New York Penn Station

Moynihan Train Hall

Moynihan Train Hall, opened January 1, 2021, occupies the historic James A. Farley Post Office building across Eighth Avenue from the original Penn Station. The $1.6 billion project transformed the 255,000-square-foot former mail sorting room into a soaring transit hall with a 92-foot skylit atrium — the largest new public space built in New York since Grand Central's renovation. It serves Amtrak and LIRR, and restored architectural dignity to a station experience that had been cramped underground since the original Penn Station's demolition in 1963.

Underground Penn Station

The original underground Penn Station concourse, buried beneath Madison Square Garden and the Two Penn Plaza office tower, remains the primary hub for all NJ Transit commuter rail service and LIRR's east-side tracks. It is a confusing, poorly signed labyrinth of narrow corridors spread across multiple levels — knowing the layout before you arrive makes an enormous difference.

Station Levels

Services & Facilities Underground

• ▶NJ Transit main concourse with overhead departure boards and gate announcements
• ▶NJ Transit ticket office (daily 6 AM–11 PM) and self-service ticket machines throughout
• ▶LIRR main concourse (Tracks 13–21 East) under 7th Avenue with separate departure displays
• ▶Waiting areas with limited seating — most commuters stand near the departure boards
• ▶Connection to 34th Street–Penn Station subway complex (1/2/3 and A/C/E lines) via underground passages
• ▶Multiple food options: Au Bon Pain, Krispy Kreme, Duane Reade, various quick-service restaurants
• ▶Restrooms on the main concourse level (basic, often crowded) — Moynihan restrooms are better
• ▶K-9 security and NYPD presence throughout; bag checks during heightened security

Entrances & How to Get In

Penn Station has five main entrance zones. Which one you use can mean the difference between a calm, organized experience and a frantic sprint through a packed corridor. Here's the breakdown:

Track Layout

Penn Station has 21 tracks arranged beneath the street in an east-west orientation. The tracks are divided into the West End (accessible from Moynihan) and the East End (accessible from the underground 7th Avenue concourse). Understanding the track numbering helps you position yourself for the fastest boarding.

Tickets, Wi-Fi & Amenities

• ▶Located beneath Madison Square Garden, spanning 7th Avenue to 8th Avenue, 31st Street to 33rd Street
• ▶Moynihan Train Hall (Amtrak/LIRR): 8th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets, inside the Farley Building
• ▶Underground station open 24/7 — Moynihan Train Hall hours 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM daily
• ▶Track assignments: Amtrak posts tracks in Moynihan ~15–30 min before departure; NJ Transit posts ~10 min before (causes rush); LIRR posts ~10 min before
• ▶Amtrak tickets: Moynihan ticket office, self-service kiosks, or Amtrak app (mobile tickets accepted on all trains)
• ▶NJ Transit tickets: Ticket office (upper concourse), vending machines, or NJ Transit app (buy BEFORE boarding — onboard surcharge applies)
• ▶LIRR tickets: Ticket windows, machines on LIRR concourse, or MTA LIRR TrainTime app (buy before boarding — onboard surcharge applies)
• ▶Free Wi-Fi available in Moynihan Train Hall (network: Moynihan-Free-WiFi) — underground Wi-Fi is spotty
• ▶Restrooms: Clean, modern facilities in Moynihan (upper level); basic restrooms underground on NJ Transit concourse
• ▶Accessibility: Elevators to all platform levels in both Moynihan and underground; level boarding on all tracks
• ▶Lost & Found: Amtrak (Moynihan, Track 13 area), NJ Transit (concourse level office), LIRR (Jamaica station, call 511)
• ▶Police/Security: NYPD Transit District 4 operates from the station; Amtrak Police in Moynihan; MTA Police on LIRR platforms

All Transit Connections

Penn Station connects to more transit services than any other station in North America. Here is every rail, subway, and bus connection available from or near the station complex.

Food & Dining

Food options at Penn Station range from excellent (Moynihan) to serviceable (underground). If you have even 5 extra minutes, walk to Moynihan or step outside to the surrounding neighborhood for dramatically better options. For a full breakdown of every restaurant and cafe, see our guide to where to eat at Penn Station.

Airport Connections

Penn Station is well-connected to all three New York City area airports by public transit. Here are the best routes, times, and costs from the station.

Accessibility

Penn Station and Moynihan Train Hall are ADA-accessible, but the underground portion is significantly harder to navigate than Moynihan. Wheelchair users and passengers with mobility challenges should use Moynihan (8th Avenue) whenever possible — it was designed from the ground up for accessibility. For details on the best places to sit, charge devices, and relax while you wait, see our Penn Station waiting areas guide.

Insider Tips

Penn Station rewards those who know its quirks. These tips come from frequent commuters and seasoned travelers who use the station daily. If you need to stow bags before exploring, check out our luggage storage near Penn Station guide.

• 1.Use the Moynihan entrance on 8th Ave for Amtrak — it's a completely different (better) experience than the 7th Ave underground
• 2.NJ Transit track assignments appear only ~10 minutes before departure, causing the famous 'board rush' at the departure boards. Position yourself in the center of the concourse near the boards and be ready to move fast
• 3.If you're on NJ Transit and your track hasn't been announced, don't stand at a random gate — you'll likely have to sprint across the concourse when it posts
• 4.The LIRR concourse under 7th Ave is completely separate from the NJ Transit side — don't confuse them. The LIRR entrance is east of the NJ Transit area
• 5.Amtrak Acela passengers can skip the concourse entirely by going straight to the Metropolitan Lounge in Moynihan, where staff announce boarding directly
• 6.34th Street–Herald Square subway station (B/D/F/M/N/Q/R/W) is a 3-minute walk from the 33rd St exit — it's often faster than using the direct A/C/E connection at Penn if you need the 6th Ave lines
• 7.Avoid the 7th Avenue entrance entirely during MSG event nights (Knicks, Rangers, concerts) — crowds make the concourse nearly impassable. Use 8th Ave or 31st Street instead
• 8.Food options are dramatically better in Moynihan than the underground concourse — if you have 10+ minutes before your train, walk over to Moynihan's food hall via the 33rd Street connector
• 9.Cell signal is weak underground — download your mobile ticket and any maps before descending. Moynihan has strong Wi-Fi and cell service
• 10.If arriving on Amtrak late at night, the Moynihan hall closes at 1 AM — you'll exit through the underground concourse, which is open 24/7 but sparsely staffed overnight
• 11.For the cheapest airport connection: Newark EWR is $15.25 via NJ Transit + AirTrain, JFK is $15.75 via LIRR + AirTrain. Don't overpay for a taxi unless you have very heavy luggage
• 12.The 33rd St PATH station (6th Ave & 33rd St) is only 2 blocks away — useful for reaching Hoboken, Jersey City, or Newark if NJ Transit is disrupted
• 13.During major service disruptions, Amtrak and NJ Transit cross-honor tickets — check the departure boards for announcements or ask a conductor

Future Projects & Construction

Penn Station is at the center of multiple major infrastructure projects that will reshape rail travel in the Northeast for decades to come.