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30th Street Station
Category: Hotels & Travel Transportation Public Transportation Public Transportation [Edit]
30th and Market StPhiladelphia, PA 19195
Neighborhood: University City
(215) 349-2153
122 reviews for 30th Street Station
122 reviews in English
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Review from Louis B.
5/2/2012 2 Check-ins Here
OK, I love trains, eh?! And if the US was as civilized as most of Europe where you can take your dog on mass transit, I would rarely, if ever, ride on my car. And in this equation is 30th Street Station, the transportation showplace of Philly. It's not Grand Central, but still a magnificent edifice, way friendlier and eons more comfortable than the disgusting, smelly and dirt-ridden ant farm in New York's Penn Station.
Entering the building is done on three sides, one of them a huge food mall. The main room of the station is a magnificent neo-classical structure where people come and go without realizing the gem that they have overhead. There are numerous cubbyholes in the station. A VIP area on the mezzanine floor with direct access to some of the main platforms. Office space galore. A modern tie-in to the New Jersey Transit terminals. And an overhead walkway to the parking in the ultramodern yet beautiful Cira building. The old, former underground parking has been taken over by taxis, security and maintenance.
A definitely sumptuous welcome to Philadelphia. -
Review from Joshua V.
4/17/2012 4 Check-ins Here
The building itself is an architectural marvel, and really freakin' huge. You could dig it from out of the ground, blast it into space, and it could still independently sustain itself (buncha little shops and eateries on the inside)
Definitely a great way to start your experience in the city if this fine station serves as your port of entry into the fair city of Philadelphia. -
Review from Lori L.
Philadelphia, PA
4/15/2012
I didn't think I'd be writing a review for a station, but I think 30th Street is worth a mention. Conveniently located at 30th and Market Streets, it's the place to get to and from Philly via bus (Megabus and Boltbus), Amtrak, and Septa (bus and subway and Regional Rail).
The building itself is massive and impossible to miss, and the architecture is amazing as well. The interior of the station is surprisingly clean and pleasant as well. There are plenty of benches to sit on to peruse a paper or drink a coffee. The center of the room as the billboard that constantly refreshes Amtrak stops and gates. The other half of the room is taken up by small convenience or gift stores, coffee shops, or (mostly) fast food restaurants.Whether you're looking for McDonald's, a strong cup of Starbucks Coffee, a Subway sandwich, or Ben & Jerry's ice cream you'll be able to satisfy your craving with what's offered here.
I've been at this station more time than I can count, and while there are the occasional delays, have never had any problems. Staff are friendly and helpful, the people are courteous, and I can always find what I'm looking for. -
Review from Nathanael G.
Wayne, PA
5/13/2012 32 Check-ins Here
Not a bad place to commute into every day!! Great architecture.
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Review from Charlee D.
Egg Harbor City, NJ
4/11/2012 6 Check-ins Here
Now listen here. What I love about 30th Street Station, and about Philadelphia in general, is that public transportation is not stigmatized the way it is in south Jersey. In this case, "everybody's doing it" is actually a great reason for you to do it, too. I've only recently started making use of public transportation, and 30th Street Station has made me into a believer.
It's architecturally (say it five times fast) stunning. It's wildly spacious and open, it almost feels like a museum. Food options are varied and good. Signage is clear and concise. Employees are helpful. Ticketing is easy. Getting a cab is even easier.
Once I hit 30th Street, I fall in love with this city all over again. Excitement starts building as soon as I hit Lindenwold, and culminates as I shuffle up the steps to this gorgeous homage to everything that is Philadelphia. -
Review from Mike M.
3/9/2012 9 Check-ins Here
Great station! Good food choices (check out Bridgewater Pub), wide open spaces, general cleanliness all make it practical as a transportation hub.
What makes it special is the architecture and the grandeur of it all. It might be missed by those rushing for a train to Harrisburg or DC, or maybe by those enjoying one too many fancy beers from the Bridgewater Pub (see above). That's too bad, because usable public spaces like this are rare and worth taking in. -
Review from Andrew K.
3/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
$10 from Philly to Atlantic City. 90 minute trip and very simple. You can buy a ticket at a vendor in the the station or pay an extra $5 to buy one from a person on the train.
Train was surprisingly clean and it was a quiet ride. No compliants at all. -
Review from Pamela B.
4/11/2012
A gorgeous, serene train station with robust free wifi. The place is so calming, my friend and I sat and half-watched a promotional video about bomb-sniffing dogs instead of finding a nearby Starbucks to kill half an hour before my bus left. Unfortunately, this station has the food selection of NYC's Penn Station. If someone could combine the comfort of this train station with the food of Grand Central, I would commit my life to becoming the George-Clooney-in-Up-In-The-Air of the rails.
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Review from Michelle C.
Philadelphia, PA
1/8/2012 5 Check-ins Here
What's not to love about this gorgeous example of architecture? Traveling can be hectic and sometimes stressful, but whenever I find myself inside 30th Street Station I feel calm. There's usually a pretty chill vibe about the place, which puts me in a good traveling mood. Whenever I return from a trip, I feel welcomed back by a beautiful building that reminds me I'm home.
There are plenty of coffee options for the morning, and from what I hear some of the restaurant selections aren't half bad, though I don't believe I've ever taken advantage myself. The book store is pretty decent, and there's usually somewhere to sit if necessary.Listed in: Planes, Trains & Automobiles
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Review from Tom M.
2/24/2012
My 100th Yelp review was for the Wissahickon Valley Trail at Forbidden Drive. So it is fitting for my 200th to be of another Philadelphia classic, 30th street station.
My view of 30th Street is biased because the first two times I saw my future wife, it was on trips to Philly through 30th Street Station. So fond memories.
Being from New York, I know all too well what happens when a classic station is torn down. 30th Street's classic charm speaks to an age when trains were how transit happened in our country. This city is blessed that it remains.
What a main room! To be fair, I would like some better food options. Even Penn Station in NYC has some great pizza options. The recent addition of Old Nelson mitigates this concern somewhat. Brightwaters is a very good sit-down pub. Great selection and some unique food items. I do enjoy getting dinner there.
The Amtrak platforms are not very nice so people should consider their real entrance to Philadelphia to be when they enter the grand main room. Interestingly, the SEPTA platforms are actually very nice. The design touches on the overhead signs and lights are actually quite charming.
We can't have Philly without 30th Street Station. It better stick around for a long time. -
Review from Jordan W.
1/12/2012
I don't come to Philadelphia that often but I do like passing through this place. Either for a Megabus adventure or a Amtrak trip on train going back to NY. It is a cool place to spend a few hours if need be. There is free WI-FI in the terminal. I did have a plane super delay a while back WHERE i did not wanna stay overnight in a philly hotel so I got a free voucher to take the Amtrak train and I got a $20 food voucher to use on the train. I kind of just looked at it as I am in Philly so CLOSE to home, why stay overnight at this hotel. Let's just go back home. I would have had to go through Newark Airport any way so NOT fun really.
I was here yesterday and yes there was plenty of seating. I ate some ice cream at the food court while Waiting for my megabus to finally arrive. I was in a Philly all day so I was just ready to come back home around 8 or so hours of wandering around.
-I would definitely come back here. I agree, bathrooms are not really that filthy either. -
Review from Lisa M.
4/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Classic old school train station that has Amtrak, Septa and NJ Transit trains. I love it purely because of the architecture, not everyday you walk in a room that large. I used to be here everyday because of commuting to my old job so now when I visit, I get pure joy out of nostalgia.
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Review from Samira S.
1/12/2012
I looooove this station! Partly because when I arrive here, I know I'm gonna have nothing but Philly fun times! It's huge and mostly clean ( it is a major hub of the northeast) and there's plenty of snackage in the area. And by snackage, I mean most of the places you could go to when you're back wherever you live. Still useful though.
I will say that the station is beautifully done. Very high ceilings, columns, long benches, not too many homeless people, bright and plentiful signage, all that jazz. Plenty of secret places where you can chug that 12 pack of Heineken you brought along for the ride.
The bathrooms were tolerable as well! Whowouldhavethought?
I can't wait til the next time I hop on the Septa and make my way here, only fun and merriment will be had.
Happy new year! -
Review from Emily C.
1/11/2012
It's a beautiful station (lovely architecture, high ceilings = lesssss claustrophobic) AND a great place to putter around if you're early for your train (like I was). So I grabbed a cuppa joe and sat down with a book. Ok, who am I kidding- I sat down with my laptop and enjoyed some freeeee WiFi before hopping on AMTRAK back to Hartford.
30th Street Station is QUITE the contrast from Penn Station, where I found myself bustling through mobs of travelers later in the day. I definitely appreciated the ample seating options AND ease of catching for a cab (very short wait).
All in all, gorgeous station with lotsa conveniences. I'm a fan.Listed in: On the go, Phavorites in Philly
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Review from Bryan P.
Collingswood, NJ
3/13/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Although this is a visually stunning building, the amount of dirt that is visible and the mere conditions greatly detract from the majestic beauty. Amtrak, please invest some funds into first your trains, and next this GEM of a building.
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Review from Mitch S.
Frederick, MD
3/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Nice station, with tons of classic stati0n goodness. Easy to navigate, and plenty of seating. It gets busy though as a connecting hub for Amtrak trains moving north, south and west, there is always plenty of staff around to assist. IT's an easy station to navigate as I said in the open, and an even easier station to love.
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Review from Phil T.
10/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
"Squawk!"
I turned to my left.
"SQUAWK!"
A woman in a motorized wheelchair wearing a camouflage sweatsuit, a safari hat, and a green superman t-shirt was driving straight at the line of people waiting for the Amtrak train boarding on Track 7, squawking at everyone in her path. Confused and somewhat frightened, we moved.
Instead of passing, she stopped right beside me. She leaned in, looked directly at me, and spoke precisely.
"If you say, 'excuse me,' no one moves. You have to yell, 'squawk!' Then everyone gets out of the way."
I laughed. She drove off.
Here's a Vichet O. style Pro Tip: if you need people to move at 30th Street Station, do not ask. Squawk.Listed in: Smarmiest Reviews
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Review from John R.
Spring House, PA
1/14/2012
What else can be said about this gorgeous piece of architecture that sprang out of the New Deal? It is currently the 3rd busiest station in the Amtrak system, serving about 4 million passengers a year (not including SEPTA and NJT)
Even if you aren't traveling by train, check out the beauty of this station. Sit back with a coffee and take in the sounds of the trains, people and that the really cool train board in the center of the station. -
Review from Ryan W.
3/4/2012 3 Check-ins Here
A great ol' train station, the kind they wouldn't build like this if they built a new one today. It's a gorgeous building, with soaring columns and its solumn War Memorial statue on the 29th Street side of the main concourse. The location is extremely convenient to downtown Phlly. It could use a few more diverse and interesting food vendors. A nice gateway via train to the City of Brotherly Love. Unfortunately, if you're here, you're more than likely travelling on Amtrak, so the experience is almost undoubtedly about to go downhill.
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Review from Jewel W.
Washington, DC
9/7/2011
You've heard of BYOB. Well, a trip to Philadelphia's 30th Street Station almost always means BYOTP: Bring Your Own Toilet Paper!
Traveling with my flight phobic mother means one of two things: "We're catching the train..." or "We're catching the bus..." Needless to say, I've seen my share of Amtrak waiting areas over the years. Given the resounding glowing reviews, I suspect that this won't be a popular opinion, but after years of battling the hustle bustle of Washington's Union Station and NYC's Grand Central and Penn Stations, this place just "don't impress me much." (To rip a page from the Book of Shania Twain.)
Sure, it's a cut above Baltimore's Penn Station, but it doesn't take much to trump B-More in everything aside from Row Houses and House Music. (Sorry, Baltimoreans...)
I've run into so many problems here, I'm not sure where to begin. Hmmm...the restrooms are probably a good place to start. Ah -- the bathrooms. We can sum those up with one word: Filthy. And the tiny ones nearest McDonalds are dirty as often as they are without toilet tissue (Hence my lead sentence...). Speaking of McDonalds -- in all my years as an underpaid, overworked salesgirl, I never ran across a ruder bunch of disgruntled employees than the ones taking up space in this very outdated Mickey D's. My mother has been verbally assaulted on two occasions by Golden Archers livid that she'd have the unmitigated gall to request additional barbecue sauce for her McNuggets. The nerve! Even the lady (I'm using this term loosely...) running the cab stand out front delivers nothing but attitude, with an emphasis on the "Tude."
City of Brotherly Love my arse!
Where are the telepromoters alerting passengers of train arrivals/departures? Geez, what year is it?
Further complicating matters is the homeless population -- who aggressively panhandle through here like someone's handing out government cheese.
There's no escalator to take NJ Transit travelers down to the train platform. (Translation: If you're traveling to Atlantic City for the weekend, prepare for a workout as you haul your bags down a flight of steep stairs.)
Fair enough, there are food options (Auntie Annie's, Pizza Hut, an overpriced convenience store, and even a soul food establishment...), but after getting a peek at the john, I'll pass on anything being chopped and fried around these parts.
And the high ceilings and architecture everyone is so mesmerized by pale in comparision to Union Station's, at least in my humble opinion. And our bathrooms are cleaner. (Kanye Shrug...)
Final Verdict: 30th Street Station -- One of several reasons I loathe traveling to Atlantic City by train and will never be a Phillies fan.
(Ducking to avoid all the tomatoes you're hurling...) -
Review from Celia B.
Portland, OR
12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
As an out-of-towner I loved coming to the 30th Street Station. On the west coast we don't have real train stations like this, but rather dirty little Amtrak hubs. I was impressed by how clean it was inside, and how pretty it was! There is even a food court! The place is huge, and considering it was about 50 degrees out, it was very warm in there!
We had no idea what we were doing and where we were going so we approached a woman at the counter and were shocked at how friendly and nice she was! She gave us all of the tips that we could have needed. We were taking the train to the Newark Airport and she even told us what to do once we got to the other side and how to get into the airport, etc. Very helpful!
I like this train station and would be happy to travel through it again. I can't imagine a nicer station. Only weird part is that there were cops pacing the place with dogs... -
Review from Grace S.
12/3/2011 154 Check-ins Here
What a beautiful station. Every time I walk up the stairs or the escalator from the train platforms, the ceiling takes my breath away! The station is easily accessible from both 29th and 30th Street and there are always plenty of taxis around. SEPTA is also right there so you can trolley or take the regional rail. The food choices aren't great but Saxby's or Dunk'n Donuts coffee does the job at 6am and Cosi is always a staple. Never been in the "gift shop" or the pubs but there's also McDonalds if you're craving some fries or an egg McMuffin! The smell of Auntie Anne's is wonderful and apparently there's a crepe place as well? I prefer to stay away from ABP altogether.
The Amtrak lines are usually long at peak hours so be mindful when trying to change your ticket or whatnot! -
Review from Pam S.
11/22/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I love travelling through 30th Street. It's the quintessential old train station. It makes my travels easy. It's close to the subway. The cab captain actually knows what he's doing. The signs are big and easy to read. When you do need customer service, they're nice.
You really can't go wrong here. I've seen some gross train stations, some mean train stations, and some weird train stations, and 30th Street is just NICE. I love seeing is come into view when getting dropped off, finding it from the subway, or riding up on my bike (which, by the way, great that this place is fairly safe to leave your bike at overnight!). Cheers to you, my lovely train station. -
Review from Ben F.
Philadelphia, PA
10/30/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Beautifully Cavernous, this is a candid duo of an adjective and adverb to describe 30th st. which comes to mind first when thinking about the station. I appreciate the ability to see the track board, raised on a platform above the clerks and help desk, unobscured by the clutter of women and men dogging other men and women running to their platform. The pigeons ornate above are the living tribute to the monument of the fallen angel for soldiers that died in World War 1. The echoes of their fluttering wings are a bizarre calling and rightfully distract the traveller from the seriousness of their journey.
The marble is a grand addition, intrinsic to the oldness of the station. I feel as if I'm in a place of peace; the intricate power of the station is its powerful simplicity of design, coupled with intentional beauty.
N.B. Great place to people watch.Listed in: For a Space Cadet
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Review from Sylvia M.
Philadelphia, PA
7/21/2011
It gets 4 because it's better than Septa, the Chinatown buses or any other form of transportation in Philly. It's not wonderful, it could be better but this is why:
Pros
1. Trains are hardly ever late, even when they say 2 minutes late, make sure you're there on time because it's probably not late.
2. There is an old nelsons in there now! awesome! i dont have to run to cvs before a take a trip.
3. Clean bathrooms! The one next to the mcdonalds aren't that nice, theyre small and often dirty. BUT the other ones are SO much better!
Cons
1. I wish some of the food places stayed open later
2. I am always hesitant to go to the atm, theres always sketchy people around them and i need to go with someone
3. It gets really empty and creepy at night, ok I get it if it's midnight but around 9 or 10? I feel the need to run out. -
Review from Eric W.
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I don't always take Amtrak, but when I do, this is my second favorite station (soft spot for Union Station in DC). The main area is open and spacious with many places to sit. There are plenty of food options. The staff has always been helpful for me. I can keep going on, but you get the point. There are many reason that Amtrak might turn people off, but 30th Street Station should not be one of them.
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Review from Dave H.
5/1/2011 4 photos
For food options alone, 30th Street Station wins in my book. If you've got a second, there's a few buffet options (Chinese and American) and chains (Cosi, Au Bon Pain, McDonald's, Auntie Anne's, Taco Hell) to fill your belly.
This facility is clean and connects you to local SEPTA bus and rail lines, as well as Amtrak. It's conveniently close to the BoltBus and Megabus bus stops as well. -
Review from Aaliyah P.
Wilmington, DE
9/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
30th St station is organized chaos. In a good way I think. Its clean enough and has a good amount of eateries to satisfying anyone with a quick nibble or that extra caffeine jolt they are in need of. Its a lot easier to navigate than i remember and though i only stopped in to use the restroom before my bus came.
My real issue is outside the station and the crazy ass philly cabbies who have no regard for pedestrians walked or other cars on the road. I travel to NYC enough to know what times are even more ridiculous. Steer clear of the station mon-fri between the hours of 7-10 am and again from 4-7pm. -
Review from Alex Z.
Lancaster, PA
6/24/2011
30th street station is one of the great American train stations. Its massive size makes New York's Grand Central Station look cramped and second-rate by comparison. The echoey interior of the mail hall makes you feel almost like you are in a museum, and the building also looks quite grandiose from the outside as well.
From a practical standpoint, however, this station wins on many counts.
(1) Train service is good. Philly has good options. AMTRAK goes up and down the east coast, and there's also the line going to Lancaster and on to Harrisburg and then Pittsburgh and beyond, and this line is reliable and runs frequently up until Harrisburg (not Pittsburgh, alas).
(2) Good location...if you're not averse to a moderate walk, this station lands you within walking distance of center city, Drexel and UPenn, the Art Museum, and numerous other destinations. Yet...far enough away from the downtown that there's a bit more space, leading into my next point:
(3) Easy access by car, remarkably actually, for Philly, which tends to be pretty car-unfriendly. It's always convenient to drop off or pick up a friend by car at this station, and there are ample metered spaces if you want to actually go into the station.
(4) Pretty decent food court too.
(5) For how busy this place is, it's pretty clean. Kudos to the employees here who do a good job of keeping this place up. Even the bathrooms tend to be on the cleaner side for such a heavily-trafficked public area.
Yeah. This one gets five stars! -
Review from Stephen R.
Chicago, IL
Cool architecture
the place is a complete architectural gem.
you need to see it to believe it but its very cool, metro, and amazing in terms of the detail and materials used to build it.
Enjoy it. -
Review from Julie M.
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
30th Street Station is simply a beautiful work of architecture and is extremely well maintained. I enjoy taking the train to and from here as it is so pleasing to my eyes. It is also nice, compact, and clean. There are also decent places to eat such as Saxby's and Cosi. This place is so much better than NYP!
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Review from Ashley P.
8/27/2011 2 photos
30th Street Station is stunning! It's grandeur, architecture, and art pieces (along with the fact that its one of the main train stations in Philadelphia) make this station a delight to visit. After passing by for the first time on the train from the airport, my eye was drawn to the beautiful exterior of this location. Knowing that I'd be travelling through here on my way to Atlantic City, I was excited to check out the rest of the building.
Upon entering, each visitor is greeted by the massive "Angel of the Resurrection" statue honoring the fallen soldiers of the Pennsylvania Railroad in World War II. The statue watches over all those that sit in the benches waiting for their intended train to arrive in the main hall of this building. Another notable piece of work is the "Spirit of Transportation" relief in an adjacent hallway. This massive work of art depicts the evolution of transportation with 'transportation' herself riding in a chariot in the middle.
Signage in the station is simple and clear and I had no problems finding the ticketing station for the NJ transit to Atlantic City. Plenty of shops along with the artwork are available to pass the time. Train was on time, location was clean, and our overall experience was a great one! I would not have minded having to travel through here more than just once during my trip.
This place is comparable to visits to Boston's South Station and Washington D.C.'s Union Station. -
Review from Tony L.
4/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
In Immanual Kant's Critique of Judgment, he talks about the mathematical sublime as one's ability to appreciate the whole of an object made up of seemingly limitless objects. A common example is the pyramids. You can examine every stone, but step back far enough, and you start to lose grasp of the number of stones you're looking at. You just realize you're looking at something awesome.
I was surprised to get a similar feeling on the inside of the hall at 30th Street Station. It's cavernous. It's impeccably kept. There are still marbled waiting areas with room for shoe shiners and newsstands, even if they no longer exist. There's also a KFC express and a Subway where I picked up a Coke. I guess it's nice that it's up to the times, too.
I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. But if you're stopping through, as millions (yes, millions) do every year, it's a nice place to pause, stare up at the vaulted ceiling, and appreciate the sublime. -
Review from Jane K.
1/29/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Good place to catch a train if you're running late, great place to wait if you're running early.
Beautiful high ceilings and plenty of food options make this train terminal both quite functional and gorgeous at the same time. Unlike Penn Station (where I wait all too often) there is plenty of seating at 30th. The traffic at the front can get bad if your trying to get in or out during a rush or snow storm but ultimately you'll get in.
Coffee, tea, magazine or coffee. Despite the wait, the Philly folk at Amtrak will help you get where you need to go. -
Review from Megan M.
Philadelphia, PA
4/13/2011 9 Check-ins Here
I'm here every single day. At least once a week, I have to remind myself to look around and take it in. In addition to getting me where I'm going and providing me with occasional tasty snacks; its an amazing building.
The sheer SCALE is what gets me. It can be easy to ignore, but try for a second to imagine the manpower that built this PRR hub in the 1930's. The lights alone are bigger than my car. It's humbling.
Please make the time to check out The Spirit of Transportation and the War Memorial. The War Memorial (That's the Archangel Michael, not a winged Victory as I thought for my first 2 years of daily ridership) is especially moving when its back lit on sunny mornings around 7:30 am.
A word about SEPTA . It may not be perfect, and sure, I don't take the El after 8pm or past Market East (Do I look like I've got a death wish?) but revenue from SEPTA and Amtrack support historic stations like this one. And it beats the Hell out of the "Sure Kill Expressway". Tourists and natives alike should be taking MORE public transit.
I'll grumble more quietly about getting hit in the head *again* by your kid's "Genuine copy of the Declaration of Independence" if just a few more dollars can be committed to preserving PA's railroad heritage. -
Review from Seungha L.
Philadelphia, PA
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
For a transit location (provides AMTRAK, Regional Rail, right across the street is the Blue Line "El" subway, also with Boltbus and Megabus that departs to and from NY) located fairly near west Philadelphia, it is not as "ghetto" as city hall. However, beware, there is a good handful of homeless people that sit or stand around outside of the subway station that ask for money, cigarettes, and whatever else they can squeeze out of you.
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Review from Corey M.
1/12/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Welcome to Philadelphia, the land of constantly agitated, unfriendly workers. Ahh, feels like home.
Regardless, this place is beautiful, inside and out. It's actually pleasant to just sit down on the benches for a while. If you have to wait for a while, it's kind of a hike to get to places in center city. Leave at your own risk, or just take in the beauty.
Don't forget to look up. -
Review from Tiffany F.
Manhattan, NY
5/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
30th Street Station took my amtrak v-card. And I'm so happy for it, too. Seriously, I can't think of a better way to have it taken. Imagine me, a relatively unsophisticated young girl, teetering between taking the less expensive greyhound or bolt bus (ugh).
Suck it up and pay the extra $20. Get to the station early so that you can wander around and marvel at its wonders, its high ceilings (which others have obv noted), it's local flavor (i'm talkin' hoagies, people -- you're not gonna find a sub or a sandwich in philly, just hoagies) and the fanciest McDonald's you've ever seen. Or you can simply sit in one of their 800+ (i'm exaggerating) large, long, classyyyy wooden booths (that kind of remind me of being in church).
When you arrive at Penn Station, you'll be disappointed. You'll wish that you were either arriving at 30th Street Station, or a train station that at least closely resembled 30th Street Station. You'll take the LIRR home to Queens amidst all the trashy Long Islanders. You'll reminisce at the time you spent at 30th Street Station and wonder when you'll be back.Listed in: Philly
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Review from Christine B.
Philadelphia, PA
6/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
30th Street and I go way back. They definitely have more food options than in the past, and I think its cleaner as well. It's a great place for catching Amtrak, or Septa. On Septa, you can ride the regional rail for free between the city stations, so it's an option if you want to get to University City.
It reminds me of Grand Central, but I like 30th Street better. -
Review from EricaLynn J.
Oaklyn, NJ
2/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Some of my most beautiful memories and some of my most heartbreaking memories have all taken place at 30th Street Station. Usually they occur within three or four days of one another. Such is life when you live far away from loved ones; they are there to greet you with the warmest hug you could ever dream of, and they are there to send you off tearfully before you know it. I am thankful to 30th Street Station, mostly, for keeping me sane. For being a constant in my self-inflicted crazy traveling, ever-changing world. I know that no matter if I am blissful or miserable, coming or going, 30th Street Station will remain strong for me - and will always provide me with a way to get where I need to go, and ice cream, snacks, or a stiff drink if I need it.
And if you are a people-watcher as I am, you'll never be at a loss for some excellent people-watching at 30th Street. But don't take my word for it....
