The Topeka station at 600 SE Holladay Street is a working Amtrak stop on one of the country's most scenic long-distance routes. The Southwest Chief passes through in the middle of the night in both directions, which limits its practical utility for most visitors, but the station building is worth seeing in its own right. The 1927 building has the terracotta roof tiles, stucco walls, and arched windows characteristic of the Santa Fe Railway's Southwestern aesthetic.
The interior has been renovated while retaining its historic character. If you are arriving or departing by train — or if you're travelling the Chief and have a long enough layover — the station is a handsome place to wait. The surrounding area on the south bank of the Kansas River is undergoing gradual redevelopment.