What Boarding Amtrak in NYC (Moynihan Train Hall) is REALLY like
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- Опубликовано: 8 окт 2024
- In this brief video I wanted to show you what the Amtrak boarding process is really like from the newly renovated Moynihan Train Hall in NYC. The short answer: not great.
Why? First off, there isn't a visible/central train board anymore except for a few narrow screens built into marble columns at hard-to-spot corners throughout the station. There is a beautiful screen for......advertising. The cavernous space makes boarding announcements even more difficult to hear than at the older location. Tracks aren't displayed on the schedule boards in a timely fashion - sometimes only after the line is moving. And, lastly, lone Amtrak attendants walk around yelling track announcements for those lucky enough to be in close proximity to the track.
While the station is a huge upgrade from the last space, I'm not sure they made things any less complicated.
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As a first time traveler to the east coast with my family, I wanted to get a sense of what the station was like. Just seeing it helped me out, thank you for this video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you, this was helpful as a first time Amtrak user.
Glad it was helpful!
I just visited/went though Moynihan Train Hall for the first time, early Thursday morning (2am-ish) waiting for a 7:15am connecting train and I must say, Moynihan Train Hall is a definite improvement a million times over from the underground cesspool of Penn Station
I have never had an issue boarding at Moynihan. It’s very organized and they make announcements regularly. I prefer it over the old dump
Hi Chris ill be moving soon to USA and I'll be using Amtrak train service i have a question since I'm traveling international I'm worried about my luggage will i hv to carry my checked in luggage by myself to the train or is there any counters where i can drop them ?
@@rakshithashok810 there are red caps that can help you at Moynihan station. They will help you. Be sure to give them a nice tip.
For your future reference - You CAN board an Amtrak train at either the Moynihan Terminal or Penn Station proper. The only thing is that where you choose to board will likely affect WHERE in the train you are (unless you're okay with walking long lengths on the platform).
Sounds like your train was headed north, toward New England/Boston. So since you boarded at Moynihan and the train is facing eastward with the locomotive at the front, you were likely at the back of the train. The reverse would be true if you were going south towards Washington DC. Amtrak has stupidly not informed passengers that although Amtrak ticketing, baggage check, customer service, etc are all at the new Moynihan building, you CAN still board at the NY Penn Station proper. However, you'll just be at a different part of the train. That may or may not matter to you or any given passenger.
Lastly, the Moynihan terminal, for all of its nicety and novelty, was a premature and badly thought out project. Not because the current Penn Station between 7th and 8th Avenues isn't a dismal crowded mess, but because NOTHING good will come of this train station as a whole until Madison Square Garden LEAVES and relocates elsewhere. The OLD Penn Station of past decades that was torn down worked and was beautiful. Every since its demolition and the sports arena took up residence there, the train station has seen nothing but strife and hardship.
I know that about the boarding options at Penn Station proper but, as you mention, Amtrak fails to mention this. The Penn Station proper isn't any less confusing than it was before and now with renovations still underway, signage is lacking. I'm specifically referring to the lack of track announcements. It is difficult to hear over the loud speaker and it's a game of pure luck finding out which track the line might be forming at. Agreed - the tearing down of the old Penn Station was the worst infrastructure decision ever made.
I'm taking this train to Boston with a family of 5 and we need seats together. Should we board from Moynihan or from Penn Station proper? And what is the best way to get onto the train first?
@@CRtrain I'm taking this train to Boston with a family of 5 and we need seats together. Should we board from Moynihan or from Penn Station proper? And what is the best way to get onto the train first?
thanks for that clarification about where to board. yes, i'm not pleased they demolished the beautiful old masterpiece to replace it with rubbish.
Keep dreaming transplant, MSG will never be relocated, nor should it. Imagine thinking its practical to replace a world class entertainment venue in the middle of the city with a monstrously unpractical penn station 2.0. The only people that argue for this are people who aren’t from here and have zero understanding of the city and its needs
Lol, to be honest, as a NYC native, even before Moynihan existed it was just Penn Station underneath Madison Square Garden, SO, I was used to the confusion regarding Track #'s.
It's a LOT better now, but your situation reminds me of when I was flying from Havana, Cuba back to the U.S. via Cancun, Mexico several years ago.
I didn't know (nor did anyone else on the flight with me) our Gate # until LITERALLY like five minutes before the flight started boarding. 😂
This was actually very helpful. Thank you.
If you’re going to pick someone up from Penn Station and they’ve traveled by Amtrak, where would you pick them up? I know there’s so many different parts of Penn now and it gets so confusing. Amtrak shares some platform numbers with LIRR and some with New Jersey transit, but would they come out of that same platform area that LIRR also uses or is it a completely different section and just the same platform number?
use the lirr concourse where there is no obstruction and puts you at the middle of the train
Yes but the point is that no one knows to go there. There are no signs listing that as an alternative boarding place. Everyone’s directed to the main concourse. Your best bet, ironically, is to board from the original location across the street.
Hi thank you for sharing this video. Can you please let me know if there is an elevator to go down to the platform? Or is it only the escalator present?
To use the elevator to get down to the platform (track level), it's best to use Amtrak's Red Cap Service. They take your bags down to track level for you and you just follow along with them. It's a free service that Amtrak provides, but it's always nice if you can tip them a couple of bucks.
Hope this helps
Very helpful. Is there any seat number or train bogie number mentioned in the train ticket ?
There are no assigned seats on Northeast Regional trains (or Empire Service, or Maple Leaf), just different classes; each passenger car is labeled Coach Class or Business Class on the outside by the doors. You take whatever seat is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. When the conductor walks though and scans your ticket, they stick a seat-check slip on the luggage rack above you. If you switch seats later, but don't bring along that seat check, the conductors get annoyed. I believe that this is also the case for the Cascades train in Oregon and Washington State, if I recall correctly.
Acela trains have assigned seats on the tickets, so lining up early to board the train isn't quite as important.
The long-distance trains (out of Chicago, at least) have conductors on the platform who assign seats and hand out seat-check slips to each passenger just before you get on the train. If you're sitting in a passenger-car seat but don't have a seat check above you, the conductors get annoyed. Amtrak is a land of contrasts.
Is there any security checks before getting on train? My hometown station barely had 1 person working the Amtrak and people just got on with no problem. Wondering how early I need to arrive if I need to go through security and all
There are no airport-like security gates at Penn-Moynihan (or GCT/GCM). The only check might be on a train to Montreal, but that’s usually at the border and it’s an immigration/citizenship check.
@@davidthaler7018just got back! Took the train from Slidell, LA (one stop after New Orleans) all the way to NY, spent a week there then went back! Was curious of the security admittedly to know if I can bring my vape and what not on. It’s a little scary the lack of security at all, you can bring an entire suitcase full of illegal things and no one would know 😂
But it was such an amazing time
@@marcusbergeron8505 Glad you enjoyed. The rules are probably on their website.
watching this first person POV makes the lack of benches even more hilarious
There is a sitting area for ticketed passengers.
@@dabda8510 There should be seating for everyone.
Do I have to get a baggage tag before boarding if I have carry on bags?
I noticed the guy in front of you had a fairly large baggage with him. Other than the overhead storage, are there storage compartments for large baggage on board?
There are some larger compartments towards the bathrooms at the end of each car.
Nice, video!
Thanks!
Not fond of the gap between the rail & platform
Is there elevator access to the platforms?
Yes.
I actually embraked on Amtrak last year to NYC and the Moynihan Train Hall side at least by my personal opinion is better compared to the clusterfucq that is MSG/Penn. again just my personal opinion but I do like the openness of Moynihan.
Thanks for watching. A lot of people prefer the new station to the old set-up at MSG/Penn. I'm not sure Moynihan made the boarding process any different though.
Is it like nj transit where you just sit wherever you want?
No, actually worse. No seating available unless you have an Amtrak ticket
Magnolia street bakery
Smart move kid
do they have any baggage or metal detectors or x-rays?
They might at the Amtrak ticket counter but I’m not sure as I’ve never had any luggage scanned by Amtrak before.
Amtrak does not have metal detectors or airport-style screenings for passengers. If you are crossing into Canada, there is a passport check that they do at Penn Station (and possibly a customs declaration or some other form? I haven't taken the train across the border, myself). Various RUclips videos have told me that Via Rail in Canada does have these sorts of airport-style security screenings.
Spain does too, but in their case, there's an understandable historical reason for that.
No.
Do you have to go through luggage or baggage check when entering or leaving the station to board the Amtrak?
Not that I know of. It's not a requirement like at airports. If you do have a significant amount of luggage, you can check your bags or have someone carry them down for you. I believe it's called "Red Cap" Service.
Did you need to show any passports or id's
No passport or ID if I recall. Just your ticket.
@@CRtrainis there a check in counter like they do at airports? Also does luggage need to be checked in?
@@SiddhiPuranik You can check bags on long distance trains.
Empire service continues on platform 5+6 under Penn Station, not Moynihan where one is required to walk all the way under 8th Ave. so simply go back to Penn Station. Moynihan is a waste of time and energy.
or use the elevator
omg, the acoustics are horrible, i'll never understand what they're saying. i hope i don't miss my train.
How was your trip, I am.scare of that
@@vicavanna1403 it was great & horrible. our train got stopped almost in nyc, there was a mudslide & we were all booted off the train & left to our own devices to find transportation the rest of our trip. it screwed a bunch of my plans. but i made the best of it & did as many things as i could & had a blast. then we missed a day on bermuda because of a hurricane. i'm staying home until the transportation part at least is reasonable & enjoyable again. thanks for asking!
@@robinpeppin Sorry to hear that. Hope you made it back safely. Many delays on Amtrak these days.