Union Station Kansas City

About

Union Station Kansas City opened in 1914 as a Beaux-Arts train station designed by architect Jarvis Hunt. The Grand Hall has a 95-foot ceiling, three chandeliers weighing 3,500 pounds each, and a six-foot clock that still marks meeting times for visitors. A $250 million restoration between 1997 and 1999 saved the building from decades of decline, and Amtrak passenger service returned to the main hall in 2002.

Inside, Science City occupies three floors with hands-on exhibits, a model railroad gallery in the Grand Hall, and the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium. The Regnier Extreme Screen, at five and a half stories, is the largest movie screen in the region. The H&R Block City Stage hosts live theater, and rotating exhibitions from partner institutions fill the Bank of America Gallery. Pierpont's and Harvey's serve meals inside the building for people who want to eat before or after a show.

Plan on two to three hours for Science City alone, longer with the planetarium or a film added in. Science City general admission runs $17 per person as of 2026, not counting a preservation fee, and Union Station members get in free year-round. Science City stays open until 5 p.m. most days.

Union Station sits at 30 West Pershing Road, a short walk from Crown Center and directly across the street from the National World War I Museum and Memorial. The free KC Streetcar stops at the station and runs 2.2 miles north to the River Market, with level boarding at every stop. Parking is available in a garage and in surface lots on site, and Amtrak's Southwest Chief and Missouri River Runner both call at the station.

Accessibility

Union Station Kansas City is wheelchair accessible throughout its public areas, though a few specific amenities have limits worth planning around. The station states that it makes the whole building and its attractions wheelchair and handicap accessible, and elevators connect the different levels.

ADA parking is available in the South Plaza lot and in the parking garage. Wheelchair and stroller users can be dropped off at the Front Entrance facing Pershing Road, or at the west side circle drive near the railroad tracks, both leading into the building without stairs.

Inside, elevators connect Science City's three floors, one near the Every Last Drop exhibit and one by the Dino Lab. The Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium has a wheelchair accessible viewing area with ramps, companion seating, and booster seats, and the Regnier Extreme Screen theater, including its concession area, is wheelchair accessible for movies and events. Assistive listening devices are available on request for theater shows; ask a Guest Service Representative when you arrive.

One gap to plan around: wheelchair rentals are not currently offered at Union Station, so bring your own chair or mobility device. Science City runs Sensory Sundays for visitors on the autism spectrum or with sensory sensitivities, 10 to 11:30 a.m., with sound effects off, lights dimmed, and quiet areas set aside; guests who attend that morning can stay through the regular day.

Getting to and from the station is accessible too. The free KC Streetcar has level boarding at every stop and connects Union Station to downtown and the River Market with no ramps needed to board. For questions about a specific exhibit or event, call Union Station at (816) 460-2000.

Checked by Accessible America, August 2026. Report a change

More accessible places in Missouri

• National WWI Museum and Memorial (Kansas City)
• Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City)
• Worlds of Fun (Kansas City)
• Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium (Kansas City)
• Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (Kansas City)
• Gateway Arch National Park (St. Louis)

Photo credits

• Union Station Kansas City's grand stone facade with arched entrances and a fountain in front: Ron Reiring, CC BY 2.0 (source)
• Ground level view of Union Station Kansas City's arched entrance doors with a flat plaza approach: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)
• Aerial view of Union Station Kansas City with downtown skyscrapers rising behind it: John LeCoque, Public domain (source)