We took train 43 from Newark, New Jersey to Pittsburgh, PA. The conductor confirmed that we would have wheelchair assistance when we arrived at the Union Station. As we were getting off the train, we had hard time handling the luggage from the train to the platform. The lady working at the cafeteria helped us and several other passengers. We were touched by her kindness and admired her thoughtfulness. We waited for assistance, but no one came. We managed to pull our luggage for a short distance, and then the electric golf cart driver came to help us with our heavy luggage and took us to the main building. We did have very good boarding experience and the red cap agents were very helpful and kind. Hopefully, the wheelchair service will be much better in the future. read more

The employees are very helpful. The station is still a dump, but at least they fixed the elevator. read more

Amtrak - Union Station Pittsburgh - Outside the station - Train Stations Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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There is something almost laughably absurd about the Pittsburgh Amtrak facility. It's difficult to actually call it a station: it boasts low ceilings, consistently insufficient seating, harsh fluorescent lights, and no food other than a few vending machines. Anyone who has issues with claustrophobia should be prepared. It's jammed into a corner of the basement of The Pennsylvanian, Pittsburgh's former passenger rail station -- a Victorian-era palace well-known for its grandeur. For starters, the auto entrance/drop-off area on Liberty Avenue is cramped, shadowy, and crowded with cars whose drivers are understandably confused by a chaotic parking/traffic layout. Pedestrians are unceremoniously funneled towards a single (too narrow) sliding entrance door. Anyone arriving via transit has had ample opportunity to admire the historic Pennsylvanian building above as they arrive, so the final approach to the current facility is all the more forboding. The Pennsylvanian building, still one of the city's most impressive landmarks, is now home to luxury apartments; its stunning vaulted stone portico hosts high-end weddings and receptions. The portico, which greeted Pittsburgh's rail passengers during the Gilded Age, now serves as a monument to Pittsburgh's past as a premier US rail hub for both freight and passengers. The names of major railroading cities (New York, Chicago, "Pittsburg" in its "no H" era ... ) and sculptural artworks are carved high upon the inner aspect of its towering structure. To slink into the current Amtrak basement station after glimpsing the sunlit uplands of The Pennsylvanian is to understand on a gut level how American rail travel has been marginalized and its resources have been starved over the decades. I've traveled much of the Amtrak network, but I've never visited a mid-size metro with a station better suited to a fiscally insolvent suburb of 50,000 or fewer. The only thing that's missing is a layer of dust -- because this shabby place is always so busy! Even the train shed where passengers board and arrive is beat to hell and falling apart. Although only a few tracks are still in use, the shed is home to half a dozen tracks, most of which haven't seen use in decades. Yes, Pittsburgh is certainly known for its grittiness -- but the rusty, leaky shed is moving towards the "industrial ruin" or "Berlin, circa 1944" category. The two-star review here is 100% for the station staff, certainly not for anything the physical plant has to offer. The staff members, extremely hard-working and long-suffering, do a very solid job of corralling passengers like livestock as they wait (there's only enough seating for about half of the passengers, so unfortunately crowd management is important). They shepherd passengers toward the escalator after opening it for a pending departure. They cooperate with train-based personnel for boarding. Hopefully, Amtrak will renovate the Pittsburgh facility to a level that's even half of what this city deserves. Amtrak enjoyed an all-time ridership record in 2024. Pittsburgh is frequently mentioned in plans for expanded rail service between the East Coast and the Midwest -- and is on the list for future high-speed rail service. That's wonderful news, but in the short-to-mid term, I'd settle for a station that at least reflects that we successfully survived Y2K. Historian Vincent Scully is attributed with a quotation about the jarring differences between old vs. new NYC-based intercity rail travel. But the saying could be easily repurposed for Pittsburgh. In honor of the Amtrak passengers who cram into the basement of The Pennsylvanian each day: "One entered the city like a god. One scuttles in now like a rat." read more

The Pittsburgh station is dismal and uninviting. There are beautiful photos, but what one gets is a large white, well lit waiting area downstairs. Hopefully someone pulled the switch on the escalator so arrivals/departures can get to and from the track level without a struggle. Because of a peculiar disability, I ended up getting trapped upstairs with a huge cold wind from the air conditioner unit. When I did brave the door to outside so I could go see the beautiful building, I was met with a group of smokers who blocked the dark sidewalk leading away from the dank parking garage. Maybe daylight would have made me feel safer to venture past the smokers. I went back up in the elevator to the freezer, and when I eventually needed the facilities, everything was roped off, including the exit from the elevator. So back up I went to wait with legs crossed. Both arriving and departing trains were late, but I expect that. I did not expect to feel so unsafe and disregarded, nor did I expect to be barked at by station attendants when I did not fit in their herd routine. If they do not allow people to be in certain areas, they should post signs or be more friendly and explain things nicely. They also need to open up more of the station instead of cramming everyone into that room. It was quite crowded. read more

Amtrak - Union Station Pittsburgh - A dank garage greets people who want to escape the crowded, bright white waiting room. Not pictured is the dark sidewalk blocked by smokers. - Train Stations Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Just wasn't my vibe. They closed and wanted me and two other passengers out of the station; In the past I have been to Amtrak Stations that have closed but passengers were still allowed to wait inside.. I also didn't like the tone of the lady voice who asked me to leave, She could have been a bit more calmer [ ** She needs to watch how she treats people in the future .. You never know who you could be running into on a daily basis especially at work... Because that's definitely the right place to meet 'her perfect match' one day who will exhibit things way worser than what she is]. There was only one friendly male worker who was AA. When the station opened back up.. I retrieved my luggage and left.. There's nothing much to do in the station .. There was no microwave ( for customers to use .. and don't even attempt to bother the workers to use a microwave.. they have one but they won't let you use it), like 3 vending machines, no charging ports on the seats.. you had to walk close to where the vending machines were to charge your devices. Definitely one of the most Low Budget Amtrak Stations that I have ever visited.. And I'm just happy that I saved myself $397. read more

This Amtrak station is small, simple and effective. We enjoyed riding the Capital Limited from DC with our bikes. Everything went like clockwork, including our on-time arrival. The scenic views along our route were lovely, and we had fun looking at places we had recently been on bicycle. We were hoping for the elegant dining car experience, but instead had the cafe car, which was completely functional, but not even close to the same. Getting our bikes on and off the train was easier than expected. read more

This review is of Amtrak's Capitol Limited train. I've used this train a lot over the years. When I was living and working in Washington, DC, I'd use it to come back to Pittsburgh to visit my husband and friends (and later splitting my time between WAS & PGH). We'd use to to get to Chicago too. Well the short version was we had a voucher from a cancelled trip, and with the unseasonably warm winter, we thought we'd go visit some friends in Chicago. So we booked a round trip in the sleeper cars. Now I have to say that the crews on board both segments were top notch. The sleeping car rooms were clean and comfortable. Both segments of the trip were on time. So why the low rating? Well Amtrak has massively (and I do mean MASSIVELY) downgraded the service on this train. The dining cars, formerly a convivial spot where you'd share your table with coach and sleeper passengers over freshly prepared food is now a dismal place serving microwaved pre-packaged chow to sleeper passengers only. Nobody looked like were actually enjoying their flavorless meals. On the outbound trip, I tried the pancakes and, well, pancakes should never be microwaved. Rick ate the Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich. On the return trip I tried the salmon which was --meh-- and Rick tried the beef bowl, again flavorless. Coach passengers don't know what they're not missing. Oh and now the trains are just two sleepers, the diner/lounge (if you can call it that) and just one coach. Gone are the wonderful glass-topped observation lounge cars. Gone is the "roll-on, roll-off" bike carrying between all stations. We once used that to get to Cumberland in order to ride the GAP Trail back to Pittsburgh. Limit capacity which drives up fares while you downgrade service. Great business model! Kudos to the train crew though. I told my husband "Next time we either fly or drive". read more

As someone who is a new Amtrak traveler, and legally blind, union station is very chaotic, and hard to navigate. Unless there is someone there to direct you, you have no guidance on where to go. Parking is a nightmare, unless there is room in the lot at the station. The staff that is there is a nice enough, and helped me get to where I needed to be. Just wish there were more food/drink options at these Amtrak stations. read more

Amtrak - Union Station Pittsburgh - Train Stations Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This station is nice inside, but the outside pick up area needs work, help and new construction it is horrible !!! Don't have anyone pick or drop you off here !! I had to walk to the Westin hotel just to get picked up. The space for cars is horrible! For the traffic that comes through here it is cramped and discussing. The parking lot should be for pick up and drop off and those staying for extended time should have to use the bus station garage next door. Between cars and taxis it's inadequate for the traffic that comes through the station. The inside is perfect size, clean and adequate. I do not recommend car drop off or pick up. More attention needs to be on the outside. read more

I took my first train ride in the USA last week. I had priced bus, air and train and train even beat bus. I had a presentation to prep so I thought sitting on a train would be nice. Flying to Harrisburg that included 3! stopovers was $681 and it was not a last minute pricing. Boarding went well. The dining cart is cute. Staff was friendly. The cars are clean and comfortable. WiFI worked nicely as did the charging. I went business class and that included free coffee. The scenery is nice, especially the famous Horseshoe Curve. I have taken trains in Europe a number of times and Europe is superior but, still, it is a nice way to travel. read more

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This is a pretty lame train station for a city like Pittsburgh. I couldn't check my bags at 4:35am for a 5:20am train 8 hour train trip. I spoke to 2 different agents who told me specifically twice that I could check my bags in anytime between 12am & 7:45am. Oh well, the snippy little lady behind the double glass window that you have to yell at just said nope it's after 4:30 it's too late to check your bag. It doesn't specify that fact on the ticket, on the Amtrak site or anywhere that I can find and is contrary to the agents on the phone but oh well. I swear it boggles the mind how customers can mean so little to an outfit that is bleeding money and suffering cutbacks and employee buy outs. Does anybody think that having the federal government as a partner might be a flippin' bad idea????? read more

Amtrak - Union Station Pittsburgh - I am not awake! - Train Stations Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

First off, I'm seeing five star reviews including photos of what *used* to be union station but that is now "the Pennsylvanian" apartment building. Ignore the positive reviews from people who are confused about where they are. Honestly though, that's my first comment. This place is so divey and inconspicuous that it's confusing to identify and access. The station is hot garbage left out long enough to cool to just be garbage. It's grungy inside, is about six hundred years old (not kept up to date in its age and so not aging gracefully), and generally has an unpleasant vibe. Limited access to vending machines, poorly lit outside, a small parking lot with vehicle destroying potholes, an escalator that works only sometimes, people all stuffed together in a small enclosed space... you get the idea. A train station befitting a modern city this is certainly not. It's embarrassing to live in a country in which major cities have train stations like this. read more

This station is a dump. Has not been upgraded in over 25 years. The platform is nit ADA compliant so passengers have to struggle to lift luggage up stairs with no help from conductors. They have received funding so put it to use and make thus station better. read more

There is no place to get a cup of coffee here, other than a vending machine that is broken. The station is run down and sad. In desperate need of an upgrade. The lot outside is driving hell because it's too easy to pop a tire on barriers. read more

The station is fairly dirty, the vending machines often take your money and there's no other options. I would avoid this station if you can.

This is a tiny station. Nice folks. Decent facilities. Limited vending machines. Close to fast food joints. They're good about getting you on board right away. The parking lot though is tiny. read more

The old train station was visible from our Hotel .. this old domed structure is very interesting and great spot for photos. walked here to check it out from our upper level room at the Double tree hotel. We walked and got some dinner and then returned at night as it was lite .. don't know if that was the safe thing to do but we had no trouble. read more

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I like taking the train for travel. I've taken it from Pittsburgh to D.C. NYC and Chicago. It's a fun little adventure if you have extra time to do it. The train station in Pittsburgh isn't anything special. Big open waiting area with seating, televisions and vending machines. Employees at ticket and info windows are friendly. Station is clean. read more

Embarrassing dump of a station. Nice employees, but Pittsburgh should be ashamed of the facility, particularly with the beautiful old station hovering above it. No lockers. Cramped waiting area. You have to walk through a dead zone to get anywhere interesting while waiting on a layover. I made the mistake of entering the bathroom and was greeted by a turd on the floor. Need some entertainment? Walk outside by the old station, take a photo, and see how long until the security guy comes running out yelling "no photos!" I was going to give an additional star for friendly and helpful employees (they are!), but then found one of the staff was inviting people into the storage area to identify and retrieve their bags. read more

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The place is really dated. The escalator has been out of order for over 2 years. The train station offers a place to catch a train, seats, restrooms and vending machines. An update is badly needed. read more

I'm disabled and traveling is always frustrating but not this time because the Amtrak staff helped get me to the track and on the train in a speedy but caring way. I'm extremely grateful for and the staff and will be Amtrak customer for life. read more

The staff at this Amtrak station are the BEST!!! Kim in the Baggage Department is the most PATIENT, KIND HELPFUL Baggage worker I have ever encountered! Kim's ONLY GOAL IS TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. I witnessed Kim work with a passenger in a wheelchair. The passenger had difficulty speaking, and communicating . Kim was EXTREMELY UNDERSTANDING and HELPFUL with this passenger, (as well as me.) Despite her small frame Kim lifted baggage wth ease. Kim is truly one SPECIAL Amtrak employee!!! read more

I Neva know that I train BikePGH so lovely. We went to Milwaukee for a track bike ride and we were able to take our bikes on the train for a very reasonable fee. It was a great opportunity and I will definitely ride the train again. Thanks Amtrak I don't want such a wonderful job! read more

This place was horrible. Did not, even for a moment, have a seat on the chairs while i waited to board the next train. The walls were dirty, nasty and dingy. It smelled awful inside. It was quite crowded. And I just did not like my surroundings. And dont let me get started on the restroom. after seeing the filth in here, i decided to walk down the street at 5am in the freezing cold to the greyhound station nearby to use their facilities. There was absolutely no type of cafe or even little convenient store within this station to grab a bite to eat while you wait. I did find a vending machine to get coffee but even that was watered down. This place needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the bottom up. I waited with my family down the street at a different station before we had to be back to board our train. I will be sure to not have this place in any of my future stops. Not a good way to sell the city...Horrible! The only reason why i give this station 1 star is because the train itself was quite comfortable and clean. read more

I had an opportunity to experience the Pittsburgh Amtrak Station one 3 occasions. Once last spring and twice in January 2016. The station is sparse compared with the great train stations in the big cities. The track is owned by Norfolk Southern so the platforms are low and designed to let freight trains pass easily. The other side of the picture are the Amtrak personnel who man the waiting room, ticketing booths and assisting passengers on an off the Amtrak trains. I give these very pleasant and hard-working people a 5+ rating. They help you with getting your luggage on and off the train. They re there to put your luggage on a baggage cart so you do not have to haul it up or down an escalator or try to muscle it onto the single, smallish elevator. read more

A disappointing Amtrak station. What's really sad is that passenger rail has degraded so far in this country, especially in one of the areas where rail was once king. Anyone who walks outside of the Amtrak station will witness Pittsburgh's Penn Station, a proud and magnificent facility that outlines how important passenger rail once was, with a vast rotunda to shelter vehicular traffic, and a majestic waiting area. Unfortunately, all that has been converted to ... condos. Now, there's just a dumpy little room with some rows of seating and an Amtrak desk. Given that only two Amtrak lines serve the station, each once daily, that's probably more sensible, but it is a sad commentary on how "progress" often isn't. read more

We elected not to make this a major connection stop just to take the DC en route to Chicago (for our Toledo, OH stop) instead because this station, in no way compares to the DC-Union Station connection. Thus station needs more amenities and a makeover to compete with the DC one! read more

This Amtrak station is in need of a face lift! It is very dingy and outdated looking, which is surprising because it is underneath one of the most prestigious address in downtown Pittsburgh! The employees were friendly and helpful, which was nice, and our train came on time which is really the most important thing! read more

I have taken the train from Pittsburgh to Huntingdon, PA a few times. I have always had the best experiences. The train is clean and comfortable, and the staff is friendly and attentive. I would recommend the Amtrak train to anyone needing to travel long distance through public transit. p.s. The free wifi and coffee from the cafe car make the trip even more enjoyable! read more

When times are tough and you really don't want to be spending $50 on a tank of gas. This is one of your better options. I've taken the train several times and I have to say it was a nice experience. For half of what I would have paid to fill my tank up with gas I was able to get a round trip ticket to the Johnstown station and back. The regular seats are good enough for me. It's comfortable, even if you do have to sit next to a complete stranger. read more

I would agree the station needs a facelift.Be prepared to lift your bags up some steps and see a lot of dingy steel city dirt on the walls. The Amtrak train itself is pleasant. Lots of leg room. Smooth ride. Friendly conductors. You can take a nap or read easily, unlike Megabus. The views of the hills and the mountains between Greensburg and Harrisburg are beautiful. read more

I took my first train trip from Pittsburgh, PA to Trenton New Jersey on September 15th of this year. It was a wonderful experience! I was on Train 42 going to Trenton that day and the conductor so graciously helped me with my suitcase and my other carryon bags. We were getting close to Trenton and he asked a real nice gentleman to help me off of the train because the Conductor needed to help in another part of the train. The young gentlemen was off duty and works on the train tracks. He was a very nice young man and I really appreciated it. I was sorry that I did not get to thank the Conductor for what he had arranged for me. On my return to Pittsburgh the following Monday on Train 43, I recognized the Conductor from my trip to New Jersey. I am sure that he didn't recognize me, but I did thank him for what he did for me. I plan on taking another trip in the future. The Dining Car was very nice and the staff very friendly. Nancy Mc read more

Not the friendliest or service oriented station... serve yourself everything! even bags which I didn't appreciate given that I had tons of luggage! Had an early AM ride to Philly - not that a recommendation makes a difference - you're kind of limited if you want to take the train! read more

Miserable , miserable, miserable..... Midnight approaches......train an hour late....Maybe longer.... Anything else better than Amtrak.

Amtrak offers only two trains out of Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvanian and the Capitol Limited, and I've ridden both of them. I rode the Capitol Ltd. to DC this past Feb. The biggest drawbacks of this train are the inconvenience of the arrival and departure times (PGH is in the middle of the route, which terminates in Chicago) and its tendency to be late. When I rode the Capitol Ltd., the worst part of the experience was its 5 hr. late arrival (10:30am)--I thought this train would never show up, but thank goodness, it finally did. Once we were on the train itself, it was good times. Since this is a long-distance train, it's a double decker and includes a dining car and lounge car. For the majority of the trip, I hung out in the lounge car and enjoyed the scenery, which was very pretty for most of the way. I also had lunch in the diner, and was pleased with the quality of the food (I had a chicken salad with fruit) and service. I found the seats, both in coach and in the lounge, fairly comfortable and the temperature acceptable. The diner and lounge also offer a great opportunity to mingle and chat, which I took advantage of, having conversations with several interesting people. I've ridden the Pennsylvanian to Philly on several occasions to visit my family, who live in DE. Although I used to ride Megabus, the Pennsylvanian is now my preferred method of transportation to do so. The seats are much more spread out and comfortable than the seats on the Megabus (and you can actually get up and walk around!), the ride is extremely scenic, esp. west of Harrisburg, the wifi is pretty reliable (although it's only available in the vicinity of the cafe car) and, in my experience, the crews are much friendlier than the Megabus drivers. Also, although one of my bags is slightly over the allowable dimensions stated on the website, none of the crew members have ever complained, though the Megabus crews have given me trouble even though this bag is *under* their stated dimensions! The biggest drawbacks are that there's only one departure time (7:30am, earlier than I'd like, personally), and the fare price ($110, round trip). In addition to these, the temperature of the cars has been quite frigid on several occasions, so be sure to dress in layers or bring a blanket. I also recommend bringing snacks, since the offerings in the cafe car are limited and pricy. *Pro tip: The eastbound Pennsylvanian stops in Harrisburg at around 12:45pm for 15 min. for a smoke break, at which time it's possible to disembark from the train and buy lunch at the snack shop in the station, which has much more variety and is much more reasonably priced than the cafe car. *That is, if it's on time--if it's running late, all bets are off. The clientele is also more varied and generally a bit classier than the clientele of the Megabus (though I did get stuck between some rednecks on my last trip--I spent most of the time west of Harrisburg in the cafe car avoiding them). Although fares are more expensive than Megabus (by about $20-$30 round trip) and the trip is slightly longer due to more stopping, I don't mind paying more to have a more enjoyable experience, given that it's a long trip no matter which mode of transportation you take! As for the PGH Amtrak station itself, it's not much to see, consisting of one room with no windows, a ticket counter, some bathrooms, and a TV (usually tuned to CNN). I recommend getting there 15-20 min. prior to departure time--just enough time to comfortably catch your train without becoming bored. However, if you're on the Capitol Ltd. and it's running late, you may get stuck here for awhile, so be prepared and bring some entertainment! 3.5 stars. read more

Pittsburgh Amtrak station is a disgrace. Very limited facilities. Very few trains. Extended parking is expensive unlike Erie where it is free. On the plus side staff is excellent. read more

Wow. What a difference a few years makes. Back in the late 90s, I used to ride the Pennsylvanian to H'burg a few times a year. Took the train this past weekend for a meeting -- out Sunday morning and back yesterday afternoon -- and I was amazed by the experience. I see the other reviews about the station. Forget the station. Any train station. They're all sad and they offer very little in the way of amenities. You're not there for the station; you're there for the ride. First and foremost, the trains were on time for both trips. In fact, we arrived in H'burg and Pgh EARLY! Not only has the on-time performance improved, but the service on the train is MUCH better than I remember. The conductors and cafe staff are warm, friendly and helpful. More like hosts than employees. Now I did spend the extra $19 to get "business class" seats. It's a Metroliner car with more room between seats and a power outlet in each row. AND FREE WIRELESS INTERNET for nearly the entire journey! You also receive unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and a newspaper. I think I drank more than $19 worth of beverages on each leg of the trip. Yea, I could have driven the route in about three hours and the train took five hours, but I arrived in H'burg without being burned out from navigating the gawdawful turnpike. Plus, I was able to get some work done. Not as much as I had planned, mind you, because I spent most of the time looking out the window at the scenery. It's a series of wonderful views between Greensburg and Harrisburg. read more

This station is a disgrace. Old, uncomfortable & dingy. Fluorescent lights, hard seats, & coffee from a machine. PENNSYLVANIA STATION above & next to this abomination is a beautiful, old historic building that you would never know was there if you arrived by train. The service here was pitiful. I must have waited for 20 minutes for an agent to tell me to go to another window. A window that I would've gone to in the first place had there been ANY signage. I didn't even see any real displays or screens with updated travel information. I was relying on an agent for updates through the muffled loudspeaker. read more

So I know I'm supposed to be on the train for about seven hours. So far, almost eight, delay after delay and the WiFi sucks. Is it that hard to create a stable network? They somehow seem to do it on a plane...get your shit together Amtrak... read more

The historical Penn Station structure is magnificent and gorgeous, and it's worth going out of your way to visit. Too bad that's not where the "real" train station is nowadays, though. "Dumpy" is a good word for the real waiting area. I've only been inside of three train stations (Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Providence) and Pittsburgh's was definitely the lousiest. Regardless, taking the train to Philadelphia was a great experience. I had a ton of leg room (I'm 6'3") and a set of power outlets, and the ability to get up at any time to wander around or get a cup of coffee or snack was great. It's also been one of my little dreams to take a train around Horseshoe Curve, so I got to check that one off my list, too. If your schedule can accommodate it, I'd definitely suggest taking the train instead of flying. read more