Kansas City Station

My ride on the Southwest Chief (Train 3) from Kansas City to LA Union Station was not particularly pleasant. While the seats were leather, they were slippery—even when reclined—and did not offer a comfortable sleeping experience overnight. The organization of passenger seating based on destinations was also lacking, as boarding and disembarking passengers disrupted long-distance travelers during the night. Each coach compartment had four toilets, which was adequate, but unfortunately, they were not cleaned during long halts at main stations. Additionally, there were a few suspicious passengers who seemed to inspect others’ belongings, making it necessary to stay alert despite the presence of onboard security. However, it was a picturesque and wonderful ride through the undulating and diverse terrain across Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California—some of the views were truly breathtaking. The observation car was comfortable and ideal for taking in the scenery. The cafeteria, although limited in its offerings, provided good service, with the lady in charge being especially courteous and attentive.

Very beautiful historic train station in downtown Kansas city. Like going back in time 100 years or more, so we'll maintained and clean!!

Historical building, restaurants available, clean restaurants and restrooms. Staff friendly and helpful.

We didn’t get a chance to go inside the Kansas City Station but we passed through and made a 30 minute stop on the Southwest Chief inbound from Chicago and it was a nice station and great area. After being on the train for around 8 hours it was nice to get off and be on land again. That’s all I can really say about the station but we passed through both times on Wednesday, June 11 and Thursday, June 26, to and from Raton, NM. (Written 7-4-25)

Awesome vintage railway station. They have reworked this place into a cool restaurant venue with the Amtrak waiting area and ticketing office. This city did it right. We've come through here on several occasions and there are always some new improvements and things to see.

🚞 Amtrak Cantina Car Operator ~ Customer Service Attendant ~ Topeka to Kansas City After a customer service breakdown at the Hyatt hotel in Topeka (Review Posted), I boarded my Amtrak train departing Topeka station to Kansas City. It’s a short ride, and although I usually stay in a sleeper car, I booked coach to reduce the cost. I was hungry and wanted to get a breakfast sandwich and coffee to start my day. I had an unfortunate experience with the operator in the food/cantina car. When I descended the stairs to the cantina, I noticed the operator rummaging through a closet. To say she looked miserable would be putting it lightly—she appeared completely disturbed and made no effort to hide her cold, standoffish attitude. When I politely asked when the cantina would open, she flatly told me she was “setting up.” I waited patiently for 5–10 minutes along with three other passengers as she “set up.” When she finally opened the service window, I placed my order for a coffee and breakfast sandwich. She mumbled something inaudible under her breath, which I assume was a passive-aggressive hint for a tip—despite the complete lack of courtesy. Then came the payment fiasco: although she prompted me to pay, she abruptly stopped the transaction as I began to insert my card to complete my transaction. She hadn’t even bothered to activate the card reader and had to set that up now. 🙄 So, once again, paying customers had to wait longer. I eventually paid for my order, left no tip, and snapped a photo, which I’ve provided. I was relieved just to walk away from her energy. This kind of attitude has no place in customer service—especially in such a confined, shared travel space. 👎👹 Judging by her attitude and standoffish demeanor, she should seriously consider finding a new job. Paying customers on Amtrak trains deserve much better than this. This operator’s horrific customer service reflects poorly on Amtrak as a whole. It’s not just an isolated issue—it’s part of a growing, countrywide problem. Why work a job if you clearly hate it? This woman’s behavior is a perfect example of that disconnect, and its customers who suffer for it.

This is a beautiful old train station. The Amtrak part of the station is small and ordinary, but the grand halls are well-maintained and gorgeous. There’s a great science museum, a planetarium, an IMAX theater, restaurants and shops in the building.

It was great!! It's the same as Union Station