Amtrak's California Zephyr returns to Denver Union Station on Friday night after a three-year absence and a nearly $500 million renovation of the historic rail hub.

Service will resume with the scheduled 7:10 p.m. departure of the eastbound train to Chicago. The first westbound California Zephyr to use Union Station is scheduled Saturday morning at 8:05 and will head for California.

"This is huge. This is big for all of us," said Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.

Amtrak was bumped from Union Station in 2011 and moved to a temporary site at 21st and Wewatta streets to make way for a makeover of the 133-year-old Union Station building.