There are two main train stations in New York, Pennsylvania (Penn) Station
and Grand Central Terminal. Pennsylvania is the station providing long
distance services from the rest of the US and Canada, while Grand Central
Terminal is served by commuter trains from Connecticut and most of New
York's suburbs. For long distance journeys on the intercity services, you ar
required to make a seat reservation before traveling. Many of the commuter
trains don't have a buffet car for refreshments, so if you want food and
drink, remember to purchase this before boarding the train.
Penn Station:
Between 7th and 8th Avenues, from 31st to 33rd street.
New Jersey Transit trains, Commuter trains and Amtrak trains from Canada and
many other parts of the US terminate their journeys at this station.
This is a modern terminal, which was rebuilt in 1963 with the ticket
counters and waiting rooms one level below, all the trains leave from an
even lower level.
There are no baggage trolleys at the station but you can ask one of the
friendly Redcap Porters to help you with your luggage.
Taxis are available at street level and buses run downtown on 7th Avenue and
uptown on 8th Avenue.
The 8th Avenue subway lines are A,C, and E - these are defined in blue and
run on the 8th Avenue side of the station.
The Broadway subway lines are 1, 2, 3 and 4 - these are defined in red and
run on the 7th Avenue side of the station.
Destinations from Penn Station include New Jersey or Long Island.
Amtrak train journeys to Philadelphia, Washington and Canada.
Grand Central Terminal:
Park Avenue between 41st and 42nd street.
Metro-North Railroad trains run north and east of New York, serving
southwest Connecticut and Westchester, Dutchess and Putnam counties.
Green Line (Lexington) and Purple Line (Flushing) serve Grand Central Subway
Station below the main terminal.
Destinations from Grand Central Terminal include New York Botanical Garden
and the Bronx Zoo.
Many buses stop at the Grand Central Terminal and there is also a shuttle
service that links Times Square to Grand Central.
Grand Central Station, New York City.
There are a wide range of facilities at both Penn Station and Grand Central
Terminal including shops, restaurants and banks. There are well lit
ticketing areas, which will be crowded at any time of the day.Most credit
cards and cash are accepted and there are a variety of ticket types
available, most are based on a one-way fare. If you plan on travelling by
train for more than the one trip, it may be worthwhile purchasing one of the
weekly passes that Metro-North and LIRR have on offer. This will save you a
reasonable amount of money. There are large information boards in the
stations displaying train times, destinations and boarding gate numbers
which are constantly updated.
When your departure time is announced, the gate will be opened and you can
then board your train. Your ticket will be checked by the conductor once the
train has left the station. The LIRR and Metro-North are all one class and
there are no reserved seats whereas the Amtrak trains offer both these.
Amtrak Trains:
Amtrak trains have sleeper cars on all their long distance journeys, some of
them have reclining seats and others have lounge cars. The Amtrak passenger
service links New York with Canada and other US cities. Amtrak travel
centers and Penn Station sell tickets for Amtrak trains, this is the
recommended method of purchasing them as there is a penalty for buying them
on board. There are no discounts for students, but senior citizens receive
15% discount on their ticket purchases. Seat reservations can be made over
the phone with a credit card, these need to be made 10 days in advance if
you want your tickets mailed to you.
Central Station, New York City.
Path Trains:
These trains operate round the clock between New Jersey Stations and Penn
Station in Manhattan.Other stops include 9th, 14th, 23rd and 33rd Streets
and Avenue of the Americas - 6th Avenue.
Train Information:
Path Trains:
Tel: (800) 234-7284
www.panynj.com
