34 St-Penn Station — Local services in New York

Penn Station is a major transportation hub in New York City.

Pros: Transportation Access: Penn Station provides access to Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), New Jersey Transit (NJT), and multiple subway lines, making it a critical transportation hub.

Location: It's situated in the heart of Manhattan, making it convenient for commuters and travelers to access various parts of the city.

Historic Significance: Penn Station has historical significance as an architectural landmark, although much of its original grandeur was lost during renovations in the 1960s.

Amenities: The station offers various amenities such as restaurants, shops, and services for travelers, including ticket counters and waiting areas.

Cons: Crowded: Penn Station can be extremely crowded, especially during peak commuting hours, which can lead to a hectic and sometimes uncomfortable experience.

Limited Aesthetics: Despite some recent improvements, the station's architectural charm pales in comparison to its original design, which was considered a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts architecture.

Renovation Challenges: Ongoing renovations and construction work can lead to inconvenience and confusion for travelers.

Maintenance: Some areas of the station may require maintenance and improvements to meet modern standards and customer expectations.

In summary, Penn Station is a crucial transportation hub in New York City, offering access to various transit options. While it lacks the grandeur of its original design, it remains an essential and functional part of the city's transportation infrastructure. Travelers should be prepared for crowds and ongoing construction while taking advantage of its convenience for getting around the...

Met many helpful staff at a very busy time. During rush hour, It was crowded, and hectic inside and for getting a cab outside. It was all of the high energy things you can imagine. My recommendation for visitors is to be armed with the official estimates for the actual cab costs and a map to your destination. That was great for declining those wanting to get an extra $20 or $30 for a ride as close as the Brooklyn shore and to keep us heading in reasonable directions with the driver who agreed to the official estimate. The lack of clear directions inside Penn Station is the reason for a four Star rating instead of a 5 star rating although I don't think we lost any time because our map indicated the preferred intersection for our travel and friendly staff were quick to point out the correct pathway.

In summary, it was a great high energy experience and our driver gave us a wonderful explanation of the areas as we drove through the various cultural neighborhoods and he earned a substantial tip. New York city was alive with people shopping and alfresco dining. From Penn Station to Brooklyn it was an unexpected highpoint in an international vacation. I would not hesitate to include Penn Station in a future...

If you are a first timer with no direction on this station, you will be overwhelmed at the amount of commuters staring at boards to find out where to catch their trains. Police presence very visible and helpful staff. I use Penn to get unto the LIRR getting me to Mastic-Shirley. The first time I did not know you have to wait and check on the boards to get your track number and I got quite lost trying to find where to board the LIRR as their are many tracks to different destination. It took me awhile to find out that I have to wait until about 15 min. before the time of arrival, from which track to board the train. The first time I came from Time Square and found the ticket box easily, the second time I decided to walk to Penn from Time Square and found another entrance in getting to the ticket offices for LIRR as their are also ticket offices for AMTRACK! It will take me awhile to get used to all the various entrances and I haven't even explored the stores yet. Looking forward to explore more on my next trip...