Celebrating its 115th birthday this year, Penn Station is decidedly not new--pan to the sections that look straight outta the late 60s--but to look on the brighter side at least part of the station looks better as of 2021! A welcome update if you ask most New Yorkers. Most recently renovated in 2020 to expand into the Farley Post Office building, this extensive transportation hub is situated between 7th and 9th Avenues, between 31st and 33rd Streets. To understand a little more on how this landmark fell from the general public's graces I delved into Penn's history: - built in 1910 to support the ambitious project led by Alexander Cassatt of the Pennsylvania Railroad company to connect Manhattan via under river tunnel to the vast railway network along the East Coast and Midwest. - designed by architect Charles McKim, the original structure was an immense Greco-Roman masterpiece modeled after St Peter's Basilica in Rome, with Doric columns wrapping around two city blocks, vaulted ceilings, a soaring glass dome, shopping arcade, mezzanines and massive waiting rooms with murals, friezes and sculptures. - peaked in 1945 at over 100 million annual passengers but but declined in volume and revenue through 1963 due to increases in automobile, airline and other public transit options, leading to the 1954 selling of air rights to sections above ground to Madison Square Garden. - demolished in 1963-66 with only the underground remnants and some sculptural elements saved, the station layout maintained separate concourses for Amtrak, NJ Transit (which operates the former PRR commuter lines from NJ), and the LIRR. The outdated design and crammed layout received much vitriolic denunciation and caused much traveler aggravation over the past several decades. - credited to senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, plans were hatched in the 1990s to build a newer version of a train hall, with two phases of construction that was finally completed by January 2021. This newer section, located between 8th and 9th Avenues, services Amtrak trains and includes a food hall, retail stores, and a glass roofed waiting lobby inspired by the past station's architecture. Don't forget to checkout the famous escalator with mural map of the surrounding NY metro area. Sooooo (yes with 5 Os) much nicer than the basement maze that is the section between 7th and 8th Avenues. Interesting fact: the only transit organization in business under the same name at Penn Station from inception to now is the MTA Long Island Railroad (LIRR). For much more extensive info: https://www.nytransitmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Penn-Station-Train-Talk-at-Plaza-33.pdf https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/the-rise-and-fall-of-penn-station-penn-station-today/ read more

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This review centers on the zero (or negative) Star disgusting, 1960s "original" Penn Station section under Madison Square Garden, not the great job with modern 4-5 Star updates to everywhere else that has had major modernizations, averaging the complex to 2 Stars in my opinion. This Penn Station "original" main train hall really needs to be rethought and opened up. Remember as a kid being driven up through the passage immediately under Madison Square Garden and dropped off for our trip back to Philly. With little to compare and excited about any train trip, we descended down the escalator (see pic) into this round hall, eventually over to the track stairs entry, waiting for our train to arrive for boarding. As the years advanced, that first trip "magical" episode melted into the reality it's drab, dark, and increasingly seedy with neglect, bare bone amenities and smelly derelicts. Understandably given security issues, that car passage leading to the escalator no longer operates as it did. This blueish gray, sad section no longer functions as those now likely dead planners and developers had envisioned. Now, the majestic Moynihan Hall becoming the main hall for Amtrak, updated NJ Transit section, and open LIRR corridor with fresh new arcade has brought needed modern amenities, yet this "original" (that is from the late '60s) is not just dated, it's an appendix without beneficial bacteria! Plus, Penn Station Access with allow Metro-North trains to come in and the Gateway Program will provide expanded capacity to the complex. It's ripe for a completely new life, in line with what we have learned from its failures and our learnings. Penn Station is a public resource and should be a pleasant, uplifting experience in both function and appearance. It the country's biggest train station in the country's biggest city. With the importance of mass transit, it should be a place to be proud of. Stop the infighting over who's responsible and whoever has the rights over this. Those stakeholders (including some greedy developers) who own/manage/contribute to running this area need to either have their rights revoked or get with the program. They had the opportunity to make things right and need to get out of the way of progress for the people! Reinvent this "original" Penn Station hall so we can burn sage to cleanse it of the toxic ghost of Robert Moses! Begone demon Moses! Begone! read more

Penn Station - "Original" (late '60s) Penn Station escalator that descends from the closed to the public drive-thru under MSG - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

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This was my first time taking NJ Transit train to Penn Station. The first impression was little underwhelming, as the platform and walkway to subway were old and brittle, paints were falling off the wall. But the station appeared new and modern in the center hall where they also had bunch of shops including shake shack, dos toros and dunkin. The station provides access to LIRR and several other rail lines too. On my return trip, I managed to follow the path to NJ Transit train platform but finding the actual platform was little difficult. There was proper signs or info screen. Thanks to my family, I managed to find the correct platform a minute before the train was scheduled to depart. read more

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New York Penn Station is never not busy! The hustle and bustle can either be exhilarating or exhausting, depending on the person as well as time of day. It's a convenient hub if you're taking a quick trip to/from Jersey. It's even better as a connection to the subway system without having to exit the building unless you choose to. Although the transportation fares are ever increasing, I still find it to be a viable option to avoid paying expensive tolls. read more

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It was a pleasant ride to Newark Penn Station. It was the next stop. A guy stayed in the bathroom so he wouldn't have to pay for his ticket which was $6.15 ...smh. read more

Penn Station - On the Jersey Transit to Newark Penn Station - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

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Workers are rude as F!!!!! (Specially the 2 at the ticket office) Like as a first timer things are confusing and scary. Like don't role your eyes and don't ignore! Just help like it's not that serious! read more

Penn Station - Seat - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

I love you have access to many railways at Penn station. We came in on NJ Transit. They offer LIRR and Amtrak as well. This is a wonderful station with loads of restaurants, it connects to Madison Square Garden. The murals are very beautiful. read more

Penn Station - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

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I love Penn Station now ever since they renovated the restaurants and made it more modern and spacious in the food halls. Although I miss the McDonalds that used to be there. Now we got Wasabi, Starbucks, Dos Toros, Shake Shack, Le Cafe, Raising Cane's, Blue Bottle Coffee, Pret A Manger, and many more. These eateries are at the level where the A, C, and E trains are located. Then you have Penn Station that is connected to the Moynihan Food Halls and that is something different. They got a Burger Joint, which I tried out and many more restaurants. This terminal is very big and has many tracks where the LIRR, NJ Transit, and Amtrak run on. They share the same tracks so it is confusing when you need to find your train. There are tvs with the train schedule and track number displayed to guide you. It's just that you have to wait around 10 to 15 minutes prior for the track number to arrive. You cannot know ahead of time so that's very upsetting. Once you know your track number you have to make a dash for it or else the train will leave on time. Also some of the tracks are not consistent with the escalators. There are some tracks with escalators and some don't have. So it sucks to carry a stroller or luggage down to the track. Wish they got more elevators and escalators installed for the handicapped and people with strollers and heavy luggage. That would make me happier. read more

Penn Station - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

NJ Transit at Penn Station gets a huge thanks and appreciation during the heat wave of this past week. At the entrance of Penn Station on 7th Ave and 32nd street NJ transit gave out free bottles of cold water to commuters. That was very nice, kind, and considerate. Did not see NYMTA, or LIRR, give out bottles of water to commuters, even though with congestion pricing NY MTA has made Billions. Thank you NJ Transit for your kindness! read more

Penn Station - NJ Transit giving out bottles of water. - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

Penn Station is a busy area full of visitors and locals using the system. The original system is located across the street. Now Penn Station is an expanded new station which is Moynahan Train Hall. It is bustling with people and loads of restaurant choices. read more

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Penn Station is shiny & new. The mentally ill have been relocated and the shops & food vendors look immaculate now. However, at rush hour it's still a congested mess. read more

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The second stage of my Birthday Weekend. I am always excited about riding the train and visiting NY. The train was epic and Penn Station was quiet. The graffiti and drawings were beautiful and amazing. The station was quite clean. read more

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Penn Station has cleaned up a bit. The outside is better lit. A few restaurants were added. It actually looked a lot cleaner outside. The inside looks a little bit better the bathrooms were redone while ago. It also is a good location. You're able to catch multiple different subways here and buses. read more

First time stopping here. I've never researched how to utilize the public transit system prior to coming here. I was coming here from the Secaucus Junction Station and assuming that it wouldn't be a hassle getting here. Let me tell you that you definitely need to learn how to system works mainly for when you leave or else you will most likely get lost because this train station is absolutely huge and there's so many levels and trains and systems happening throughout consistently. What I like about this station is that it is very well maintained. It's truly an epicenter being in the heart of New York City. I enjoy the convenience stores and the fact it's a mini mall too. Public restrooms too! Great amenities! What I didn't like was trying to figure out where and how to find my train to get back to my destination. I ended up doing laps around a second and third floor into signage wasn't too helpful. Apparently I missed my train. People will wait sitting on the floor for hours it seems. Even waiting for the train, there's no place to sit at too. read more

Train is clean. Left on time. A lot of people sit in seats alone causing a lot of scattered seats and hard for a couple or group to sit together. read more

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Overall, seems clean and well lit. The food court area is especially nice. There was also adequate signage, and I was able to locate the taxi stand easily. However, I got ripped off by the driver who asked if I was paying cash, didn't use the meter, and told me I owed $30 for a ride that was only a few short blocks and typically costs between $9-$12. Be sure to ask them to set the meter before you start and get a receipt. read more

While we were visiting New Jersey, my husband and I decided to take the train from New Jersey to Penn Station so we could go to Time Square. Our pick up spot was only about a 15 minute walk from our hotel and buying a ticket was quite easy. If I can remember correctly it was about $35. Round trip per person. This was a much faster and easier way than driving through traffic and having to find and pay for parking once we were at Time Square. The train ride was quite relaxing, unfortunately the windows on this particular train were so dirty that we couldn't enjoy our view which would have been nice. Once we arrived at Penn station, we decided to stop and have a drink at a place called side bar. It's located in the middle of Penn Station. Our bartender was kind, even recommended a drink I should try which was indeed pretty good. Inside Penn Station they have so many different types of eateries and little shops. I did notice that they have a Police station off to the side where the police congregated when not out patrolling the inside of Penn Station. The only thing that turned me off was when we were waiting on our train to return to New Jersey. We just happened to see a little mouse pop out from one of the pillars and he started running around under some chairs. I'm guessing he came out to get a snack because it looked like he found what he was looking for and then he darted back to where he came from. I know that New York is known to have lots of rats, but to see this mouse pop out, just makes me think of how many more of them are running around inside, especially when all the food venues close down? read more

Penn Station - Drink from the Side Bar - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

So Far I Have Been To A Lot Of Sub Way & Train Stations All Over San Francisco And Other Cities Outside California!!!! This Was My Very 1st Time Seeing Penn Station & Its One Of The Most Nicest Train Station That I have Been To!!!!!! read more

This is a new and improved Penn station and modeled during the pandemic. The area has more restaurants and it is completely modern. Love it and you can take so many subway lines here even if not direct. The ones that go direct are A C E or 1 2 3 trains. The area is so much more fun now and prettier even if it's touristy. read more

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Three stars is an improvement from the 1 star it would have gotten 5 years ago. I no longer feel unsafe entering the bathroom in the old terminal, and of course Moynihan makes departures via Amtrak reasonably comfortable. There is still a lot to be desired, but for one of the busiest stations in the country (if not the busiest), it gets the job done. read more

This is really nice train station especially the side where the Amtrak trains area is. Looks like it may have been renovated recently. Given that it's holiday season, it's also decorated and gives it a nice festive look. There is the waiting room for ticketed passengers and there are also some areas with counters where you can stand and place your stuff on. I did have a question to make sure I was waiting in the right place so went to the ticketing booth to ask about where exactly the Amtrak side was and they kindly answered that it was the right area to be in and the train platform number would be shown on the monitor. There is a nice food hall with several food options. I picked up some food from one of the cute cafes called Petite Maman. Lots of people waiting around the concourse - because they only show your train's platform about 10 minutes before the train arrives. As soon as the monitor shows the platform number there's a flurry of activity with everyone heading over to the escalators to go down. But they have a system where people have to get in line to go down the escalators so that's good and not chaotic. Once downstairs and on the platform you board the train - it was quite easy and not too crowded to get into the right car. When I arrived in Penn station and went to use the restroom there was a very long line and one tip is that they have a second set of restrooms on the other side so you can go there instead of waiting like I did! My train was on time and it was overall a great experience taking the train from Boston to NYC and back! Highly recommend. Overall nice station, clean, and lots of food options. read more

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It gets the job done. I usually arrive or depart on LIRR from/to JFK, and either walk from Penn Station or transfer to the subway and go from there. read more

this was my first train ride from NY to DC and the train jerked for the first hour and then lost power. We sat on the train tracks for 2 hours until a car came to take to Philadelphia and now we are waiting for the motor to be replaced. definitely a reason why I drive every where. Totally unacceptable. read more

The "reimagined" Penn Station doesn't seem much different from the old version. Seems like they wanted to kick out the old tenants, move in higher end (more expensive) tenants and try to dazzle us with technology. I understand the problems of the unhoused population but there are maybe 50 seats in the waiting area for a major transit hub. WTF? Politicians, time to pat yourselves on the back again. read more

Great train station, especially after the remodel. So many ways to get around to LI and NJ from here. There's also so many spots to shop and eat. I love the Jamba Juice and raising canes here. The bathrooms are always pretty well kept and cleaned as well. read more

It's one of the biggest subway stations in Manhattan and is literally the hub of NYC and even New Jersey. We came here to take the train to Newark and we were facilitated by how organized everything was. There are many food vendors if you need to grab a bite before departing the station or even kill time. read more

Penn Station - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

Things are certainly looking better here, much less construction and a lot more natural light. No longer feeling like you're entering the city like a rat from a sewer, but there is still much room for improvement. read more

Im just with my kids today so I had to pay super close attention, unlike my three prior times. The station is very big, bright, and chock full of food shops etc. Easy to navigate, thankfully. Miserable looking, yet helpful, security. read more

Penn Station is a transport hub in midtown Manhattan ! My daughter and I took the Long Island Railroad from JFK to here! Same trip I took the New Jersey Transit to Rahway and back and same trip took the subway to 43rd street! Great options and they have a huge selection of stores and food options ! I had Raising Canes and I had Shake Shack here on two separate occasions ! All delicious and very new hall! Really enjoyed traveling through here and will be back next time in New York City since it's so convenient !! Mom and daughters approve! read more

Penn Station is one of those places I have been going to for so many years, I can't even count them. My dad worked accross the street from Penn and was there when it was dismantles for The "New" Madison Square Garden. I used to look out the window as they were working to complete it. Bottom line is that I never really had the opportunity to utilze the "real" Penn Station. This review is not about the Monahan Station but the area underneath Madison Square Garden. Fast forward to when I started working in the city, I always came into the station from Long Island to catch the train to go where ever I needed to be... uptown, downtown. The station was always dark, dingy and dirty. Fast Forward again.... Some years ago it was determined that this place really needs to go through a cleanup and a plan was developed to modernize this station. What has been done here is nothing less than amazing. They have transformed this dark and dingy corridor to a beautiful bright station with new wonderful stores and restaurants. The new raised ceilings are an amazing feat of civil engineering. This new entranceway escalators are functional and artistic. Penn has become a true representation of what New York Stands for. BUT... I am still sorry that the old Penn Station was removed. They have created another NYC experience. KUDOs to the team here at Penn Station. read more

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There is a lot going on here! You can catch an Amtrack, NY metro, NJ trainsit, and probably something else. There are numerous tracks on both sides of the street, upper and lower. Seating is very limited. There is a waiting area for NJ Transit/Amtrack if you can show a ticket. Because there isn't a lot of room on the tracks, they only pots NJ transit tracks 10 minutes before departure. Go quickly if you want to get on, it was crowded, but there isn't an option to sit near your track. Tracks, waiting areas, and "quadrants" of the station were well labeled and there were a handful of staff around to direct. read more

Located underneath Madison Square Garden, Penn Station is the busiest transportation facility in the Western Hemisphere and opened in 1910. It services thousands of arrivals and departures every day. I have been through this station many times. I still remember my first visit to New York City and riding the train to Penn Station. I was so lost in the massive crowd of people after getting off my train. I'll never forget riding the escalators up to the street level and seeing the Empire State Building for the first time. The taxi cars honking and people moving at a fast pace was pretty overwhelming for this West Coast native. Penn Station connects New York City with Boston, Philly, Baltimore and D.C. Amtrak owns this station and runs the intercity trains. Both the LIRR and NJT commuter rails and the subway run through here. Penn Station connects many of these trains and offers transfers. If you have never been to New York City, most likely you are going to be confused as hell on where to go. Just try to stay out of the way of incoming traffic as you stand there reading the signs or looking at your phone for directions. Food is pretty mediocre here. It is mostly fast food and fast casual places to eat at. You will find some bakeries, pizza places and dessert too. Bathrooms are kinda gross. I have stayed here for hours waiting for a delayed train on a couple of occasions. The seats in the Amtrak waiting area are not very comfortable. Overall I love the easy access Penn Station has to offer in getting to my next destination. They have done some renovations to make it nicer and easier to navigate. But it can be extremely crowded at times and not always the cleanest. read more

Penn Station - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

A lot of Penn Station hate on here, but I have to say my most recent Penn station experience was great! When I used to travel into the city a lot, I always had to take the bus. And well, have you seen Port Authority? I would pick Penn over Port Authority any day. I was just there for Amtrak, so I can't speak to the New Jersey transit options/LRR, but they make the Amtrak section super easy to follow. You just listen for your train/look on the board and then get in line when they tell you your train is approaching. And then bam, you're on your train. The bathrooms were tricky to find and I felt like I had to walk way too far to find one, but they were clean and the line moved fast. They also had some solid coffee options and had a whole food hall section that I did not check out. read more

What a crazy place! They serve both Amtrak and metro in NY. Amtrak is easy to figure out, but as someone who is not from NY, what a mess the metro is! My husband and I used the metro for the first time and man did I wish we were using the metro in DC instead! The police were helpful in us figuring out which way we needed to go, but once on the metro train we were literally packed like sardines. People kept pushing you to the middle of the car even when there wasn't any room left. The metro is open 24/7 in NY but there is constant police presence. read more

Penn Station is in a great location in midtown, a convenient walk to several hotels and NYC landmarks. It's a wonderful option when you don't want to have to fight airport traffic and go back and forth to get into Manhattan. Also, since they completed the Moynihan Train Hall Section, way more aesthetically pleasing than it used to be, and solid food options like Magnolia Bakery. Fairly easy to navigate when you arrive to take a train, although my train's track wasn't announced until right before boarding and a million people somehow got in line before me after I walked across the room. Still, a great option for getting in and out of the city. read more

The new Amtrak train hall is a very welcome Upgrade to penn station. Very easy to find the Amtrak and make sense of where your gate is quickly. Also many convenient food options and and an entire food hall. Not a fan of the subway part of Penn station but this is very modern and pleasurable to travel for Amtrak read more

The new Monyhan Station is modern and attractive, but the seating area is very uncomfortable. The wood panels on backs of seats are hard and hurt one's back, especially if you are seated on around one, as I was, for hours, waiting for a delayed train. All Amtrak trains leaving Penn are always late in arriving from the south. Never have I waited less than 2-3 hours for my train - exasperating! read more

I liked this train station before back in the 1990's when thry had the old school train schedule board. It was completely mechanical with no digital whatsoever. I traveled via the Long Island Railroad to the City practically every weekend, and it was really easy back then. They did away with the mechanical schedule board a few years ago, and now it's all digitized and not so easy to navigate I might add. The schedule boards are much smaller, and you have to know which station you will be transfering at. As a Web Developer by trade, I didn't find it so intuitive. Embarassingly, I needed to ask the person at the LIRR Information Desk to be doubly sure about which train I should take. I also noticed fewer fast food pizza places now. I was looking for the pizza place that sold individual slices, but unfortunately it appears to be gone. There are definitely more expensive sit-down tyoe restaurants in the station these days. read more

Penn Station - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

Big station in Newark that connects multiple rail and bus transportation systems together. It's a great way to get around NJ and NY. Lots of sketchy people within and around it though, so keep your head on a swivel. read more

11/10/23: entered this entrance enroute to the A train. Brightly lit newly renovated. So different from the past. No longer dark and somber looking . From the signs seems many upcoming food venders in the near future. read more

Penn Station - Train Stations Near Me - New York, New York

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