Los Angeles Union Station and environs

[caravanman]

I always enjoyed passing through LA Union station. Love those huge hanging light fittings, and the 1930's style big seats in the waiting area, as well as the style of the external frontage. There was a nice little outside garden area with a small water feature to one side, I hope that remains?
In September, I am expecting to travel up by train from San Diego to Union Station, then grab a flix bus (or similar) to travel onward to Las Vegas. At one time it was possible to buy "through" Amtrak tickets for this routing, but no longer. I gather the flix bus place is opposite the back entrance to the station at the other end of the tunnel.

 

[Traveller]

I always enjoyed passing through LA Union station. Love those huge hanging light fittings, and the 1930's style big seats in the waiting area, as well as the style of the external frontage. There was a nice little outside garden area with a small water feature to one side, I hope that remains?
In September, I am expecting to travel up by train from San Diego to Union Station, then grab a flix bus (or similar) to travel onward to Las Vegas. At one time it was possible to buy "through" Amtrak tickets for this routing, but no longer. I gather the flix bus place is opposite the back entrance to the station at the other end of the tunnel.

When you book a Flix/Greyhound ticket the address of the bus station/bus stop is available if you click on a link on the page before you commit to buying.

 

[Cal H]

Thank you all for the recent responses.
I am happy to hear that y'all are still happy with the Olvera St. offerings.
How about the homeless situation and how safe you feel outside of the train station?

 

[Traveller]

How about the homeless situation and how safe you feel outside of the train station?

I think that is very subjective to each person's experience but having worked for a short time with homeless people in London it doesn't generate in me an automatic fear on seeing them.
Of course walking alone at night can create unwelcome situations anywhere whoever is around, but having walked the area you are asking about at sunset and later I did feel it was important to be more aware than daytimes.

Just one thing. Many people are not homeless from choice, bad luck, bad judgements and just plain not being able to cope with modern life are some of the causes. What many miss is being recognised by other humans, in London at any rate they call themselves 'The invisisble ones' as people walk past them and stare straight through them. Just saying "Hi" or "Good morning" as you walk past allows them to feel they are still a small part of the human race, it matters.
End of sermon.

 

[Harmon Shay]

Traxx is good, but it seems like it's rarely open. But it wasn't just the food situation or the new regimentation in the waiting room. I just didn't get the feeling that the place was being well-managed anymore.

 

[Cal]

How about the homeless situation and how safe you feel outside of the train station?

I was there last week, first thing I saw when I stepped out was a homeless man just walking around. He was in the little courtyard across the pick-up/drop-off lane and he was the only one. Right alongside that lane, station-side, were a handful of security personnel (who were kinda rudely directing traffic) who probably keep the homeless at bay. I think I saw, including the aforementioned person, two homeless people. I just walked around the front of the station a little, didn't stray far, but the area seemed perfectly fine.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Thank you all for the recent responses.
I am happy to hear that y'all are still happy with the Olvera St. offerings.
How about the homeless situation and how safe you feel outside of the train station?

Inside the station and on the station property there is enough security that it feels safe enough. In my opinion LA is in pretty rough shape - I took the subway and walked to Angels Flight in the daytime - I never felt unsafe but it definitely is pretty rough.

San Francisco makes the news for being rough with lots of homeless, etc, - in my opinion LA is much worse.

 

[BCL]

Thank you all for the recent responses.
I am happy to hear that y'all are still happy with the Olvera St. offerings.
How about the homeless situation and how safe you feel outside of the train station?

Depends on where. Certainly it's an uncomfortable feeling being around homeless encampments, but for the most part I never felt unsafe in LA because of it. I remember a few times going through Little Tokyo (Fugetsu-Do is amazing) towards Union Station or other Metro stations. Maybe a block away where we were waiting for a bus, there were tents on the sidewalk.

My 12 year old and I walked from Union Station past Olvera Street to Phillipe the Original. I would never put my child in danger, and regardless of any randos on the street, I never felt as if we should have avoided the area around Union Station. But we did that during the daytime.


If you have time, Phillipe the Original is a classic counter service restaurant in LA. It's on the outskirts of Chinatown and claims to be the place the French dipped sandwich originated. They're also known for inexpensive coffee. It was 9 cents for a cup until a few years ago, and now it's maybe 45 cents. but it's just a cup an no refill. Another place I looked into but didn't get was Howlin' Ray's, which claims to serve Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches. That's actually in Chinatown, but Chinatown is not exactly what it used to be.

https://philippes.com
https://howlinrays.com

 

[Dan O]

Inside the station and on the station property there is enough security that it feels safe enough. In my opinion LA is in pretty rough shape - I took the subway and walked to Angels Flight in the daytime - I never felt unsafe but it definitely is pretty rough.

San Francisco makes the news for being rough with lots of homeless, etc, - in my opinion LA is much worse.

I felt safer in LA than San Francisco re homeless. My sister lives in SF and has a homeless guy camp on her porch for several days.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I felt safer in LA than San Francisco re homeless. My sister lives in SF and has a homeless guy camp on her porch for several days.

I'm sure it depends on specific areas - for me SF seems about like any other major city like New York, Chicago, etc. - LA seems way worse. But of course, down in Anaheim by Disney and the convention center, it's fine.

 

[Dan O]

I'm sure it depends on specific areas - for me SF seems about like any other major city like New York, Chicago, etc. - LA seems way worse. But of course, down in Anaheim by Disney and the convention center, it's fine.

You may be right. I've just never heard of a homeless person living on one's front porch. She's not downtown. She's in the outer Sunset area of SF.
I've always felt safe in daytime at LA Union station. I wouldn't want to be around the station after dark but would probably feel safe inside. Olvera street is just a very short walk and safe during the day.
Ages ago (79 to 82) I worked in downtown LA and liked it very much.

 

[zephyr17]

But of course, down in Anaheim by Disney and the convention center, it's fine.

Which is 25 miles away from Los Angeles Union Station, in a different city, even a different county.

I don't think conditions in Anaheim have much to do with conditions around LAUS.

 

[Asher]

Unfortunately the restaurant appears to be closed now, and the above link now goes to a spam site.

Basically, the story was about the Fred Harvey Restaurants. Not the later brewery.

 

[PeeweeTM]

For breakfast I've been to Homegirl a couple of times, a block or so north of Philippe, opposite side of the street.
They say they help former gang people.
https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/cafe/

I find Alameda Street from Union Station to Cesar Estrada/Chavez Avenue a bit sketchy with some little pee streams and loud and once confrontational people, but would still walk there if I want to avoid Olvera Street.

Also walked around Chinatown, did buy some fruit for on the trains.

 

[Cal H]

For breakfast I've been to Homegirl a couple of times, a block or so north of Philippe, opposite side of the street.
They say they help former gang people.
https://homeboyindustries.org/social-enterprises/cafe/

Interesting, I had seen their affiliated diner in City Hall while I was looking over maps of the area. Getting a pic of City Hall is on my list of things to do for a couple reasons - I enjoy looking at and when possible touring old buildings, especially court houses and state capitols. This one is on my list because we'll be so close I will be able to hear Jack Webb say... this is the city, Los Angeles California...

 

[JamesWhitcombRiley]

Unfortunately the restaurant appears to be closed now, and the above link now goes to a spam site.

Perhaps it was this link, and thank goodness for the Wayback Machine. Click on "California" for L.A.: http://web.archive.org/web/20190304054014/http://www.harveyhouses.net/

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Which is 25 miles away from Los Angeles Union Station, in a different city, even a different county.

I don't think conditions in Anaheim have much to do with conditions around LAUS.

I guess I consider Anaheim the "greater LA area" kinda like Oakland and Emeryville for SF. I've already said I think the area around LAUS is really rough, but there is enough security at the station that it feels fine.

 

[zephyr17]

I guess I consider Anaheim the "greater LA area" kinda like Oakland and Emeryville for SF. I've already said I think the area around LAUS is really rough, but there is enough security at the station that it feels fine.

I grew up 5 miles from D'land and lived all over SoCal (OC, Riverside, Hollywood, the Valley and Chino) before moving to the Pacific Northwest. I worked in DTLA for several years. While the entirety of SoCal is built up and has been for decades, the street vibe in all those places is very, very different. It can even vary block by block.

LAUS is my favorite building in the entire world and I spend a good amount of time in the area even since moving out of California. The immediate area, including up to Phillipes, Olivera St and Chinatown is not particularly rough and is okay during the day and evening, though not later in the night and in the wee hours. Certainly you may see homeless and smell urine around there, but it isn't really dangerous. I am fairly comfortable there, actually more comfortable than in the immediate area of King Street in Seattle. You should have your street radar on, though, as you would in any big city, and don't wander too far north, south or east, there are much rougher areas not far away.

BTW, the same thing applies in Anaheim. If you go just north of the freeway from D'land on the other side of Ball Rd you will quickly find yourself in a fairly rough area that does not look as bad as it is, although barred windows provide a clue. It looks better than around Union Station but I would consider it to be more dangerous to be walking around in. Keeping south of Ball, no worries.

You are pretty safe in the immediate area of both D'land and Union Station, but don't wander off.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I am fairly comfortable there, actually more comfortable than in the immediate area of King Street in Seattle.

Yeah, the area around King Street used to be very rough - Seattle has improved quite a bit to me.

LA Union Station is a beautiful building I agree - I'm glad it's kept so much of it's charm. My favorite station used to be Philadelphia but they have practically ripped the charm right out of it, it's still nice, but not what it used to be.

 

[zephyr17]

Yeah, the area around King Street used to be very rough - Seattle has improved quite a bit to me.

I've walked, pulling luggage, to King Street from commuter buses that stop few blocks north of it several times in recent years. I find myself on high alert during that walk (I've felt more comfortable on the F train in New York at 2 am). I think the area is still on the rough side, especially north/northeast of it.

The last time I was in Philly was a couple years ago and thought 30th St was gorgeous. What'd they do to it?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The last time I was in Philly was a couple years ago and thought 30th St was gorgeous. What'd they do to it?

They removed the solari board (split flat board) - which is thankfully safe and on display at the RR Museum or Pennsylvania.
They have put up a bunch of modern advertising banners up and more and more restaurants are spilling out into the concourse which used to look more historic.

 

[basketmaker]

Denver (DUS) was real bad due to open drug use and homeless particularly in the lower level bus concourse luckily it has improved a bit. The station is nice though. I am only 15 miles from the DUS station but I prefer to drive 60 miles (1-hour) northeast to Fort Morgan (FMG). It is all Interstate so time wise it is pretty much a wash considering Denver traffic. But FMG has free parking along side the platform. You have to hunt around downtown Denver to find expensive parking then walking to the station which is not fun when it's 20º and snowing or 100º+ in the summer.

 

[joelkfla]

Interesting, I had seen their affiliated diner in City Hall while I was looking over maps of the area. Getting a pic of City Hall is on my list of things to do for a couple reasons - I enjoy looking at and when possible touring old buildings, especially court houses and state capitols. This one is on my list because we'll be so close I will be able to hear Jack Webb say... this is the city, Los Angeles California...

Also be on the lookout for a strange visitor from another planet leaping the building at a single bound.

LA City Hall also has a nifty open-air observatory up on top.
https://californiathroughmylens.com/la-observation-deck/

 

[Traveller]

LA City Hall also has a nifty open-air observatory up on top.
https://californiathroughmylens.com/la-observation-deck/

Highly recommend this although for people who are concerned last time we were there most of the surrounding pavements/sidewalks were filled with camping homeless people. Many appeared in good spirits and some smiled at us, this was at around mid-day.

It's not just the views from the observatory, the interior on many floors is worth a visit too.

 

[Widfara]

I plan to arrive in LA on the 421 TE/SL on Oct 18th and leave on the 19th on the Coast Starlight. I'll report on the Metro Plaza, and Philippe, and conditions in and around the station.
I'm riding 421 from Chicago. I live near Austin, and have been on the leg north (TE) numerous times, and the connection from Austin to the SL quite a few times. But doing the whole thing in a bedroom is a bucket list thing.