34th St - Penn Station

34th Street - Penn Station is New York City's most important transit crossroads, handling more passengers each day than any other rail station in North America. Six subway lines stop here, and the station connects directly to Penn Station - the departure point for Amtrak trains to Washington DC, Philadelphia and Boston, as well as Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit services. If you are arriving in New York by rail from anywhere on the eastern seaboard, this is almost certainly where you will land.

The neighbourhood around the station is equally dense with landmarks. Madison Square Garden sits on the block directly above Penn Station, and the Empire State Building stands just a 10-minute walk east along 34th Street. Macy's Herald Square - the company's historic flagship store and once the largest department store in the world - is directly north. It is a useful, if hectic, base for exploring western Midtown.

Station Overview

34th Street - Penn Station sits in Zone 1 and opened in 1917. Six lines call here: the 1, 2, 3, A, C, and E. The station is fully accessible. Facilities include toilets, ATMs, Wi-Fi, shops, cafes and staffed information desks both in the subway and in the Penn Station concourse above.

Lines and Connectivity

The 1, 2 and 3 trains run north-south along the West Side, linking Penn Station to the Upper West Side, Harlem and the Bronx heading north, and to the Financial District in the south. The A train is one of the longest lines in the system - it runs from Inwood in northern Manhattan all the way to Far Rockaway and JFK Airport in Queens, making the Penn Station stop a key interchange for airport travellers. The C and E trains run alongside the A through mid-Manhattan and into Queens, with the E continuing to Jamaica and the AirTrain JFK connection at Jamaica station.

Station Layout and Facilities

The subway station is underground, beneath the Penn Station rail complex. Signs in the subway lead up to the main Penn Station concourse, where Amtrak, LIRR and New Jersey Transit all operate. The concourse also has food courts, convenience stores and waiting areas. Back in the subway, free Wi-Fi covers the platforms, and ATMs and toilets are straightforward to find. The A/C/E platforms and the 1/2/3 platforms are in different sections of the station, connected via the mezzanine.

Travel Tips

• For JFK Airport, take the A train from here to Howard Beach (about 45 minutes), then the AirTrain shuttle to your terminal. Alternatively, take the E to Jamaica and the AirTrain from there - similar journey time.
• The Empire State Building is a 10-minute walk east on 34th Street. Book timed entry tickets online in advance to avoid long queues at the desk.
• Amtrak trains to Washington DC take approximately 2 hours 45 minutes from Penn Station; trains to Philadelphia take about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Avoid Penn Station at Friday evening rush hour - the LIRR concourse especially gets intensely crowded between 5pm and 7pm.

Nearby Attractions

Empire State Building - 10 minutes on foot east. The 1931 Art Deco skyscraper remains one of the most iconic in the world. The 86th-floor open observation deck offers sweeping 360-degree views across the city.

Madison Square Garden - directly above. The Garden is New York's premier indoor arena, hosting New York Knicks basketball, Rangers ice hockey, boxing, concerts and comedy. Book tickets through the MSG website.

Macy's Herald Square - 5 minutes on foot north. The original flagship store spans nine floors and a full city block, and comes into its own during the Thanksgiving parade and Christmas season.

Timings and Best Time to Travel

All six lines run 24 hours a day. The subway station is consistently busy throughout the day given the volume of commuter rail travellers passing through Penn Station above. The calmest times tend to be mid-morning on weekdays and Sunday mornings. If you are catching an Amtrak train, note that Amtrak does not announce platform gates until about 10 to 15 minutes before departure - allow extra time to get to your platform from the subway.