Whitefish Amtrak Station (WFH) is the Empire Builder’s stop for Whitefish and the Flathead Valley in northwestern Montana, and a staffed station with checked baggage. It also serves Whitefish Mountain Resort and visitors to Glacier National Park, and Amtrak counted 42,674 boardings and alightings here in its most recent published year.
The Great Northern Railway built the depot in 1928 in an Alpine style that echoes its hotels in nearby Glacier National Park, with half-timbered upper floors, heavy carved brackets and a cedar-shingled roof with three dormers. The Stumptown Historical Society took ownership in 1990, restored it, and runs a local history museum beside the Amtrak waiting room; the building joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
What Is the Location of Whitefish Amtrak Station?
Amtrak lists the station at:
500 Depot Street
Whitefish, MT 59937-2567, USA
The depot stands at the north edge of downtown Whitefish, on Depot Street beside the BNSF main line. Downtown shops and restaurants are a short walk to the south, and Whitefish Lake lies to the north.
Contact Information
- Amtrak Customer Service: 1-800-872-7245
Unlike many smaller stops on the route, Whitefish has an Amtrak ticket office, staffed daily from 6:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. and from 4:00 to 11:30 P.M.
| Station: | Whitefish Station |
| Station Code: | WFH |
| Contact Number: | 1-800-872-7245 |
| Email: | etickets@amtrak.com |
| Lost and Found: | Online Form |
| Police: | +1-800-331-0008 |
| Working Hours: | Daily 6:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. to 11:30 P.M. |
| Nearby Airport: | Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) |
| Website: | https://www.amtrak.com/home |
| YouTube: | https://www.youtube.com/amtrak |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/Amtrak/ |
| Instagram: | https://www.instagram.com/amtrak |
| X (Twitter): | https://www.twitter.com/amtrak |
| LinkedIn: | https://www.linkedin.com/company/amtrak |
| Pinterest: | https://www.pinterest.com/amtraktravels/ |
Whitefish Amtrak Station Layout Map
The street address or the code WFH finds the depot in mapping apps.
U.S. Highway 93 links Whitefish with Kalispell to the south. In 2011 Amtrak built a 1,200-foot concrete platform here with an electric snow-melting system and edge lighting, a response to the heavy winter snow.
A baggage facility on the side of the depot was added to handle the volume of skis and luggage during the winter season.
List of all Amtrak Stations.
Amtrak Routes and Schedule Information
The Empire Builder serves Whitefish daily in each direction, between Chicago and Seattle or Portland.
Major Destinations
- Chicago, Illinois
- Seattle, Washington
- Portland, Oregon
- Spokane, Washington
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Westbound trains continue toward Spokane, where the train divides for Seattle and Portland; eastbound trains cross Marias Pass along the southern edge of Glacier National Park toward Havre, Minneapolis and Chicago.
Winter weather in the Rockies and freight traffic on BNSF can delay the train, so checking live status before leaving for the station is worthwhile.
The Whitefish Amtrak Station is busy in summer with Glacier National Park visitors and in winter with skiers bound for Whitefish Mountain Resort.
How to Contact the Station
The station’s own staff can help during ticket office hours; outside them, Amtrak’s national customer service handles inquiries.
Available Support Services
- Ticket reservations
- Lost and found assistance
- Accessibility support
- Schedule updates
- Checked baggage inquiries
Tickets can also be bought on Amtrak.com and in the Amtrak app. Amtrak lists no Quik-Trak kiosk at Whitefish.
Station Arrivals and Departures
Arrivals and departures follow the Empire Builder timetable, and the ticket office hours are set around the train’s calls.
Arrival Information
Westbound trains arrive from Chicago, North Dakota and eastern Montana after crossing the Continental Divide.
Departure Information
Eastbound trains depart toward Glacier National Park, Minneapolis and Chicago. Because long-distance schedules can shift, live status on Amtrak.com or the app is the reliable guide.
Amtrak asks passengers to arrive at least 45 minutes before departure when checking baggage or needing ticket help, and at least 30 minutes otherwise.
Services and Amenities Available at the Station
Amtrak lists a full set of passenger services at Whitefish, which is unusual for a station of its size.
Available Amenities
- Indoor waiting room
- Restrooms, listed as accessible
- Stumptown Historical Society museum
- Staffed ticket office
- Checked baggage and baggage storage
- Accessible ticket office, waiting room and water fountain
- Same-day and overnight parking
Checked baggage service and storage, bike boxes, ski bags and shipping boxes are available, along with paid bag storage and baggage assistance from station staff. Amtrak also allows unaccompanied minors to travel from Whitefish.
The station has an ATM, payphones and vending machines but no Wi-Fi. Amtrak lists the platform as accessible but without a wheelchair lift or high-level platform, and a wheelchair is available.
Why Choose the Whitefish Amtrak Station?
Several factors make Whitefish a key stop on the Empire Builder.
Key Advantages
- Direct Empire Builder service east and west
- About 25 miles from Glacier National Park
- Walkable downtown location
- Staffed ticket office with checked baggage
- Route over Marias Pass and along Glacier National Park
The train’s Montana route follows the Flathead River and crosses Marias Pass, scenery that the Great Northern promoted as the “American Alps” when it built its park hotels.
For visitors without a car, the station’s position at the edge of downtown means lodging and restaurants are within walking distance.
Parking and Transit Options at Whitefish Amtrak Station
Amtrak lists same-day and overnight parking at Whitefish, in lots owned by BNSF and the City of Whitefish, and notes that fees may apply.
Parking Features
- Parking owned by BNSF and the City of Whitefish
- Accessible parking
- Overnight parking, fees may apply
Parking demand rises in the summer and ski seasons.
Public Transportation Options
Transport options for onward travel include:
- Taxi services, where available
- Ride-hailing, where available
- Lodging shuttles, where offered by the property
- Rental cars
- Walking to downtown Whitefish
Many visitors continue to Glacier National Park, about 25 miles east, or to Whitefish Mountain Resort north of town after arriving by train.
Food and Dining Near the Station
Downtown Whitefish has a range of restaurants within walking distance of the depot.
Nearby Dining Choices
- Coffee shops
- Restaurants downtown
- Breakfast cafés
- Bars and casual dining
- Dining car on the Empire Builder
Amtrak lists vending machines in the depot but no food service, and the Empire Builder carries dining service on board.
Hotels Near the Station
Amtrak publishes no affiliated lodging list for Whitefish. The hotels below operate in Whitefish; rates and availability should be checked directly.
The Firebrand Hotel
A hotel in downtown Whitefish, within walking distance of the depot.
Grouse Mountain Lodge
A lodge-style hotel in Whitefish with an indoor pool and on-site dining.
Best Western Rocky Mountain Lodge
Located on U.S. Highway 93 South, south of downtown; a car or taxi is needed from the station.
Hampton Inn & Suites Whitefish
Also located on U.S. Highway 93 South, south of downtown Whitefish.
Summer and the ski season are the busiest periods for lodging in Whitefish.
Whitefish shows how a historic depot can stay busy: the 1928 building is a museum, BNSF office space and a staffed Amtrak station.
FAQs
Amtrak lists Whitefish Station (WFH) at 500 Depot Street, Whitefish, MT 59937, in the 1928 Great Northern depot at the edge of downtown.
The WFH ticket office is staffed daily from 6:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. and from 4:00 to 11:30 P.M. Amtrak also answers questions at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) and on Amtrak.com.
Yes. Amtrak lists unaccompanied child travel as allowed at Whitefish, which is a staffed station; Amtrak’s age and route rules still apply.
Yes. Whitefish offers checked baggage service and checked baggage storage during staffed hours, plus paid bag storage, ski bags and bike boxes.
Glacier Park International Airport (FCA), between Whitefish and Kalispell, is the nearest airport with scheduled airline service.