Union Station (DC) overnight?

March 12, 2024 6:56 AM

I'm traveling by train from VT to SC and have a 12-hour layover in DC. Can I sleep in the station like I might at an airport? Their website indicates the building is closed, so I assume there's no food available. When I called the number listed, it was no longer in service.
posted by MtDewd to Travel & Transportation around Bogota Capital District - Municipality, Colombia (7 answers total)

I don't know what the official policy is but having been to DC Union Station many times I'd strongly recommend against it. Last time I was there they were doing the usual anti-homeless removal of seats etc that you're seeing in American train stations these days, and I suspect authorities would take a pretty dim view of anybody trying to sleep there. Unfortunately you're probably going to have to find a hotel or something for the night.
posted by Ampersand692 at 7:39 AM on March 12, 2024 [5 favorites]

Yes, it's open 24 hours for Amtrak passengers. It's possible that you'll need to have show your ticket to access the waiting area.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 9:06 AM on March 12, 2024

Best answer: I've done this before and I think it should be fine. I wouldn't worry about theft--I'm there practically every week and it's never struck me as a high-crime building. It won't be comfortable (they have those terrible anti-homeless bars on the chairs) but if it's your only option, it's not impossible.

There are a bunch of hotels right next to Union Station (though since it's DC, they're not cheap).
posted by lizard2590 at 11:07 AM on March 12, 2024

On the one hand it's not a bad place to go, since it's a mall. On the other hand it would be like sleeping overnight in NYC's Grand Central station. I am big on transit, just took it from D.C.'s National Airport to downtown Baltimore (2 Metros, Amtrak, and a bus), but I would not stay overnight in Union Station. It's a nicer area of DC but absent a report from someone who has done it I wouldn't feel safe. You can get to any number of cool older hotels like the Mayflower in 15 minutes by Metro.
posted by wnissen at 11:08 AM on March 12, 2024

Protip: call a few apartments in the NoMa/Brookland area and see if they offer a guest suite. Probably would be considerably cheaper than a hotel, and it'd be super easy to access via the Red line. I know for sure that the CODA does (my mom stayed there last year during my surgery) and it was like $300 for a night, which came in cheaper than hotels in the area at that time. It was also a 2-5 minute walk from the Metro and extremely convenient.

I'd also try AirBnb, or if you're trying to save money, couchsurf.
posted by dubious_dude at 1:33 PM on March 12, 2024

Aya Hostel in DC may have something.
posted by hortense at 2:07 PM on March 12, 2024

Response by poster: Thanks all. I was wondering if anyone had done this, and if it was safe.
I didn't want to bother anyone or pay DC rates, but looks like it's going to be 10-12 hours between trains, and that seems too long in that place.
I have a friend out by Dulles, so I think I'll see if she's around.
posted by MtDewd at 2:11 PM on March 13, 2024