Union Station (New Haven) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New Haven–Union Station
New Haven Union Station in September 2018
Location	50 Union Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut
Coordinates	41°17′51″N 72°55′36″W / 41.29750°N 72.92667°W / 41.29750; -72.92667
Owned by	ConnDOT
Line(s)	Northeast Corridor New Haven–Springfield Line
Platforms	4 island platforms
Tracks	9
Connections	CT Transit: 212, 265, 268, 271, 272, 278, Union Station Shuttle Greyhound Megabus Yale Shuttle
Construction
Parking	Union Station parking garage
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	NHV (Amtrak) ZVE (IATA)
Fare zone	21 (Metro-North)
History
Opened	1920
Rebuilt	1985
Electrified	12.5 kV AC overhead catenary
Traffic
Passengers (FY2019)	778,534  11.6% (Amtrak)
Passengers (2018)	3,216 (MetroNorth)
Rank	16 of 124 (MetroNorth)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Stamford toward Washington, D.C. Acela New London toward Boston South Bridgeport toward Norfolk, Newport News or Roanoke Northeast Regional Old Saybrook toward Boston South New Haven State Street toward Springfield Terminus Hartford Line Valley Flyer New Haven State Street toward Greenfield Bridgeport toward Washington, D.C. Vermonter Meriden toward St. Albans Preceding station Metro-North Following station West Haven towards Grand Central New Haven Line New Haven State Street limited service Terminus Preceding station ConnDOT Following station Terminus Hartford Line New Haven State Street toward Springfield West Haven limited service toward Stamford Shore Line East New Haven State Street toward Old Saybrook or New London
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Terminus Beacon Hill Branford toward Boston South Clamdigger Branford toward New London Bridgeport toward Washington, D.C. Montrealer Meriden toward Montreal Stamford toward New York Cape Codder Providence toward Hyannis Bridgeport toward Atlantic City Atlantic City Express Wallingford toward Springfield Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station Woodmont toward New York Main Line Terminus New York Penn Terminus Main Line through service Terminus Shore Line East Haven toward Boston
New Haven Railroad Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	Union Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Built	1920
Architect	Cass Gilbert
Architectural style	Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Second Renaissance Revival
NRHP reference No.	75001941
Added to NRHP	September 3, 1975

Union Station, also known as New Haven Railroad Station (IATA: ZVE) or simply New Haven, is the main railroad passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut. Designed by noted American architect Cass Gilbert, the beaux-arts Union Station was completed and opened in 1920 after the previous Union Station (which was located at the foot of Meadow Street, near the site of the current Union Station parking garage) was destroyed by fire. It served the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad until it fell into decline, along with the rest of the railroad industry in North America after World War II. It was shuttered in 1972, leaving only the under-track 'subway' open for passengers, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 3, 1975, but it was almost demolished before the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project in 1979. Reopened after extensive renovations in early 1985, it is now the premier gateway to the city.

The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as New Haven Railroad Station. Its significance is partly as an example of the work of Cass Gilbert, who also designed the Woolworth Building in New York and the U.S. Supreme Court Building.

The restored building features interior limestone walls, ornate ceilings, chandeliers and striking stainless steel ceilings in the tunnels to the trains. The large waiting room is thirty-five feet high and features models of NYNH&HRR trains on the benches.

Prior to the 2002 opening of State Street station, Union Station was referred to as simply New Haven on Metro-North signage and maps.

Current service

Amtrak

Acela Express at New Haven in 2007

Amtrak runs frequent service through Union Station along the electrified Northeast Corridor rail line. Most Amtrak trains are Northeast Regional trains or Acela trains operating between Washington, D.C. and Boston.

Hartford Line trains run to Springfield, Massachusetts via Hartford and Valley Flyer trains travel along the same route but continue on to Greenfield, Massachusetts. Some of these trains connect with Northeast Regional trains; other Northeast Regionals run through to Springfield from New York or vice versa. These through trains must change locomotives at New Haven, as the track north to Springfield is not electrified, unlike the Northeast Corridor. The locomotive change is from a Siemens ACS-64 for the electrified territory to a General Electric P40DC or P42DC for the non-electrified territory, or vice versa. Prior to 2000, when the Northeast Corridor was electrified all the way to Boston, all trains continuing north of Union Station had to change from diesel to electric power.

Additionally, the Vermonter provides through service from Washington, D.C. beyond Springfield to St. Albans, Vermont. At New Haven, the Vermonter also has a P42DC diesel-electric locomotive added to the train.

Amtrak operates a yard on the west side of the tracks, next to the station building.

Because of United Airlines code sharing on select Amtrak trains between Union Station and its hub at Newark Liberty International Airport in the New York City area, Union Station is assigned the IATA airport code of ZVE.

New Haven Union Station is the busiest Amtrak station in Connecticut. The station is the tenth busiest Amtrak station in the country, boarding or detraining nearly two thousand passengers daily.

In March 2020, Vermonter service north of the station was suspended indefinitely as part of a reduced service plan due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Metro-North

Cross-platform transfer between Metro-North (left) and Shore Line East trains at New Haven

Metro-North Railroad operates its New Haven Line from Union Station to Grand Central Terminal in New York City. The service is well patronized by commuters, despite the travel time of about two hours. Shore Line East and Metro-North work together on schedules to provide quick transfers of trains for commuters traveling from the Shoreline to Grand Central Terminal or Stamford.

Metro-North operates a large train yard in New Haven on the east side of the tracks, opposite Amtrak's yard. Work is done here, as well as the storing of train cars and locomotives. It is not uncommon to find trains from the Waterbury Branch being stored in New Haven between schedules. The consist usually is made up of one BL20-GH locomotive as well as three Shoreliner passenger cars. Smaller yards are located in Bridgeport and Stamford.

A select number of trains start or end their run two minutes to the east at New Haven State Street.

CTrail

Two rail services run by the Connecticut Department of Transportation under the CTrail brand are based at New Haven. Shore Line East runs between New Haven and New London on the Northeast Corridor, with limited peak-hour service west of New Haven. The Hartford Line runs between New Haven and Springfield on the New Haven–Springfield Line. Service launched on June 16, 2018.

On April 20, 2020, the station became the indefinite western terminus for Shore Line East service, running on a limited schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Buses and shuttles

CTtransit's New Haven Division provides bus service to the station on four routes. One is a free shuttle that connects Union Station to downtown and the New Haven Green for connections to the remainder of the CTTransit New Haven routes, only running on weekdays. Route 271 on the Kimberly Avenue route to Savin Rock and Milford also serves the station. Route 272 serves Union Station from downtown New Haven via South Church Street and returns to downtown New Haven. Route 278 is the Commuter Connection only on afternoon times connecting Shore Line East.

Other providers at Union Station are Greyhound, Megabus, Peter Pan, and the Yale University Shuttle.

Station layout

Tunnel connecting platforms to station building

This station has four high-level island platforms, which are used for service in both directions. The New Haven Line has nine tracks at the station. The northern platform is adjacent to Tracks 1 and 3 is usually served by Amtrak and can accommodate 8-car trains. The second platform from the north, adjacent to Tracks 2 and 4, is usually served by Amtrak and is 9 cars long. The second platform from the south is adjacent to Tracks 8 and 10, served by Metro-North, Shore Line East, and the Hartford Line, and can fit 7-car trains. The southern platform is adjacent to Tracks 12 and 14, usually serves Metro-North and Shore Line East, and can accommodate 8-car trains. Track 6, not adjacent to any platform in the center of the station, is used only by through trains or idling Shore Line East consists. There are no tracks 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13.

All tracks are connected by the stainless-steel tunnel with elevators and staircases leading onto the platforms, as well as escalators, a staircase, and an elevator leading to the tunnel itself. In 2015, LCD displays replaced a mechanical split-flap display departure board made by Solari di Udine. The split-flap display was donated to the Danbury Railway Museum in Danbury, Connecticut, to eventually be put on display.

On either side of the station, the Northeast Corridor merges into four tracks.

P Platform level	Track 3	←      Amtrak services toward Washington (Stamford or Bridgeport) ←      Amtrak services toward Springfield (New Haven State Street or Meriden) →
	Island platform
	Track 1	←      Amtrak services toward Washington (Stamford or Bridgeport) ←      Amtrak services toward Boston (Old Saybrook or New London) →
	Track 2	←      Amtrak services toward Washington (Stamford or Bridgeport) ←      Amtrak services toward Boston (Old Saybrook or New London) → ←      Amtrak services toward Springfield (New Haven State Street or Meriden) →
	Island platform
	Track 4	←      Amtrak services toward Boston (Old Saybrook or New London) → ←      Amtrak services toward Springfield (New Haven State Street or Meriden) → ←      Hartford Line toward Springfield (New Haven State Street) →
	Track 6	← Passing track →
	Track 8	←      New Haven Line toward Grand Central (West Haven)
	Island platform
	Track 10	←      New Haven Line toward Grand Central (West Haven) ←      Shore Line East toward New London or Old Saybrook (New Haven State Street) → ←      Hartford Line toward Springfield (New Haven State Street) →
	Track 12	←      Shore Line East toward New London or Old Saybrook (New Haven State Street) →
	Island platform
	Track 14	←      New Haven Line toward Grand Central (West Haven)
T	Tunnel	Connection between platforms and station building