Penn Station | Manhattan, NY
Everything you need to know about visiting Penn Station (234 W 31st St, New York, 10001).
Although it’s considered the ugly stepchild of Grand Central Terminal, there’s no denying Penn Station’s necessity to New York City. Located underneath Madison Square Garden in the heart of midtown Manhattan, Penn Station—named after the Pennsylvania Railroad—serves over 650,000 rail passengers via Amtrak, LIRR, NJ Transit, PATH and NYC subway each day. Operating on 21 tracks via seven tunnels, it’s the busiest passenger transportation facility in the country. But this cramped, subterranean transit nave wasn’t always the catacomb of controlled chaos New Yorkers love to hate. Inspired by the Roman Baths of Caracalla and shaped from the same stone as the Colosseum, the original 1910 Penn was regarded as one of the most noble buildings in Manhattan. Sadly, the grand facade was destroyed in 1963, and in 1969, the city erected the fluorescent-lit battleship gray concourse you tolerate today.
Find a meal that's actually greatAdmittedly, Penn Station isn’t all doom and gloom. The station does have its merits, one of which is the food. Sure, there are some decent quick bites within the station (falafel plate at Chickpea, California wrap at Zaro’s), but if you’ve got some time to kill, head on over to the Pennsy—the 8,000-square-foot food hall located just one level above Penn Station. Open seven days a week from 11am to 2am, the Pennsy houses six fast-casual restaurants serving everything from s