Amtrak to Build Accessible Platforms at Chicago Union Station

The 30-month project will convert unused platforms 30 through 38, originally built to handle mail and parcels, into passenger platforms. The new platforms will let riders board trains without stairs, ramps or lifts and will meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

The changes are intended to help wheelchair users, older passengers, parents with strollers and travelers carrying luggage. Amtrak says the project will also add rail capacity at the station and provide temporary capacity while other platforms are modernized.

Plans include a temperature-regulated lounge with restrooms and entry to tracks 30 and higher. The former platforms once had a connection to a post office located over the tracks, which has since been relocated.

The $112 million cost is covered by a $49.6 million federal grant, $40 million in federal funding for fiscal year 2025, and $22.4 million provided locally by Amtrak, the city of Chicago and Cook County. Amtrak and the state transportation department in Illinois jointly applied for the grant.

Amtrak accessibility vice president David Handera said the railroad aims to make its stations welcoming to all passengers. The platform work is the first Chicago Hub Improvement Program project to move into construction.