State and local officials are celebrating the opening of the new Southern Illinois Multimodal Station in Carbondale held Friday afternoon.
The $26 million transportation center brings several passenger services together under one roof, including Amtrak, Greyhound, FlixBus and JAX Mass Transit, along with four other regional transit providers.
Officials say the station will make it easier for travelers to connect between rail, bus and local transit services while improving transportation options throughout Southern Illinois.
The new facility is also expected to serve as a major gateway to downtown Carbondale and the surrounding region.