Union Station is as stunning as it is rich in history, and continues to be a vital hub for L.A. rail, metro, and bus transport. On the outside, the building resembles an art deco riff on the old California missions; inside, the inlaid travertine and terra-cotta floors show the sort of detail work so rare in modern depots. Local tip: Settle into one of the giant leather chairs in the cavernous waiting room and immerse yourself in the city’s seedy side with Chandler’s noir classic, The Big Sleep. (Without a ticket you can’t enter the waiting room, but you can at least enjoy the Navajo patterning on the station floors.)
Los Angeles Union Station Signage
Chris Putnam /agefotostock
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All Aboard an Architectural Gem
Union Station is as stunning as it is rich in history, and continues to be a vital hub for L.A. rail, metro, and bus transport. On the outside, the building resembles an art deco riff on the old California missions; inside, the inlaid travertine and terra-cotta floors show the sort of detail work so rare in modern depots. Local tip: Settle into one of the giant leather chairs in the cavernous waiting room and immerse yourself in the city’s seedy side with Chandler’s noir classic, The Big Sleep. (Without a ticket you can’t enter the waiting room, but you can at least enjoy the Navajo patterning on the station floors.)
Exploring L.A.’s Metro Art Scene at Union Station
I’ve read about and seen pictures of the fabulous art in metro stations around the world in cities like Stockholm, Naples, and Moscow. But considering that I rarely take public transportation here in L.A. – we Angelenos love our cars – I had no idea that there are such great artistic offerings on display in various metro stations around my own city until I recently took a tour of the Los Angeles Union Station and the Metro Gateway Headquarters Building downtown. In celebration of Union Station’s 75th anniversary, special tours of the station are being offered on various dates throughout the year. Led by a Metro art docent, the tour offered our group with access to various parts of Union Station that aren’t typically open to the public. During the tour, I also got to see some art on display in Metro’s corporate headquarters which is adjacent to Union Station. I highly recommend showing up for one of the Metro’s free art tours at Union Station for a look at some unique art and architecture in one of L.A.'s most iconic buildings. http://www.timetravelplans.net/los-angeles-union-station-metro-art/
All Aboard!
I recently did something unique -- to me, anyway -- in Los Angeles. I used public transportation to traverse the city. I grew up on LA and no one took public transport. That’s because there really wasn’t any. But on a recent visit I took the MetroLink light rail to Union Station -- a gorgeous art deco train station -- and then switched to the new-ish subway and took it to Thai Town for lunch. It was a very un-LA experience but one I hope becomes more and more LA as time goes on.
Underground In LA
Connection with several underground and west California Train
