Is there a difference between Moynihan and Penn Station?

Moynihan Train Hall houses the main Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) boarding concourse, while Penn Station houses the NJ TRANSIT concourse. The Moynihan Train Hall / New York Penn Station complex is readily accessible from more than a dozen lines of the New York City subway (MTA).



Yes, there is a significant difference, though they are closely related and often confused.

In short: Moynihan Train Hall is the beautiful, new, spacious passenger concourse for Amtrak and some commuter trains. Penn Station is the older, underground network of tracks and platforms that the trains actually arrive and depart from.

Think of it like this: Moynihan Train Hall is the grand, new front door and waiting room, while Penn Station is the basement where the trains are.

Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Penn Station (New York Penn Station)

  • What it is: The original and still-active railroad station. It’s one of the busiest transportation hubs in the Western Hemisphere.
  • Location: Almost entirely underground, beneath Madison Square Garden and Two Penn Plaza (between 7th and 8th Avenues, from 31st to 33rd Streets).
  • Experience: Historically notorious for being crowded, dark, low-ceilinged, and confusing. Recent renovations have improved lighting and signage, but it remains a busy, utilitarian transit hub.
  • Function: This is where the train tracks and platforms (1-21) are physically located. All trains (Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road, NJ Transit) that say “New York Penn Station” arrive and depart from these tracks.
  • Entrances: Multiple entrances on 7th Ave, 8th Ave, and 31st-33rd Streets.

Moynihan Train Hall

  • What it is: A major expansion and renovation of Penn Station’s passenger facilities, opened in 2021. It’s not a new station

People Also Ask

Moynihan Train Hall and New York Penn Station operate as one complex. Though Amtrak maintains a presence at Penn Station, Moynihan Train Hall is our new home in New York City. You can reach both stations from the platforms of Tracks 5 - 21.

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Pennsylvania Station (also known as New York Penn Station or simply Penn Station) is the main intercity railroad station in New York City and the busiest transportation facility in the Western Hemisphere, serving more than 600,000 passengers per weekday as of 2019.

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Subway and Buses Moynihan Train Hall offers easy connections to two of the cities primary subway routes, the A,C,E line which runs beneath 8th Avenue, and the 1,2,3 line beneath 7th Avenue.

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Customers can exit New York Penn Station onto 8th Avenue, cross 8th Avenue and enter Moynihan Train Hall at any entryway. Or, customers can walk between Moynihan Train Hall and New York Penn Station on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) concourse level through the Moynihan Lower Concourse.

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The Penn Stations in New York City, Newark, New Jersey, and Baltimore are remnants of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company's network, says Travis Harry, director of museum operations at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, a Smithsonian Affiliate.

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The Penn Station name extends from the fact that the old Pennsylvania Railroad built many of these stations back in the early 20th century. At that time, different railroad companies typically used different stations, especially in major cities or towns, so the station usually took the name of the company.

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In January 2016, New York governor Cuomo announced plans for a combined Penn-Farley Post Office complex, a project estimated to cost $3 billion. SOM announced in a press release that it had decided to resume work on the train hall. At that time, the project was renamed Moynihan Train Hall.

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Many of the lines don't make any money or are operated at a loss. To accommodate the money-losing routes, Amtrak uses profits from its popular lines, such as the Northeast Corridor. Since this is one of the most popular routes, Amtrak can charge higher prices and send those profits to other, less profitable lines.

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In almost all cases, Amtrak seats are not assigned. The exception is Acela Express Route seats and business class seating on the Northeast Regional , Carolinian , Palmetto and Vermonter. Otherwise, Amtrak has a first-come, first-serve seating policy for coach seats.

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You can upgrade your seating from Coach to First Class and Business Class seats on Amtrak.com, through our mobile applications, at a staffed station or over the phone at 1-800-USA-RAIL. On trains with First Class private rooms, you may be able to upgrade to a Roomette or Bedroom, availability permitting.

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Checked baggage service is available at a number of our stations and on many trains and Thruway Services. Not all trains or locations are equipped to handle checked baggage. Before you travel, make sure to check and see if your train and origin and destination stations accept checked baggage.

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Though the station is open twenty-four hours a day, it is not permitted to sleep on either the floor or the benches. This rule was introduced to prevent the city's homeless from settling in for the night, but it could easily be applied to transiting passengers late at night.

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Amtrak offers Wi-Fi onboard 29 of its 39 trains, which accounts for the vast majority of annual ridership. Most service is concentrated on the East Coast, Great Lakes, and some parts of California.

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