue? The East Portal Customer Center hours (Mon–Fri 6 am–6:30 pm; Sat–Sun 10 am–6 pm) save a lot of machine-wrestling. It’s also where you can replace a lost TAP and protect your balance.
- The B/D Line turnstiles are latched for both entry and exit at Union Station. You must tap in and out. If you came from Metrolink/Amtrak with a valid regional ticket, look for the readers that accept that barcode/QR to exit.
- The A Line stop is at the surface on the north side of the complex, separate from the B/D subway. If you’re transferring from Amtrak, follow the “Metro A Line” signs so you don’t end up backtracking through the tunnel.
- If you’re boarding the J Line or FlyAway, build in extra walking time to cross to Patsaouras Transit Plaza on the East side. From the West hall, the tunnel walk plus escalators can eat 8–10 minutes during crowds, which is exactly the time window when a coach pulls away.
- If you’re leaving a car overnight for a multi-day trip, use Union Station East. West lots will not let you leave the car past closing, and you don’t want your return to end with a tow conversation.
Registered riders can park at the Union Station Metro Bike Hub 24/7, a secure facility with controlled access. For travelers with mobility needs, the station offers both elevator access to platforms and staff who can assist with courtesy carts or Red Cap service. If long platform walks are tough, budget a few extra minutes and ask at the concourse; staff here do this all day.
Security is visible and active here. You’ll see station personnel and officers in both the historic hall and the East portal. Restrooms are inside the paid areas of activity and follow the building’s 4 am–1 am public hours. Amenities are better than most stations: there’s a staffed shoeshine stand, fuel-rod mobile charging kiosks, and a proper ticketed lounge if you qualify or purchase access.
Head to Patsaouras Transit Plaza on Union Station East and look for Bus Stop 1. Allow 8–10 minutes if you’re walking from the historic West side. The fare is $12.75 one-way, payable with a contactless card or a mobile/web ticket.
No. Public access runs 4 am–1 am. Overnight access between 1–4 am is limited to passengers with valid tickets for trains arriving or departing during that window.
Yes. The baggage services counter at Union Station offers temporary storage to the general public with photo ID at $30 per item per 24 hours. If you’re an Amtrak customer, the rate is $20 per item per 24 hours.
Union Station is served by the A, B, and D rail lines and the J Line busway. Pay with the same TAP card or the same credit/debit card and you’ll never pay more than $5 in a day or $18 in seven days, with $1.75 base fare and two-hour free transfers.
If you only have time for one decision before you go, make it this: choose the East side if you need buses, FlyAway, or long-term parking; choose the West side if you’re meeting under the chandeliers and want the classic entrance. Everything else gets easier once you start on the right side of the building.
Published: September 10, 2026 · Reviewed by the This Los Angeles editorial team