Spartanburg, SC (SPB)

The depot is the remainder of a larger station built in 1904 to serve three railways. Following a fire, the community rallied to restore the structure, which also houses a railroad museum.

290 Magnolia Street
Spartanburg, SC 29303

Station Hours

Annual Ticket Revenue (FY 2023): $447,866
Annual Station Ridership (FY 2023): 3,548
  • Facility Ownership: City of Spartanburg
  • Parking Lot Ownership: City of Spartanburg
  • Platform Ownership: City of Spartanburg
  • Track Ownership: Norfolk Southern Railway

Todd Stennis
Regional Contact
governmentaffairsnol@amtrak.com
For information about Amtrak fares and schedules, please visit Amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

The Spartanburg Union Station on Magnolia Street was built in 1904, and once served the Southern Railway, the Clinchfield Railway and the Charleston & Western Carolina Railway. In 1949, as many as 14 passenger trains daily traveled through Spartanburg along the Washington-to-Atlanta route, and both considerable freight and passenger rail commerce served to give Spartanburg its “Hub City” nickname.

Sadly, the original station building was torn down bit by bit until, in 1996, the remaining structure was gutted by fire. The week after the fire, 16-year-old Trey Davis III, then in high school, began an initiative to save the station through letters, editorials and visits to city leaders. The station was saved through a popular volunteer effort and subsequently restored. In addition to a passenger waiting area, the building houses the Hub City Railroad Museum. Displays explore the region’s deep and rich associations with the railroad, textile and agricultural industries.

Spartanburg is said to be named for the seasoned battalions of the two Spartanburg Regiments that fought under command of Brigadier General Daniel Morgan during the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Cowpens on January 17, 1781. The battle took place just north of what is now downtown Spartanburg. This overwhelming victory for the American forces turned out to be a deciding battle of the Revolutionary War and remains today a model of military strategy.

Early settlers to this area included French fur trappers, English woodsmen, and Scotch-Irish farmers. As with nearby Greenville, this area was also a favored hunting ground for the Cherokee and Catawba tribes, which occupied land west and east of this area, respectively.

Cotton mills, though relatively sparse in the Spartanburg area before the Civil War, abounded here afterwards as in much of the Piedmont South, encouraged by the many streams and waterfalls associated with the fault line that runs through this area. The local economy has benefited from the BMW manufacturing plant located in the western end of Spartanburg County since 1996. Spartanburg is also home to the world headquarters and research facility for Milliken & Company, one of the world’s largest privately held textile and chemical manufacturers.

Within the past decade, developers and community leaders have established an effort to revitalize Spartanburg’s downtown district. This has resulted in the remodeling of Morgan Square, the restoration of a number of historic structures, and the relocation of several businesses and company headquarters to their downtown district. Today, the restored Magnolia Street station hosts the Hub City Farmer’s Market weekly on its grounds. Numerous festivals are also held downtown throughout the year. Other attractions include the Spartanburg Museum of Art, the Spartanburg Regional (history) Museum, and the Spartanburg Science Center, as well as the Chapman Cultural Center, and the showroom home of Hub-Bub and the Hub City Writer’s project.

Station Building (with waiting room)

Features

  • ATM not available
  • No elevator
  • No payphones
  • No Quik-Trak kiosks
  • Restrooms
  • Unaccompanied child travel not allowed
  • No vending machines
  • No WiFi
  • Arrive at least 30 minutes prior to departure
  • Indicates an accessible service.

Baggage

  • Amtrak Express shipping not available
  • No checked baggage service
  • No checked baggage storage
  • Bike boxes not available
  • No baggage carts
  • Ski bags not available
  • No bag storage
  • Shipping boxes not available
  • No baggage assistance

Parking

  • Same-day parking is available; fees may apply
  • Overnight parking is available; fees may apply
  • Indicates an accessible service.

Accessibility

  • No payphones
  • Accessible platform
  • Accessible restrooms
  • No accessible ticket office
  • Accessible waiting room
  • Accessible water fountain
  • Same-day, accessible parking is available; fees may apply
  • Overnight, accessible parking is available; fees may apply
  • No high platform
  • Wheelchair available
  • Wheelchair lift available

Hours

Station Waiting Room Hours
Mon12:01 am - 06:00 am
11:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Tue12:01 am - 06:00 am
11:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Wed12:01 am - 06:00 am
11:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Thu12:01 am - 06:00 am
11:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Fri12:01 am - 06:00 am
11:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Sat12:01 am - 06:00 am
11:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Sun12:01 am - 06:00 am
11:00 pm - 11:59 pm
Ticket Office Hours
No ticket office at this location.
Passenger Assistance Hours
No passenger assistance service at this location.
Checked Baggage Service
No checked baggage at this location.
Parking Hours
No parking at this location.
Quik-Track Kiosk Hours
No Quik-Trak kiosks at this location.
Lounge Hours
No lounge at this location.
Amtrak Express Hours
No Amtrak Express at this location.