Tampa Union Station

I spent Wednesday from 10 AM waiting for my 12:37 train to Ft Ld. I expected it to go by quickly, which it seemed to. Then got a text that it would be delayed till 2:37. Didn’t board till after 3. In spite of this unusual hiccup, the station was interesting and everyone friendly and polite. I agree they could use a snack bar. I hope to ride Amtrak again soon! Make sure to pack a snack in case of a delay!

I have been going to the station on & off throughout my life. It really got very run down and appeared to be more of a blight to Tampa, except to offer rail transportation.
With all of the capital improvements, general cleaning & restoring, it is once again a thing of beauty.
The architecture of the building is exquisite & stands out loud in proud in our diverse city.
Tampa is such an assorted blend of modern & almost any other period of architecture, that we have a total mish-​mash, which is part of Tampa’s charm. In 1988 the station gained it’s official Historical Landmark position in Tampa, which I really feel it deserved.
Tampa is a quirky town, this beautiful building in a not so great area of town, but this does not in any way dismiss it’s character, charm or historical significance. When it opened in 1912, Tampa had no growing pains, as it is experiencing now & I would guess that this appeared the logical location, for the primary mode of transportation to & from various locations.
I have deep feelings of nostalgia & exuberance for our local train station. It may not be that big, but it serves our needs. Unfortunately many have lost their romance with the rails & their ever increasing prices, have stopped me on more than one occasion, from utelizing this as a form of transportation. This makes me sad & I am sure others feel the same way, prices need to be adjusted, but that is not the buildings fault.
What’s a girl to do? Land, sea, air, mule train, travel happy.

I will start by saying as a historical structure I loved the details of the inside and outside of this station. As you sit inside on the wooden benches, you feel as though as you are transported back to the 30s or the 40s. Historical I love all the details!
As far as the amenities go, considering it is a rather busy train station, it would be nice if there was a little more. Maybe a stand where you could get coffee or something quick to eat would be nice. Note to self: pack food that will sustain me for 4+ hours when traveling from this station.
A plus is that they have free long term parking. This makes it very helpful, so that you don’t have to burden people with rides if you live a far distance.
The staff is friendly and accommodating and you can’t beat the deal of a round trip to Fort Lauderdale for 60 or so dollars. I can’t really complain because Amtrak overall is easy and is so much better then entertaining yourself for 4 plus hours on a car ride to South Florida. Overall, I like.

This station is very nice and has a/​c. I have been to a few others are they are not this large and clean. Very limited short term parking, but long term parking appeared to be free. Make sure you check train status because most of the trains coming from the north are very delayed.

The station is a national landmark and if you are in the area buoy should visit. Today I am Dropping my son off to return to FAU for his spring semester. The station is amazing building. The renovations that were completed returned the station to its former beauty! The check in process is also smooth. If you do not check bags you print tickets at home or at the self service stations in Union Station. The waiting areas are comfortable as well. There are no eateries so you have to bring food with you if hungry. They do have vending machines, but no real food. My only complaint is The landing areas and covers out where the trains arrive and depart need to be repaired and updated.

The train station is not too far from Crosstown, Downtown Tampa, Channelside, the Tampa Port, and Ybor City… I used to travel to/​from undergraduate school back in the late-​80s and the facilities look the same — not much has changed. There’s WiFi at the station for a nominal fee; and I learned that Amtrak will soon offer WiFi on the train while its customers are in transit from point-​A to point-​B.
The parking lot is not as plentiful — so plan accordingly if you are picking up a person or planning to park for the duration of your trip. If you opt to park onsite for the duration of your trip, please know that you are parking at your own risk. Know your surroundings.

Great little station. Snacks and soda machines are in the corner room. Parking is iffy, see other reviews. We took a yellow cab and got there without a problem and on time. The train was a few minutes late but it made it up going up the coast. The return trip from the northeast was a few minutes early. Need to consider running another train to Orlando or south to Sarasota, Ft Myers and Miami. But first needs a secure parking garage or area.

Being a rail buff, I really wanted to like this building more than I did. It is a historic landmark as it should be, but it is located in a questionable neighborhood that has not finished gentrification and so it makes one wonder if their car will be there when they come back and those sorts of things. The terminal inside has basic amenities but the design is really where the appeal lies. Unfortunately, there is nothing to eat and there are no options within walking distance either, so hopefully your train won’t be late. The staff are exceptionally helpful and good at what they do, so I recommend taking the train from here at least once.

Whether it is the romance of the rails, or more practical reasons that inspire people to go training, Tampa welcomes 140,000 passengers per year arriving to and departing from its beautifully restored station located between historic Ybor City, and the increasingly lively downtown district.
Though completed in 1912, the station closed in 1984 until it was re-​opened, newly restored, in 1998. Despite the closure, service continued from a temporary ticket office and waiting area set up adjacent to the station platforms.
In 1988, the station became one of the first buildings tapped as a Tampa landmark due to a then-​new-​to-​the-​city historic preservation ordinance.
Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the station offers travelers food and drink from vending machines, features a few displays of model trains and train memorabilia but mainly serves as a striking reminder of an elegance of a bygone era. The Italian Renaissance Revival-​style structure makes modern buildings appear quite boring and barren by comparison.

After years of neglect, Tampa Union Station was finally restored in the late 1990s. Today, it serves Amtrak, has a great meeting room upstairs, and reminds us of the importance rail once held for the City.
Its a shame so few people ever visit here, but at least its in use, a declared landmark, and in pretty great shape for a building that was built in 1912.