Gov. Pritzker Celebrates Centennial of Chicago Union Station
100 years later, Chicago’s Union Station remains one of nation’s most important transit hubs
July 22, 2025
CHICAGO- Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined state and national transit leaders to celebrate 100 years of Chicago’s Union Station. Alongside Amtrak leadership, Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi and Regional Transit Authority Chairman Kirk Dillard, Governor Pritzker touted Chicago’s status as a critical transit hub for the Midwest and entire nation. With over 100,000 passengers passing through each day, Chicago’s Union Station is the third busiest rail terminal in the United States. Located in the heart of the nation’s busiest freight rail hub, Union Station serves as a critical nexus for economic development and connectivity.
“More than just a symbol of the power and the spirit of Chicago, Union Station is the center of the most important rail hub in America for Amtrak, freight, and commercial rail,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “In partnership with our friends at Amtrak and our Congressional delegation, our rail infrastructure, station facilities, and service upgrades have been best in class, including the upgrades right here at Union Station. Today’s Centennial Celebration is a testament to what this place has meant to our nation and our people.”
As a large part of Chicago’s architectural legacy, Union Station has seen many renovations and upgrades in recent years, with nearly $70 million in station improvements. Through federal, state, and local partnerships like the Chicago Hub Improvement Program (CHIP), Amtrak is collaborating with Metra to transform intercity passenger rail service and improve train infrastructure across the Chicagoland Region, reducing carbon emissions in the process. With 2.7+ million Amtrak and 30+ million Metra riders every year, the CHIP initiative builds on the Pritzker administration’s efforts to prioritize safety and affordability for commuters across Illinois.
“Union Station is the gateway for thousands of passengers to move each day throughout the Chicago region and United States,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “The station’s 100th anniversary is a testament to the role of passenger rail in Illinois to get people to their jobs, their homes and other meaningful destinations. We look forward to many more achievements to come.”
Collectively, Amtrak and Illinois have been awarded $583.7 million in federal funding for projects supporting the CHIP program and Chicago’s Union Station. This includes:
- $93.6 million from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail
- $291 million from the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant, and
- $40 million in other federal grants for Union Station secured through Illinois delegation member Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05)
Other efforts to modernize the State’s transportation and infrastructure include the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois infrastructure bill, which invests $45 billion over six years to improve roads, bridges, and railways across Illinois. As part of Rebuild Illinois, the State has committed $2.6 billion towards passenger and freight rail investments. The State has also applied for and earned crucial federal funding to address service upgrades, station facilities, and rail infrastructure to support Illinois as a transit hub.
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