Union Station

Love the new York Concourse hall. The station looks so much brighter and cleaner now that construction is finished!

best transit hub in Canada, always something going on, and something new being built, defiantly, going through some massive upgrades to host the next upcoming generations of Canadians and world travelers, every inch of this building has some serious history on the outside, the walls, and the outside. a great experience just walking around for hours, watching everyone go about their day.

I’ve been here so many times. When I was a kid we’d take VIA from home to Toronto and Union was just the perfect train station, all arches and windows.
Now I hop into it off the GO trains and off it to get home.
It’s been fascinating to watch it be converted and upgraded. It’s good to see the bandages come off, metaphorically.
I do miss the juice bar in the Bay concourse.

Union station is currently like the fifth circle of hell right now.
The closing of Bay concourse is wreaking all sorts of havoc– avoid if you can.

I had bookmarked Union Station since I start writing Unilocal reviews.
It is hard to rate Union Station since it is in a constant stage of renovation. It has so much potential but it really needs a lot of work. But at least it is going towards the right direction.
Being a transportation hub: Go Train, TTC, VIA, UPS, it is used by locals and tourists on everyday bases. A lot of the logistic, set up and facilities are just so dated and need a modern update. I do love the historical look of the façade and the main hall area.
Hopefully after all the renovation and upgrade, Union Station would earn a 4 or even 5 star for me.

Rather expensive for a train ride but Union Express takes you to Union Station in 25 mins, and comes every 15 mins. Very efficient.
The trains remind me exactly of the train running from HK airport. There is space in front to store luggage and comfortable seats to sit on. The train looks very clean and modern.
(UP stands for Union Express.)

This station is a bit confusing and currently under a lot of construction/​renovation. Certain areas look like a run-​down version of NY’s Grand Central and Port Authority while the rest resemble a modern airport. It’s Toronto’s major transportation hub and Canada’s busiest. I’ve only been here on a Monday morning, which was probably the station’s downtime since there was only a small crowd throughout the terminals.
The bus terminal is separated from the trains by Bay Street. There are hardly any staff members, let alone an information desk, around so it’s important to keep an eye out for directions/​signs.
We took the newly inaugurated Union Pearson (UP) Express train from Union Station to Toronto International Pearson Airport. It’s quite pricey, $ 27.50 per person but the train runs every 15 minutes and guarantees a commute time of 25 minutes. We followed all signs that pointed to the Skywalk. It’s a good 5 – 10 minute walk since it’s closer to the CN tower than Union Station Bus Terminal.

I frequent Union station twice on a daily basis as I take the go train to get to work.
I must say that I am still waiting for the day that union construction ends! It puts a good extra 5 – 10 minutes for my morning walk to the office because I have to battle the bottleneck traffic outside of and inside the path.
Other than that union is pretty good, although the traffic is heavy, there is still a sufficient amount of space to wait around for a train and several exits and entrances to use.
The space itself is clean considering the volume. The only thing that needs improvement and which they are likely working on would be the selection of food and shops available for the waiters.
Pretty good though considering this is toronto’s largest station.

This the living breathing nexus of Toronto, and while some parts of the station are interesting, alot more of the complex is hopelessly confused and under-​construction. I like the main hall, with its list of historic destinations and great open vista. Its a nice spot, but not really used very much, unless you are booking a ticket or renting a car.
The spot where people congregate for the train section is underneath the central hall and is 70s blah. Its also been under construction for ever and will probably continue to be so until the Leafs win a Stanley Cup.
The GO station concourse and the food court are even worse, and also a hopeless maze of construction. The congestion here at rush hour has to been seen to be believed.
The last part of the complex is the attached TTC station. Recently, a second platform was added to the station to avoid the claustrophobic inducing crowds. While the renovated platform is very nice. the other platform is still in the throes of renovation and again may not be open for some time.

This is the heart of Toronto transportation.
All trains and buses usually come here.
It’s been under construction for a whole and its coming along and I suspect it will likely be done soon as the Panam games in July. This terminal station connects GO bus, GO train, TTC, Viarail and Amtrak.
Soon there will be an long overdue airport express.
Other sites that are connected to the stations: MTCC, Air Canada Centre, Fairmont Royal York, Hockey Hall of Fame, Queens Quay, CN tower, Ripleys Aquarium, Steam Whistle Brewery, Sony Performing Arts and more.
I am excited to see it finished soon!!!

Well, what can I say? It’s functional. Mostly. It’s a good thing I am there regularly or I’d be hopelessly lost with the construction. The crazy thing is, I have been there on and off for a few years now, and I feel like it’s never done. I know construction can be a long-​term project, but it makes me wonder if it will even be done in time for the PanAm games!
In any case, the building itself really is beautiful, and the signs really do tell one where to go. I am going to be patient with you, Union Station. I hope to see you again soon, because it will probably mean a trip to C’est What…

Anyone who uses Toronto’s subway system or commutes into work from the far reaches of the GTA and beyond has been to Union Station. The epicenter of Toronto non-​automotive transit for many and a major jumping off point for trips across the province and beyond.
In Union station there are three very evident stages of aesthetic much as there are 3 major forms of transit which move through it. There is the grand, those timeless and historic elements such as the grand hall which you enter from street level. The dated, sections like the GO train and VIA rail areas which look dated and sad. And finally construction… lots and LOTS of construction.
Granted the construction is a necessary evil to upgrade the dated and sad, to more of a grand level to ensure that Union station looks as good as it is important. However, for the time being it is a maze of construction walls, temporarily hung lamps, and pinched in crowds. You literally will feel at some points like you’re trapped in a mine.
Claustrophobic? You will be.
Why not a lower score? It’s been good, it’s bad right now, but if all the plans pan out it fixes to be something we can all be proud of. So I’ll grade them on a 3 for now and raise it up once construction land is no more.

Union has been hectic throughout construction for the expansion. That being said, the finished product is, or atleast feels a lot more open. Service is pretty helpful, and if in a rush they have a bunch of ticket machines, but be warned can take same amount of time or longer as standing in line

The construction is never-​ending and the signage is terrible. It is what it is, nothing they can currently do about it.
I can’t wait to see how it is when it’s completed. As an infrequent traveller to Toronto, I’m interested to see how much better it will be, for everyday commuters and people like myself.
At the present time, I avoid Union at all costs.
Yes, I have gotten lost in it more than once.

This place is quite the size as it accommodates Go trains & buses, VIA rail and the subway all interlink here. The VIA Rail and Go trains are around the same platform area, the Go buses are across the street and subway is also connected.
The PATH directly connects into the station which is nice. The place is pretty much busy with people moving in or out and there are a lot of food options within the station.

I love the Union building and the concept of train travel but right now (spring summer 2014) you should avoid this place if you can.
Access to the building is terrible — rickety temporary stairways and plywood passages to nowhere. Front Street is entirely torn up so subway or foot are the only ways to get out of this place. if you take the subway, the service itself is pretty good but the condition of the Union subway station is unbelievably bad. I’ve taken subways all over the world, in some pretty dodgy cities, and Union Station is among the worst. Narrow crowded platforms, exposed wiring, dripping ceilings, Nice, really nice.
Also, if you are bringing luggage to/​from the train station, the stairways are crowded, elevators hard to find and none of the doors seem to have automatic openers. I would not want a senior or any person not already familiar with the layout to try traversing this mess.
Friends who live downtown tell me they are advising visitors who are coming by train to get off at one of the outlying stations and driving 30 or 45 minutes out to meet them rather than try to connect at the Union disaster.
They claim that after the renovations, things will be much better. I hope so, cause they sure couldn’t get much worse.

Union Station is a grand old station with a beautiful main hall that still serves the commuter needs of millions of people each year. Regional and national trains, as well as local subway connections intersect here.
While ongoing construction has rendered much of the station a confusing mess to first-​timers, it somehow manages to function fairly well.
The challenge here is blending form and function. The station serves as an ideal front door to the city of Toronto, but has a limited food court with almost no seating of any kind, few other services, and basically seems dull outside of the main hall.
Maybe renovations will address transportation needs as well as aesthetics. It would be nice if you felt like you could enjoy a meal here or encounter some creature comforts while you waited for your train. For now, simply getting a train will have to suffice.

Okay, can Union Station be more efficient/​prettier/​cleaner/​less confusing? Oh yes! Does it do the job once you are used to how things work here. Yes!
There are 3 sections in Union Station: a VIA section, a GO Train section, and a bus station that is in a separate building across the street. I think there should be more public washrooms in the building. As far as I know, there is one washroom in the GO Train section, one washroom in the bus station, and one washroom in the VIA section. Please note that the VIA section is really big; it can be a long walk to the washroom when one is in need.
There are many fast food vendors inside the Union Station. The McDonald in the GO Train section is the most efficient one I have ever seen in Canada. The staffs are machine fast; it is quite an amazing scene. If I want dinner, I usually take a long walk to a Harvey’s located in the VIA section. The food is cheaper than the many vendors inside the GO Train section, and it is never too crowded.
My train experience is solely with the GO Train. For departure, your usual trains leave from the same platforms every day. I did get on a wrong train twice because once I get onto a platform, it is easy to confuse left from right. For arrival, my experience is that the train parks at whatever platform available. The route to leave the platform and the building is a maze every time. The best thing about GO Train service is that the trains are on time more often than not.

I love old city centre rail stations. I love imagining what they were like 100 years ago when they were the hub of the city and everyone wore hats.
Union Station is a beautiful transit building and holds it’s own against Grand Central, Gare Du Nord, etc, and I think as Torontonians we take it for granted. I recently shlupped off of a Via Rail train from Cobourg with a traveling companion who had never been inside the historic main space in Union. As we made our way up the ramp I could see his eyes widen and he started taking photos, presumably to instagram, like a champ, later, (#latergram). It was at this moment I realized I’d forgotten what an attractive building this is. Old circular train tower clock in the middle of a marble room with stone ceilings some 50 feet high. Truly spectacular.
The bowels of the building where it constantly floods and people struggle to find the TTC, Go Transit and Via entrances is another story. What a mess, and it’s that trickiness that keeps this transnational post from getting five stars.
PEPPER’S PISSED: Is the outside of this place ever not under construction? Just once I’d like to take a cab to the train station and have them be able to pull up in front without some very strange detour.

Love the architecture of this place. The main hall, with how tall it is and the city names engraved in the stone above is just breathtaking. A part of it is presently under construction so I’m looking forward to what they will do to modernize the place (a long time coming!)
TIp: You might want to walk fast through here or a tourist will surely stop you for directions! =P