Connecticut DOT begins overhaul of New Haven Union Station

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) today announced the start of a major modernization project at the New Haven Union Station.

The station, which is served by Amtrak, MTA Metro-North Railroad and CT Rail's Shore Line East and Hartford lines, will undergo both interior and exterior upgrades to modernize the historic transportation hub and improve the overall experience for rail passengers, CTDOT officials said in a press release.

The state of Connecticut and the city of New Haven are also collaborating on a process to identify new vendors and businesses to operate retail and food service spaces within the station, which serves nearly four million passengers annually.

Exterior work, which is already underway, includes repointing brick and repairing concrete, while interior work will include renovations to restrooms and hallways, installation of new flooring and ceiling tiles and LED lighting, updating utility connections, and making improvements to the atrium and the space at the bottom of the escalators. The renovated station will offer additional family restrooms, a new wellness room, a central atrium bar and cafe, a mezzanine-level bar and lounge area, and additional seating throughout. Office and rail administration space, common areas, security and ticketing spaces will also be upgraded.

The renovations are being advanced by the Union Station Partnership, a collaboration between CTDOT and the city of New Haven. Exterior repairs will cost a total of $9.1 million, while interior improvements are anticipated to cost $15.7 million. The projects are fully funded by the state. Exterior work and the first phase of interior work will be completed by the end of 2027; the second phase of interior work is slated for completion in the second half of 2028; and the parking garage repairs in 2029.

Work is also underway on a feasibility study to determine which parts of Union Station's heating and cooling systems can connect to the Union Station Area Thermal Energy Network project, a geothermal network in the works by New Haven, CTDOT officials said.