NEW YORK – Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT have completed the second and final phase of the Ticketed Waiting Area refresh at New York Penn Station at the Amtrak Concourse on the upper level and 8th Avenue side of the station. The project, which includes a $7.2 million total joint investment between Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT, features new furniture and fixtures, including seats with electrical and USB outlets to charge devices, an upgraded ceiling complete with new LED lighting, a new information desk and a second entrance in close proximity to the NJ TRANSIT concourse, offering easy access towards the 7th Avenue side of the station, two PIDS (Passenger Information Display System) boards that will display NJ TRANSIT departure information, and a lactation suite for nursing mothers.
Amtrak undertook the first steps to refresh the Ticketed Waiting Area in 2019 when it opened a Starbucks coffee bar in the space to provide customers with the opportunity to purchase refreshments and removed the exterior information booth to improve customer flow.
“Refreshing the Ticketed Waiting Area at New York Penn was a top priority before the pandemic, and it became even more important due to COVID-19 as these new amenities will allow Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT customers to feel confident in their safety when traveling. We thank our partners at NJ TRANSIT for their joint effort in refreshing the space and their shared commitment to keeping customers safe and improving the overall travel experience.”
Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia
“This partnership with Amtrak to refurbish the Ticketed Waiting Area will enhance the customer experience at Penn Station New York with a host of new amenities, such as new seating with outlets and USB ports to charge mobile devices, improved lighting and increased station access,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin Corbett. “In addition to the improvements at Penn Station, and despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, we have been actively advancing many projects during this period to improve everything from customer amenities and comfort to moving forward on the mega projects such as the new Portal Bridge and Raritan River Bridge. All of these efforts will ultimately result in a safer, more reliable transit system for all of our customers.”
To further simplify and safeguard the travel experience, the new space features signage to indicate safe distances in high traffic areas, and protective plastic barriers have been installed at customer counters. More information on Amtrak’s New York Penn Station safety measures can be found at Amtrak.com/Info-NYP.
The Ticketed Waiting Area project is the continuation of several improvements Amtrak has been making to the station since 2017 as it advances Amtrak’s plan to modernize stations, infrastructure and trains on the Northeast Corridor. Other completed work to date includes the new LED lighting in the Rotunda area, refreshed restrooms, upgraded air conditioning, new furniture in ClubAcela, the installation of an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system in one of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning units in the Amtrak concourse, refreshed platforms and new wayfinding signage in advance of the January 2021 opening of the Moynihan Train Hall, and continued work on the Infrastructure Renewal program.
Posted Nov. 20, 2020.
Amtrak established the Great American Stations Project in 2006 to educate communities on the benefits of redeveloping train stations, offer tools to community leaders to preserve their stations, and provide the appropriate Amtrak resources.
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