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Union Station
Categories: Hotels & Travel Transportation Public Transportation Public Services & Government Landmarks & Historical Buildings Public Transportation, Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
65 Front St WToronto, ON M5J 1E6
(416) 393-4636
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5:30 am - 1:30 am
32 reviews for Union Station
Review Highlights
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"I have been to many train stations all over the globe, and..." In 10 reviews -
"During rush hour, hoards of people quickly zoom in every..." In 3 reviews -
"com/biz/grand-central-terminal-new-york), but it`s clean..." In 3 reviews
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32 reviews in English
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Review from Michael L.
Richmond Hill, ON
This station captures the soul of Toronto. Balancing the amazing history that has blessed this city with the current modernization trend that the station is transforming under.
The station, in my opinion, evokes a sense of grandeur that we as a city take for granted. It makes Toronto a city with character and thats what I love about Union Station and other iconic city buildings.
The service in the station itself is pretty good for the main terminal with Via and Go Transit working at a fairly good pace. The other half inhabited by the TTC is not quite as well managed, but that can be attributed to the lack of long term vision that has come to describe the Commission in recent years.
I really hope that Union Station continues to inspire the city's inhabitants as that is what good infrastructure should do. It has its flaws, but to judge the building based on the actions of some short sighted politicians would be doing a great disservice to the hard working planners who guide the city's growth. -
Review from Thom H.
1/21/2012
I don't know what is sadder: the fact that they finally closed that stupid video arcade and replaced it with nothing or the fact that it's 2012 and they just now closed that stupid video arcade.
This place is makes the worst possible first impression for anyone arriving in Toronto. The lighting in the once magnificent main hall is basically a single glaring bulb borrowed from a hockey rink. The hall has lots of space for milling about but very little for sitting. Meanwhile, the lower level is crowded in every dimension. You can practically touch the dingy 1960's acoustic ceiling tiles. And there's no easy way to get anywhere. There are booths and ATMs in jutting out from every angle. The whole place desperate for a feng shui makeover.
For some reason, the grand hall is reserved for the token few who take a Via Train while the teeming hords of washed masses have to fight their way around all the donut stands. The whole place reminds me of Casa Loma: it's another landmark that's been left in the hands of amateurs for way too long. -
Review from Leslie W.
1/13/2012 10 Check-ins Here
BOTTOM LINE: Pretty on the outside, pants on the inside - it's the poster boy for dreariness.
DISCLOSURE: I don't take a lot of trains, but my 5-star train station would be the Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Union Station may very well be the worst.
When you stroll along Front Street, Union Station is majestic and inspiring; when you enter the main foyer, the enormity is breathtaking; however, the moment you descend into the GO Train dungeon, it's like you're getting clotheslined by the Hulk Hogan of dreariness. It's dim, dirty and cramped. The seats can be gross with stains. There's always some unidentified odour because the ventilation is limited. The food selection and shopping is spectacularly dull. Worst of all, I get nervous whenever I wait for a train on what amounts to a balance beam of platform gymnastics. During rush hour, people's toes are teetering off the edge as the train rolls in!
Plans to redesign the inside were supposed to have began in January 2010, but it's 2012 and I can't say much has changed. It's too bad management is so disinterested because it could be so pretty... -
Review from Ivy M.
5/8/2012 3 photos
We sort of wandered here by accident, but I deeply admire the architecture of the building. Great for photos!!
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Review from A.J. S.
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Union Station connects the TTC, Go Train, VIA train, and other transit. It connects to the Air Canada Center, the CN Tower, and the Rogers Center. The station lies right on the Path, and it is a great old historic building. I guess the downside of the building is, it's not very well planned. It's just sort of been built, and added to for so long, that it's not a very user friendly building to us. Not to mention the fact that it's not very accessible to people who have mobility issues.
The train station is decent, but it needs work. -
Review from Courtney B.
Pickering, ON
4/1/2012 8 Check-ins Here
What can you say about a train station? It gets the job done. Plus, with the brown tiles, you can pretend you're back in the 1970s while you wait for your train out of TO.
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Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
2/16/2012
Yout are in a rush trying to.catch a train...and hungry!!!! Not to worry. Union station undrrground is your one stop shop to all your fast food cuisines. You will be able to smell one of two things: thr invogorating smell if cinnabonds which smells absoluyely delicious..or the.hearty big mac whch you will expext to see. Huge lineuo everthere are your typical coffee jojns-tim hortons and second cup. Therrs even a sushi counter. Dairy queenooks tempting too. Until nxt Time%£
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Review from Shanley W.
Toronto, ON
2/12/2011
I have a real affinity for this place that unfortunately doesn't seem to take into account all the things other people are complaining about.
After spending copious amounts of time riding these lines drunk, missing my buses and ending up in the wrong place, I've found their staff to be EXTREMELY accommodating, and very generous about trying to help you find your way back to where you want to be. The Union staff members are great, and the signs in Union station are always very up to date and straightforward about where you need to be and when.
Union has been one of my favourite places in Toronto since I was 12 and lived in the suburbs, and it will probably always continue to be ones of my favourite places. -
Review from Vivek S.
There is a strange irony about this place. As you pass through the majestic collonade facing Front St, you enter a truly awe-inspiring atrium with a vaulted ceiling and herringbone marble floors. In this 'Great Hall' is the ticket counter for VIA Rail, a Harveys fast-food restaurant, and a looming arrivals/departure board that makes you feel like you're truly in the Centre of It All.
But all the action takes place underground -- where the ceilings are low, the air is stale and the design borders on the 'municipal'. Nearly 100,000 bodies are shuffled around every day in this underground space, and it's a shame that they have to walk underneath the grandeur and not through it.
A few tips for the uninitiated. When arriving at Union Station you can access VIA Rail (inter-provincial transit), GO Transit (inter-city) and the TTC (light rail and subway). GO buses are located on the other side of Bay Street and can be accessed via an overpass. There are taxi cabs parked out front (on Front St), but more than likely one of the forms of transit can take you where you need to go. You can also access Toronto's underground PATH (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...), a network of tunnels which can take you as far North as Queen St and the Eaton Centre. Be warned, taking the PATH won't supply the most efficient route, but it is certainly a warmer route in the winter.
Your food options in Union Station are very limited. The Harvey's in the Great Hall is the least fast foodish of your options. If you can wait, get yourself to one block north to King Street where there are a tonne of restos close together.
While this isn't the easiest train station to navigate, nothing is impossible to find or too far away. The ticket staff are never too busy (except for the first day of the month when people are buying commuter passes) and will usually help you plan your route or find a platform. And for the busiest station in Canada -- there is a decided lack of squalor and sketchiness here. Though parts of it are homely, I find it a comfort to be here. But maybe that's because it reminds me so strongly which city I live in, and how lucky I am for it.
(And it smells like Cinnabon.)
Obligatory Title Pun: UNION/Union STATION blue (apologies to Debbie Harry)
Menu Readability: There are LCD screens everywhere, indicating departure times, platform numbers and routes.
Need to mention: Don't use the bathrooms downstairs. Head to the VIA Station, down the ramp towards the platforms and the cleaner washrooms are on your left and right. They are equipped with Dyson hand dryers.
What this place teaches me about myself: I really do love public transit.Listed in: Transit Whoas, Tips for Tourists to Toronto
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Review from Andrea Z.
Hamilton, ON
2/20/2011
I spend approximately two to three hours a week waiting in Union Station for the GO Train and I cannot deny it, the place is pretty dull. Since I'm having difficulty writing my thoughts out in paragraph form, here are some pros and cons.
Pros:
- Directly connected to the subway and PATH underground walkway. Therefore, you never really have to go outside!
- Excellent customer service. I've had no problems with the employees working at Union Station. They are constantly kind, courteous and polite even during the most hectic situations.
- New Tim Horton's now opened.
Cons:
- Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi networks available at Union Station are useless. Sometimes it takes more than ten minutes to just get a signal.
- Bathrooms. The bathrooms are always busy, dirty and have the worst layout ever. Not to mention, the soap dispensers are incorrectly placed, and I've seen numerous people wash there hands with only water.
- Giveaways. Whenever a vendor is giving free merchandise away, the place is a zoo. People always go crazy for free rice or pudding.
- Rush hour. During peak hours of the day, the place is a disaster. There are numerous design flaws that become evident during this time.
- Limited food choices. However, there is a new sushi place that just opened. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
12/8/2010
I'm sure debates will continue as to how Torontonians feel about this major Hub known as Union Station. As my friend arrived via VIA Rail, I myself looked around and didn't feel comfortable within the Historic portion of this station. This place seemed so gloomy, empty, unwelcoming, and somewhat trashy literally.
This was not the way I would welcome VISITORS to my home and I'm sure no one else would either. I didn't even bother sitting at one of the limited seats near the VIA Departure as they were mostly dirty. The Lobby while grandeur comes to mind has barely any seating and the stalls were barely staffed. The most populated area was Harvey's?
The new area which leads to Go Transit and TTC were much better in comparison but going over there meant passing a dingy Convenient Store, Arcade, Pub, and a closed-down LCBO. The doorways to enter were so small that I wonder why doors are even needed there?
As for myself, I am at this station from time to time using Go Transit, TTC, or going to the ACC for misc events. I don't think any doorways close at any one time, it's almost unnecessary. The Food area is fine the way it is which satisfies most people passing by. While waiting, I did notice the 3-levels of Government have plans to refresh Union Station so until that time this Transit Hub is in serious need of some TLC.Listed in: T.O.urist in Town
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Review from Michelle A.
Toronto, ON
As far as train stations go, Union Station is very typical - big black arrival/departures board, clocks, hamburgers, a candy store, etc.
However, the Go Train area is much uglier than the Via area. If you have to head to the suburbs, you'll hop on the GO. It's in the basement, it's messy, there are no beautiful clocks, high ceilings or glass windows... it smells like cinnamon buns and McDonalds. There's a Dairy Queen right by the departure announcement board, so lots of grown men are always eating plain vanilla ice cream cones all year long - it's kind of bizarre.
Some of my favourite parts of Union:
1) Bagels - great bagel place by the ticket booth that sells every type of bagel you can imagine (my fav is pumpernickle toasted with peanut butter) and coffee for about $2.
2) Coffee - There is a Second Cup kiosk AND a store, which is handy during rush hours - the kiosk usually has a shorter line. There is also a Starbucks hidden in the path beside the TTC, and one through the Via Station - at the exit facing Bremner Street.
3) The convenience store beside McDonalds has lots of snacks to help you make it to dinner - fresh fruit, little handfuls of nuts wrapped up in saran wrap; granola bars; etc.
4) LCBO - by stairs to Via trains. It's very handy.
5) Automated ticket booths - these are much faster (usually) - they could use a few more of them though.
And a few dislikes...
1) Weird sales - there are always these little vendors set up selling random books, scarves, sheets, etc. It's always for the crappiest junk nobody wants - don't get excited, you're better to browse the magazine store instead.
2) Protests - whenever anyone in Toronto wants to make a statement, they choose to parade through Union Station during rush hour .
3) Bathrooms - don't use them ever. They're probably the worst bathrooms in Toronto - always filthy; and the sinks are impossible to use... they lways soak your outfit, shooting water out for 10 seconds before shutting off... i've noticed alot of people don't want to use them, which means nobody at Union Station washes their hands after they go the washroom.
4) Rush hour and winter - if there is a snow storm, good luck getting anywhere on time.... -
Review from Rod G.
Toronto, ON
2/25/2011
In terms of pure utility, I'd give it 4 stars as Union Station is a very important passenger hub in southern Ontario. Customer service is very good, as a reviews have mentioned. Three major modes of transportation meet here: Toronto's TTC subway, the GO Transit regional commuter rail and the VIA inter-city rail. It even connects to both airports if you count shuttle bus services that stop nearby. And of course it's right next to venues for the major Toronto sports teams, some of the classiest hotels in town, the entertainment district and the financial district.
All that said, Union Station is in poor poor shape for a transport hub of its importance handling 41+ million passengers per year. The front facade and an expansive ticketing lobby can't hide the creaky, stained, grungy and utterly dated feeling that fills the entire space. The good news is the city is investing in long overdue renovations to expand and rejuvenate the facility including adding new retail spaces.
For inspiration, visit NYC's Grand Central Station, Chicago's Union Station or LA's underused but beautiful Union Station. -
Review from Spiro P.
Toronto, ON
12/11/2010
This building gets an extra star for being historic.
It is located in the financial district of Toronto: a really ugly part of the city.
This building gets jammed quickly due to the increased travel flow after the arrival of each subway and go train.
I have been lucky to avoid this building for a couple of years. I don't look forward to going back any time soon. -
Review from Jim G.
7/17/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Union Station is, unfortunately, one of the last remaining public buildings from the turn of twentieth century in Toronto. It's a beautiful old station with lots of open space. The renovations will, I trust, improve the station, but right now they make it look quite utilitarian and inaccessible. Looking forward to what it will look like when the renos are completed.
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Review from Eric B.
4/6/2009 1 photo
I'm a bit of a passenger rail fan and someday I hope that Union Station will be the starting point for a train trip on the Canadian to Vancouver or the Chaleur (via Montreal) to the Gaspe Peninsula. As it turns out, the only train that I have taken out of Union Station is the GO Train to Scarborough!
But train-wise, life has still been pretty good. I have taken the Canadian to Vancouver from Edmonton and the Hudson Bay train from Winnipeg to Churchill. The Skeena to Prince Rupert, the Ocean to Halifax, and the White Pass & Yukon from Skagway to the Yukon are also on my future train travel list.
Union Station in Toronto still has its majestic main hall, even though other parts of the station have become a little worn and tired. It and the Royal York across the street are monuments to the old Canadian Pacific and their architecturally impressive stations and hotels.
Union Station is also a major commuting/tourist hub and a neat place to feel that energy. And like many in the crowd, Union Station is a great place to start your day in Toronto. There is so much to see that is very convenient either by foot or by public transit. -
Review from Lynda W.
Toronto, ON
9/23/2008
Union Station is Toronto's version of Grand Central Station. It hardly compares, but what it represents is the mecca into the city. Situated conveniently along Front Street, it has an indoor walkway to the Rogers Centre (close to it anyways), Air Canada Centre, Metro Toronto Convention Centre and the CN Tower.
Union Station not only connects to the TTC subway station, but it is the hub for the GO Bus terminal as well as the VIA rail. Union can be quite confusing to maneuver around because there's so many different modes of transport working within the station. If you get lost, just go to the food court and eat your problems away.
There's quite a good selection in Union, especially the snack variety stores for a quick pick-me upper. There are plenty of seating around, and for the germaphobes out there, it's not the cleanest, but all things considering, it's fairly clean. -
Review from cailen s.
Oakville, ON
3/30/2009
Compared to other downtown transportation hubs I've experienced in North America, UK and Europe I would put Union smack dab in the middle. It is solidly average.
It is easy enough to navigate and as long as you avoid it during rush hour. Otherwise it can give you a panic attack. -
Review from Kim B.
ON
1/7/2009 3 photos
I like to call this Onion Station sometimes, because it makes me cry. No, sorry, that's not true. I call it Onion Station because I am a child in a grown-up body.
But I guess in some ways it could be seen as a mecca for tears? So many people arrive and depart from the big Onion that it's hard to imagine that a many a sob hasn't happened on or around it's massive pillars. It's just such a mid point for the city; the anchor of the subway, where all the trains lead to.
Plus it's beautiful in that old Toronto kind of way....which is hard to find now a days. GAWD! I sound old... (feeble old lady voice) "back in my time, kids addressed their father by the name of sir and there sure as hell wasn't no thing called soy!"Listed in: CHEAP Toronto
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Review from Jade H.
4/20/2010
So beautiful!
Luckily everyone has been so nice during my visit to Canada and that includes even the ticket salesman. -
Review from ness y.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2009
Union Station could be THE BUSIEST place in Canada. During rush hour, hoards of people quickly zoom in every direction. It's enough to make one dizzy...
With good reason too! It's the hub of many transportation lines, including: the TTC, GO, ViaRail,Tourist buses, cabs, and the occasional rickshaw.
From Union Station, you can go virtually anywhere in Toronto, or even further spots using transfers or longer distance transportation options. By foot, you can get to many Toronto locales in 5-10 minutes, like St. Lawrence Market, the Financial District, Dundas Square, and more (depending how fast you walk!). And when it's cold, you can always try the underground PATH and browse shops and grab a snack on your way to many famous Toronto buildings (e.g. Roger's Centre, CN Tower, etc.)
Tips:
While Union Station is convenient for its many travel options and food/retail amenities, it can be daunting for newbies.
- If possible, try to avoid the crowds and time your travel to depart or arrive before 8am, between 9:30am - 3:30, or after 6:30pm.
- Save time by reading the overhead signs to direct you to the various areas in the building.
- For heavens sake (and your own safety), if you have to stop to tie your shoe, do it near a wall! Else, stall rushed pedestrian traffic. -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
9/9/2008 1 photo
It`s not the vaulted splendour of New York`s Grand Central Terminal (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), but it`s clean, it`s got some places inside that will sell you burgers as well as fresh fruit, and unlike NY`s GCT, it`s pretty much hobo-free. It`s a decent enough place to start a journey by rail and with the number of benches that you can sit and read, do a crossword, or write reviews like this one, make it a nice place to relax even with the echoing background noise.
Did not catch the name of the information kiosk guy, but his friendly advice to the Toronto visitor of "If you ever want to know where you are in Toronto, look for the CN Tower (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...). It's always to the south" didn't go unnoticed. I guess she may get into bother if she's in the Beaches, but you get the picture. -
Review from Marina R.
12/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
helpful signs and staff and connects underground so you can transfer without going out into the cold. Love it.
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Review from Kevin S.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2011
I really enjoyed the service I got here this month. I arrived 2 minutes late for a train to Ottawa after a delay on the TTC (and poor planning on my part). The attendant saw that I had just missed the train and allowed me to take a later one at no cost. He helped me and saved me from paying a $50 fee. In the past I had problems with VIA Rail service, but it seems like their really improving.
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Review from Andy H.
8/7/2008 2 photos
Beautiful structure, both inside and out. I have been to many train stations all over the globe, and this one still continues to shine. Look at the pictures posted here, and if you have the time and cash, book an Amtrak to Toronto. It is a great way to start and end your trip to this awesome city!
Listed in: Oh Yelp Canada!
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Review from Nicole B.
6/30/2010 188 Check-ins Here
There is the pretty architectural side of Union station. And then there is the side I take. The grungy TTC side. The side that constantly has long line ups for Metropasses as only one ticket booth is selling them (I know, makes A LOT of sense!). The side that you hope you don't get hit by an awful smell or a multitude of people going to a sports event. It's one shining star is the centre platform, allowing me to hop from one side of the Yonge-University-Spadina line to the other when there is a subway delay. Yet, I still just see it as the place I have to go to to get home from work.
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Review from Adam B.
8/12/2008
Union Station can be a little bit on the scuzzy side but overall this is a remarkable station with a huge food court that I sometimes just visit just to get some decent grub at a decent price. In Toronto, the train system the TTC runs are really good so it makes sense to start your trip here.
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Review from Shawn B.
Oshawa, ON
8/2/2010
If you're travelling by bus, train or subway, Union Station is your main thoroughfare. An historic monument in and of itself, Union Station opened in 1927 and is currently being "revitalized." Translation: see it now, before the gorgeous architecture is modernized and made to look like a shopping mall.
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Review from Cait T.
East York, ON
3/15/2011
Horrendous design. Passengers literally collide as they try to get to the GO Train, the subway and the streetcars. It's awful. TTC's portion of Union station is crowded and cramped and has looked temporary for years. A permanent design, at least at platform level, is needed. TTC staff cannot necessarily be trusted to get this right, or often to just stay awake, as we've heard in the news lately. lol. It's also time to attract some new designers who give a $hit.
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Review from Randy G.
Toronto, ON
12/31/2009 540 Check-ins Here
As a historical building, Union Station is impressive. The main hall is awe-inspiring and humbling. As a transportation hub, it leave a lot to be desired.
Certainly traffic has increased a great deal since it was first opened, but that the station has barely kept pace with that growth is a bit embarrassing. Measures are certainly being undertaken to fix it - the addition of new tracks is useful, though their distance from the terminal is something of a cruel joke - and the addition of more egress routes (the two teamways in particular) is long overdue.
The main terminal area is in a sad state, though. There's little to no seating available, and most any seat available has no clear view of an arrival board, so you need to get up to figure out which track to go to. Very annoying. I'm also staunchly against the removal of escalators.
Overall, it serves its purpose, but not overly well. I hope the next few years bring enough improvements to be a useful transit facility for years to come.
Standard ticket vending machine quibble applies here, to the power of about a thousand: there is NO WAY AT ALL to buy a ticket from either teamway entrance. COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE, PEOPLE.
To close, I'd like to offer the following tips for people who have never been to Union Station before:
- Always use the stairs for the indicated platform, and not the one that the train is unloading on. There may be fewer people going up the stairs there, but there's an even larger number of people about to come down the stairs, and if one more of you gums up the works of us getting off the train, not only will I end you, but the other people on the stairs with me will help.
- Read the signs, it's not that hard. The big TV screens tell you what platform to go to and when the train leaves. The non-TV signs tell you which way each platform is. Not hard.
- Buy a freaking ticket. If you can't wait to talk to an attendant, use the machine.
- Develop some knowledge of where you are and where you're going. When it's ten minutes to the train leaving, I need a ten pass, you're monopolizing the attendant's time by not understanding that you need to take a bus to get to Waterloo, and they're right across the street... a bullseye slowly forms on the back of your head. Let's avoid that awkwardness, shall we?
Two stars to encourage them to fix the damned thing. -
Review from Teresa N.
8/27/2008
I agree with Andy H. and Adam B's reviews. Beautiful architecture with a lot of thought behind the design and structure. What's even better are the many shops within the Union Station. From coffee, Mmmmuffins, to luggage and clothing, the Union Station provides commutes a one-stop shop location.
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Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
10/10/2008
Union Station is one of those places that it is so easy to not notice how incredible it really is. I can personally attest to this because when I used to work in the financial district, I would walk though it with my head down like the other 10,000 other people around me. It deserves considerably more respect than we give it and that is why I'm writing about it now. While I will admit that I haven't been in many different train stations, I have been in a few and Union is by far the nicest. What makes Union Station so special is that it epitomizes what we think of when we think of a train station. This is probably why it is always used as a backdrop in movies and on tv. I know that you're probably reading this and thinking that I've gone off my rocker, but the next time you go to Union Station I want you to look around see what you usually ignore. Look at the city names engraved in the walls, revel in crowds bustling past and appreciate what it is to live in the metropolis that is Toronto.
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