Penn Station Parking
Where you can park at each Penn Station, what to expect on price, and the park-and-ride strategy that saves the most money at NYC Penn. Honest guidance instead of fake rates — book reservations and confirm current pricing with each operator before you go.
About prices:Parking rates change frequently and vary by day of week, time of day, and event schedule. This guide tells you where to park and what to expect strategically; for current rates, check SpotHero, ParkWhiz, or the garage operator directly. We don't publish dollar amounts that go stale within months.
The big idea
If there's one thing to take from this guide before the table: where you park matters a lot more than what you pay. NYC midtown parking near Penn is among the most expensive in the country, and you don't get a better experience for the premium — same beat-up garages, same elevators that sometimes don't work, just more dollars. The real money move is to park anywhere except midtown Manhattan and take the train in. The table below lays out which station has what; the deeper sections explain when each makes sense.
| Station | Official station parking? | Best strategy |
|---|---|---|
NYC Penn Station Many commercial garages within 2 blocks — expensive | None at the station | Park at a suburban NJ Transit, LIRR, or Metro-North station and take the train in. Saves the most money. |
Newark Penn Station Private garages and surface lots within a few blocks, mostly LAZ at Edison ParkFast | No — NJ Transit lists no parking facility at this station | Parking here is commercial, not transit-owned. Still a common park-and-ride for travelers continuing to NYC, but compare a couple of operators rather than expecting a station rate. |
Philadelphia 30th Street Drexel University garages within a 10-minute walk | Yes — a large garage attached to the station (Amtrak-owned, run by a third-party operator) | Reserve via SpotHero or ParkWhiz for the best rate — drive-up is meaningfully more expensive. |
Baltimore Penn Station Several surface lots and garages within 2 blocks | Yes — the city-owned Penn Station Garage on N. Charles St, plus Amtrak's Lanvale surface lot a block north | Off-peak you can usually find a spot easily. Confirm multi-day pricing with the operator before leaving a car long-term. |
Pittsburgh Union Station Multiple downtown garages within 1–2 blocks | None — Amtrak lists no parking at this station | Far cheaper than New York, though not the cheapest of the five. Downtown garages often have evening flat rates that beat the daytime daily — but check weekend hours, some close. |
New York Penn Station
There is no station-owned parking at NYC Penn Station. The garages within walking distance are commercial midtown lots, and midtown parking is among the most expensive in the country. For most travelers, the right answer is to skip Manhattan parking altogether — drive to a suburban NJ Transit, LIRR, or Metro-North station with affordable parking and take the train in.
What to know before you park
- ▶Manhattan parking near Penn is consistently several times more expensive than parking at any suburban transit station — there is no "cheap" garage at Penn.
- ▶Reservation services (SpotHero, ParkWhiz) routinely beat drive-up rates significantly. Book the night before whenever possible. Note that Edison ParkFast's locations are now managed by LAZ Parking and branded "LAZ at Edison ParkFast."
- ▶Many midtown garages offer "early-bird" rates with strict in/out windows (typically in by mid-morning, out by early evening). Miss the window and you pay full daily.
- ▶MSG event nights (Knicks, Rangers, concerts at Madison Square Garden) make nearby parking dramatically harder and more expensive. Reserve or stay clear.
- ▶Most commercial garages charge oversized-vehicle surcharges for SUVs and trucks. Some have low height limits that exclude full-size SUVs entirely.
The strategy most travelers should use
Almost every suburban NJ Transit, LIRR, and Metro-North station has its own parking — usually a town lot or commuter garage with rates a small fraction of midtown. Drive to one, take the train into Penn Station, and skip the Lincoln Tunnel, Manhattan traffic, congestion-zone toll, and midtown garage rate.
- ·Secaucus Junction (NJ Transit) — a large surface lot, not a garage, with a ~13-minute ride to NYC Penn on multiple NJT lines.
- ·Metropark (NJ Transit) — central New Jersey, roughly 40–50 minutes on NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor line (about 35 on Amtrak).
- ·Hicksville and other LIRR stations on Long Island — direct LIRR service to NYC Penn, but the big Hicksville garage is run by the Town of Oyster Bay and permits go to residents only. Non-residents are limited to metered spaces, so check before you count on it.
- ·Metro-North stations north of NYC — note that Metro-North runs to Grand Central, not Penn, so you'd continue on the S shuttle or 7 to Times Sq and then the 1/2/3 down to 34 St–Penn Station. Penn Station Access will eventually put some Metro-North trains into Penn directly, but only on the New Haven Line, and current projections put that around 2030.
Each transit operator publishes parking rates on its station-info pages. Rates vary by station and update periodically.
Newark Penn Station
Despite its size, Newark Penn has no transit-owned parking — NJ Transit lists no facility at this station. What's there instead is a cluster of private garages and surface lots within a few blocks, most of them LAZ at Edison ParkFast. The park-and-ride maths still works: Newark parking plus round-trip rail to NYC is consistently far less than parking near NYC Penn. You just won't find a station rate, so compare operators and book ahead.
What to know before you park
- ▶The closest garages are on Raymond Blvd and Market St, a short walk from the station entrances — none connect directly into the building.
- ▶Weekday peak hours fill the deck early; arrive before the morning commute or reserve when possible.
- ▶Additional lots and garages exist within a few blocks for overflow.
- ▶Avoid parking on residential Ironbound streets without checking signs — permit zones are aggressively enforced.
- ▶Confirm overnight parking with the operator before leaving the car, especially in surface lots.
Newark Penn → NYC Penn
The signature park-and-ride: park at Newark Penn Station, then ride NJ Transit (Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast lines) ~20 minutes to NYC Penn. Trains run frequently throughout the day. Total cost — parking + round-trip rail — is consistently a small fraction of midtown parking, with no Manhattan traffic to navigate.
Check NJ Transit's station info page for current parking rates and a fare calculator for current Newark → NYC ticket prices.
Philadelphia 30th Street Station
30th Street Station has a large parking garage attached to the station — Amtrak owns it, but day-to-day operation is contracted out, so don't expect an Amtrak desk to handle parking questions. It is the most convenient option for Amtrak travelers. SpotHero and ParkWhiz reservations are typically meaningfully cheaper than drive-up rates.
What to know before you park
- ▶Direct elevator access from the garage into the station — best with luggage.
- ▶Reserve in advance (SpotHero, ParkWhiz) for guaranteed availability and a better rate.
- ▶Multi-day rates kick in for longer Amtrak trips — confirm with the booth on the way out.
- ▶Drexel University garages are within walking distance but are not a bargain — published daily rates there run at or above the station garage, so check both rather than assuming.
- ▶Intercity buses mostly leave from the PPA Transportation Center at 1001 Filbert Street (reopened May 2026, about a mile away), not from the station garage entrance — though FlixBus also lists a stop at 30th Street itself. Check your ticket for the exact boarding point.
Park-and-ride options into 30th Street
SEPTA Regional Rail stations across the suburbs have low-cost parking — $2 a day in surface lots and $4 in garages, including weekends and holidays. None of it is free, but it's a fraction of driving into the city. For travelers coming from the suburbs to catch Amtrak at 30th Street, SEPTA from a suburban station is usually cheaper than driving in.
Check SEPTA Regional Rail station pages for free vs paid parking and current rates.
Baltimore Penn Station
Baltimore Penn is served by the Penn Station Garage on North Charles Street — owned by the city's parking authority rather than Amtrak, and larger than it looks at roughly 500 spaces. Amtrak's own Lanvale surface lot, a block north, reopened in June 2026 after years as construction staging. Several other lots and garages are within walking distance, and parking is generally easy to find off-peak.
What to know before you park
- ▶The Amtrak garage is small but convenient — arrive early on weekdays if you need a spot.
- ▶Nearby surface lots vary in security and overnight policies — read posted signs.
- ▶MARC and Amtrak both serve Baltimore Penn; if you're continuing to DC, the train is far cheaper than parking + driving.
- ▶Residential streets in Charles North and Mount Vernon, the neighborhoods immediately around the station, have aggressive permit enforcement — check signs.
BWI Rail Station alternative
If your trip starts or ends with a BWI flight, parking at BWI Rail Station and taking MARC or Amtrak the few stops into Baltimore Penn is often cheaper than parking downtown. Particularly useful for combo flight + rail itineraries.
Check current BWI Rail Station parking rates with MDOT.
Pittsburgh Union Station
Pittsburgh Union Station — the historic Burnham head house is now a residential building called The Pennsylvanian — has no station parking at all; Amtrak lists none. The good news: downtown Pittsburgh has multiple commercial garages within a 1–2 block walk, and rates are dramatically lower than New York's, though Baltimore's Amtrak lot can undercut them.
What to know before you park
- ▶On-site parking is mostly reserved for residents of the apartments and Amtrak ticketed passengers.
- ▶Downtown commercial garages within 1–2 blocks are usually the best option.
- ▶Evening flat rates are common at downtown Pittsburgh garages — useful for late-night Amtrak departures.
- ▶Strip District lots a few blocks east can be cheaper but have stricter enforcement on weekdays.
- ▶EV charging is generally not at the station itself — nearby downtown garages or the convention center are the closest options.
No real park-and-ride near Pittsburgh
Unlike the NYC corridor, Pittsburgh doesn't have suburban commuter rail feeding the Amtrak station. If you live outside downtown, your options are drive-and-park, get dropped off, or use the 28X Airport Flyer bus if you're combining with a flight.
Confirm garage hours and rates the day of your trip — downtown Pittsburgh rates change frequently.
Mistakes that cost money
✗ Driving into NYC instead of parking at Newark or a NJT/LIRR park-and-ride
Parking near NYC Penn Station is consistently several times more expensive than parking at a suburban transit station and taking the train in. You also avoid Lincoln Tunnel traffic, Manhattan congestion-zone tolls, and parking-availability anxiety on MSG event nights.
✗ Showing up at NYC Penn without a reservation during a MSG event
On Knicks, Rangers, and concert nights, every garage within a few blocks of Penn fills up. Reserve via SpotHero or ParkWhiz the night before. Guaranteed spot, locked-in price.
✗ Trusting the posted drive-up rate without checking SpotHero or ParkWhiz
Reservation services routinely offer meaningful discounts off drive-up rates. It takes 30 seconds to compare and locks in the price before you arrive — useful in unfamiliar cities especially.
✗ Missing the early-bird window at NYC midtown garages
Most midtown garages discount daily rates substantially if you arrive before mid-morning and leave before early evening. Miss either end of the window and you pay full daily. Set a phone alarm for the exit time.
✗ Parking on residential streets near Newark's Ironbound or Baltimore's Charles North and Mount Vernon
Both neighborhoods have aggressive residential permit enforcement. Even a spot that looks legal can be ticketed if you don't read the small print. Use marked lots and garages instead.
✗ Assuming overnight parking is allowed wherever daily parking is
Many surface lots and some garages prohibit overnight parking. Always confirm with the attendant or rate sign before leaving your car overnight. Towing fees can exceed the cost of the entire trip.
Other things people ask
Where do I park if I have an early-morning Amtrak from NYC Penn?
Three reasonable options: (1) Reserve a 24-hour midtown garage near Penn via SpotHero — guaranteed spot at a locked-in rate. (2) Park at Newark Penn the night before and stay at a Newark hotel near the station — the nearby commercial garages are cheaper than midtown, though check each one's hours since they're privately run. (3) If you live within driving distance of an LIRR or Metro-North park-and-ride, take the first inbound train.
Is there EV charging at Penn Station garages?
Availability varies and changes as garages add chargers. Some midtown NYC garages have Level 2 charging, and Baltimore's city-owned Penn Station Garage lists a few Level 2 plugs — but spots are limited and often occupied. Don't assume charging will be available; have a backup plan.
Can I leave my car at Penn Station for a week or more?
Long-term parking is feasible at the commercial garages around Newark Penn, at Philadelphia 30th Street's station garage, and at Baltimore Penn. Confirm multi-day pricing with the operator directly before you leave the car — none of these publish long-stay rates reliably, and Amtrak does not take parking reservations by phone. At NYC midtown garages, long-term rates rarely exist and you'll pay daily rates throughout. For stays over a few days, park at a suburban station and take the train in.
Are there valet parking options at Penn Station?
A handful of midtown NYC garages offer valet, but the standard is self-park. Outside NYC, Penn Station garages are self-park only.
What about oversized vehicles — SUVs, trucks, vans?
Most commercial garages charge a surcharge for oversized vehicles. Some downtown NYC garages have height clearances that exclude full-size SUVs entirely. Confirm clearance and pricing before pulling into a garage you haven't used before — this is one where a phone call beats an assumption.
Headed to or from a NYC airport? See our Penn Station to NYC airports guide for transit-only options that skip parking entirely.