Boosting tourism and revitalizing downtown, a new Amtrak station opens in Carbondale

CARBONDALE, Ill. (KBSI) — A new building in Carbondale is brightening up the look of downtown Carbondale while bringing new people to the area. 

A new Amtrak station has officially opened in downtown Carbondale, marking the completion of the first phase in a two-part project aimed at revitalizing the area and attracting more visitors.

The newly constructed facility features a modern, spacious waiting area with high ceilings and overhead lighting designed to enhance the travel experience.

Passengers began using the station this week, including Southern Illinois University student Zoe Myers, who was heading home to Chicago on the 4:15 p.m. train.

“It’s amazing,” Myers said. “Compared to before, it’s more homey and comfortable. Not like prison, kinda. Yeah, it’s really homey. I love it.”

The station includes co-working spaces for entrepreneurs, job support programs, and a rentable conference room available for community use. Project manager Mark Bollmann said the new amenities are part of a broader strategy to draw people downtown and support local businesses and events.

According to Bollmann the new station is built for growth and ready to make Carbondale a destination once again.

The project’s second phase is already underway. According to Bollmann, the south facing wall of the new building will be removed to make way for a Southern Illinois University welcome center. Floor plans also show space allocated for Carbondale Tourism and other offices.

A rendering of the completed design shows a future clock tower to the right side of the building — an element not yet constructed. Crews are currently preparing the old station next door for demolition before construction can begin.

Erika Vargas works for a local small business.

“All the improvements are beautiful,” Vargas said. “We’ve been here for like ten years now. They’ve done a lot of updates on the strip, and now we’ve got this going on. It’s really exciting to see all the projects and just see everybody trying to keep town going.”

City leaders hope the transformation will usher in a new era for downtown Carbondale.