For nearly a century, the historic Sacramento Valley Station has connected Sacramento to surrounding regions, providing opportunities for travel and commuting. Now, this iconic brick landmark will get new life. The Sacramento Valley Station plan was approved by the Sacramento City Council in April 2021, propelling the project forward to provide Sacramento with a groundbreaking environmentally-friendly transit hub.
Learn more about how this project will reshape the city.
What is the Sacramento Valley Station?
The Sacramento Valley Station first opened its doors in 1926 and has been in continuous operation ever since. When the Southern Pacific Railroad built the station in the 1920s, it was considered a state-of-the-art facility and celebrated as one of the great stations of the west.
The station operated under Southern Pacific and later under Union Pacific until the inception of AMTRAK in 1971. The City of Sacramento purchased the building in its 80th year of operation in 2006. Today, it is the 7th busiest station in the AMTRAK network.
The city's new project will help breathe new life into the station, making this historic icon once again a state-of-the-art transportation hub.
What Can Residents Expect From the New Station?
The renewed Sacramento Valley Station will transform the station into a thriving transportation hub offering greener transportation options to Sacramentans.
The City of Sacramento fully restored the station in 2016, which now includes 25,000 square feet of space for offices, food vendors, and retail. The new Sacramento Valley Station plan aims to provide an architectural design that respects the historic station as an iconic landmark, integrating the historic buildings with the new expanded functions.
Among other exciting features, the new development will include:
- Buildings that run on renewable energy
- 18 new bus bays with electric bus charging
- Lower-level parking with prioritization for car-share and electric vehicles
- Bike facilities
- Restrooms
Providing green transportation options is a priority for the project. In fact, the Sacramento Valley Station plan has been granted a certificate for environmental innovation, making this station plan the first municipality-led plan in the world to earn the Living Community Challenge Vision Plan certificate.
The city is currently seeking to fund the project's first phase, the bus station, which could begin in 2026. Project completion is estimated for 2040.
What Does This Mean for Sacramento?
This project will make the Sacramento Valley Station a hub for the entire region, allowing more travelers to choose convenient, eco-friendly transit.
When completed, this project will expand the number of AMTRAK trains serving the Sacramento Valley Station. By 2040, up to 30 trains will travel to and from the Bay Area and Roseville daily, which will have a tremendous impact on regional mobility.
One Capitol Corridor Train can carry 500 passengers. With more commuters able to choose train transit, regional traffic congestion could significantly improve, particularly over the Causeway.
What Does This Mean for The Railyards?
The Sacramento Valley Station sits on the southern border of The Railyards, in the Depot District. The Depot District borders Downtown and Old Town Sacramento and will also be home to the new Sacramento Courthouse.
The Depot District connects the Central Shops and residential spaces in the Railyards to the train station through a newly renovated pedestrian tunnel. This gives shoppers, visitors, and residents easy access to AMTRAK, Light Rail, and other transportation options.
What are your thoughts on the plans for the new Sacramento Valley Station? Share with us on social media.