Wilmington station (Delaware) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wilmington, DE Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Railroad Station
The Wilmington station in July 2014
Location	100 South French Street Wilmington, Delaware United States
Coordinates	39°44′12″N 75°33′04″W / 39.736759°N 75.551093°W / 39.736759; -75.551093
Owned by	Amtrak
Line(s)	Northeast Corridor
Platforms	2 side platforms, 1 island platform
Tracks	3
Connections	Thruway Motorcoach Greyhound Lines DART First State
Construction
Parking	Garages and side street parking
Bicycle facilities	In parking garage on French Street
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	WIL (Amtrak)
Fare zone	4 (SEPTA)
History
Opened	1908
Rebuilt	2011
Electrified	September 30, 1928 (Philadelphia) January 28, 1935 (Washington D.C.; ceremonial) February 10, 1935 (Washington D.C.; regular service)
Previous names	French Street Wilmington Pennsylvania Station
Traffic
Passengers (2018)	702,150 annually  1.99% (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Baltimore toward Washington, D.C. Acela Philadelphia toward Boston South Vermonter Philadelphia toward St. Albans Baltimore toward Chicago Cardinal Philadelphia toward New York Baltimore toward Charlotte Carolinian Baltimore toward New Orleans Crescent Terminus Baltimore toward Savannah Palmetto Newark, Delaware toward Norfolk, Newport News or Roanoke Northeast Regional Philadelphia toward Boston South or Springfield Baltimore toward Miami Silver Meteor Philadelphia toward New York Silver Star Preceding station SEPTA Following station Churchmans Crossing toward Newark Wilmington/​Newark Line Claymont toward Temple University
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Newark, Delaware toward Washington, D.C. Chesapeake Chester toward Philadelphia–Suburban Baltimore toward Newport News Federal Philadelphia toward Boston South Aberdeen toward Tri-State Hilltopper Baltimore toward Washington, D.C. Metroliner Philadelphia toward New York Montrealer Philadelphia toward Montreal Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station Newport toward Washington, DC Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Edge Moor toward Philadelphia Terminus Wilmington Line Edge Moor toward Suburban Station New Castle toward Cape Charles Delmarva Division Terminus
Wilmington Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Area	2 buildings and 1 structure on 3.3 acres (1.3 ha)
Architect	Furness, Evans & Co.
Architectural style	Romanesque Revival
NRHP reference No.	76000581
Added to NRHP	November 21, 1976

The Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Railroad Station, also known as Wilmington station, is a busy train station in Wilmington, Delaware. It's one of the most used stops for Amtrak trains. This station is a key part of the Northeast Corridor, a major railway line.

Many different trains use this station. It serves nine Amtrak train routes. It also handles SEPTA Regional Rail commuter trains on the Wilmington/Newark Line. Plus, you can catch DART First State local buses and Greyhound Lines intercity buses here.

The station was built in 1907 and was first called Pennsylvania Station. In 2011, it was renamed to honor Joe Biden. He was the Vice President at the time and is now the President. Joe Biden often took the train from Wilmington to Washington, D.C. when he was a Senator from 1973 to 2008.

The station is located on Front Street in downtown Wilmington. Inside, you'll find shops, a cafe, and an Amtrak ticket office. There's also a car rental office and restrooms. Passengers go to the second floor to board their trains.

Station History

The station from above in a 1977 survey photo

The station in 2010 during renovation

The Wilmington station replaced an older train station. The Pennsylvania Railroad built it in 1907. It cost $300,000 to build.

A famous architect named Frank Furness designed the station. He also designed other buildings nearby. Furness was known for using new materials and bold designs. He designed the station so trains would go through the second floor. The ground floor was for tickets and shops. This design showed off the power of trains and American industry.

The north end of the station has a tall, four-sided clock tower. It rises above the main roof. The tower has special stone and terra cotta decorations.

The Wilmington Station has been recognized as an important historical site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The station was renovated in 1984.

In 2009, the station started a big two-year restoration project. Most of the money for this ($37.7 million) came from U.S. government funds. During the work, people used a temporary station next door. The main station reopened on December 6, 2010. The final work finished in March 2011.

On March 19, 2011, the station's name officially changed. It became the Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Railroad Station. This honored Joe Biden, who used the station for thousands of trips. He was a strong supporter of Amtrak and train travel. After finishing his time as Vice President in 2017, Biden took an Amtrak train back to his namesake station.

A new bus center for DART First State opened next to the station in May 2020.

Train and Bus Services

Train Routes

A northbound Amtrak Northeast Regional train at Wilmington station

The station serves many Amtrak trains. These include Northeast Regional and Acela trains. They travel along the Northeast Corridor. You can go south to Baltimore and Washington, D.C.. Or you can go north to Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.

Several long-distance Amtrak trains also stop here. These include the Cardinal to Chicago. The Carolinian goes to Charlotte. The Crescent travels to New Orleans. The Palmetto goes to Savannah. The Silver Star and Silver Meteor go to Miami. The Vermonter travels to St. Albans, Vermont.

Wilmington Station is a very busy Amtrak station. It is the seventh-busiest Amtrak station in the Mid-Atlantic region. It's also the 13th-busiest nationwide.

SEPTA Regional Rail trains also serve the station. Their Wilmington/Newark Line connects to Center City Philadelphia and Newark, Delaware. DART First State helps fund this service. They also provide many local bus routes.

Intercity Buses

Greyhound Lines intercity buses stop at the Wilmington Bus Station. This station is right next to the train station. It's at 101 North French Street. The bus terminal is connected to the station's parking garage.

Greyhound buses offer direct trips from Wilmington to many cities. These include Baltimore, New York City, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Richmond, and Washington, D.C..

Local Bus Connections

Wilmington Transit Center serving DART First State buses

DART First State operates many local bus routes from Wilmington station. Most of these buses stop at the Wilmington Transit Center. This center is right next to the train station.

The Wilmington Transit Center was built as a main bus hub for DART First State. Construction began in 2018. It cost $19 million to build. The center opened on May 17, 2020. It has a covered waiting area with seats. There are also real-time bus displays, a ticket office, restrooms, and bike racks.

Station Layout

The station has different levels for passengers and trains.

Gallery

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  Station concourse

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  A northbound Amtrak Acela Express train stops at Wilmington Station

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  A southbound Amtrak Northeast Regional train stops at Wilmington Station

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  SEPTA Regional Rail train at Wilmington Station

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  Wilmington Bus Station serving Greyhound buses

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  DART First State bus at Wilmington Station

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  Parking garage

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  Plaque dedicating the station as Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Railroad Station