34th Street–Penn Station (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)

Not to be confused with 34th Street–Penn Station (IND Eighth Avenue Line).

34th Street–Penn Station is an express station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 34th Street and Seventh Avenue in the Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan, it is served by the 1 and 2 trains at all times, and the 3 train at all times except late nights. Connections are available to the LIRR, NJ Transit and Amtrak at Pennsylvania Station.

34 Street–Penn Station  ​​
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
View from northbound local platform
Station statistics
Address	West 34th Street & Seventh Avenue New York, New York
Borough	Manhattan
Locale	Midtown Manhattan
Coordinates	40.751°N 73.991°W / 40.751; -73.991
Division	A (IRT)[1]
Line	IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line
Services	1  (all times) ​   2  (all times) ​   3  (all except late nights)
Transit	NYCT Bus: M4, M7, M20, M34 SBS, M34A SBS, Q32, MTA Bus: BxM2 Amtrak, LIRR, NJT Rail at Pennsylvania Station PATH: JSQ–33, HOB–33, JSQ–33 (via HOB) (at 33rd Street)
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 side platforms (local) 1 island platform (express)
Tracks	4
Other information
Opened	June 3, 1917; 107 years ago (1917-06-03)[2]
Accessible	ADA-accessible
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Traffic
2023	15,224,047[3]  14.1%
Rank	8 out of 423[3]
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station Times Square–42nd Street 1  ​2  ​3  northbound Express 14th Street 2  ​3  via Franklin Avenue–Medgar Evers College Local 28th Street 1  ​2  toward South Ferry
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Track layout Legend to Times Square–42nd Street to 28th Street to 14th Street
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times Stops late nights only Stops all times except weekday late nights Stops late nights and weekends Stops weekdays during the day Stops weekends and weekend late nights

The station was built by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) as part of the Dual Contracts with New York City, and opened on June 3, 1917.

History

Construction and opening

Name on trim line

Trim line tablets

The Dual Contracts, which were signed on March 19, 1913, were contracts for the construction, rehabilitation and operation of rapid transit lines in the City of New York. The contracts were "dual" in that they were signed between the city and two separate private companies, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT), all working together to make the construction of the Dual Contracts possible. The Dual Contracts promised the construction of several lines in Brooklyn. As part of Contract 4, the IRT agreed to build a branch of the original subway line south down Seventh Avenue, Varick Street, and West Broadway to serve the West Side of Manhattan.^[4][5][6]

The construction of this line, in conjunction with the construction of the Lexington Avenue Line, would change the operations of the IRT system. Instead of having trains go via Broadway, turning onto 42nd Street, before finally turning onto Park Avenue, there would be two trunk lines connected by the 42nd Street Shuttle. The system would be changed from looking like a "Z" system on a map to an "H" system. One trunk would run via the new Lexington Avenue Line down Park Avenue, and the other trunk would run via the new Seventh Avenue Line up Broadway. In order for the line to continue down Varick Street and West Broadway, these streets needed to be widened, and two new streets were built, the Seventh Avenue Extension and the Varick Street Extension.^[7] It was predicted that the subway extension would lead to the growth of the Lower West Side, and to neighborhoods such as Chelsea and Greenwich Village.^[8][9]

34th Street–Penn Station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line was opened on June 3, 1917, as part of an extension of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, the dominant subway in Manhattan at the time, from Times Square–42nd Street to South Ferry.^[2][10] Concrete-laying for the platforms had started shortly before the station opened,^[10] and only the northern part of the express platform was in service on the station's opening day.^[11] The passageways to Pennsylvania Station were still under construction, forcing passengers to exit the subway station and walk along the street to access the railroad station.^[2][11] Once the passageways were complete, passengers could access both the railroad station and the neighboring Hotel Pennsylvania at 32nd and 33rd Streets without leaving the subway station.^[12]

A shuttle service ran between Times Square and Penn Station until the rest of the extension opened a year later on July 1, 1918.^[13][14] Afterward, the shuttle ran from Times Square to South Ferry.^[14][15] The new "H" system was implemented on August 1, 1918, joining the two halves of the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and sending all West Side trains south from Times Square.^[16] An immediate result of the switch was the need to transfer using the 42nd Street Shuttle in order to retrace the original layout. The completion of the "H" system doubled the capacity of the IRT system.^[8]

Later years

The city government took over the IRT's operations on June 12, 1940.^[17][18] As part of a pilot program, the BOT installed three-dimensional advertisements at 34th Street–Penn Station in late 1948.^[19][20] The New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) announced plans in 1956 to add fluorescent lights throughout the station.^[21] On August 23, 1985, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) awarded a $2.24 million contract to rebuild the station and to double the width of the passageway to Penn Station. The project was scheduled to be completed in spring 1987.^[22]

Under the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Program, the station, along with thirty-two other New York City Subway stations, underwent a complete overhaul as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative. Updates included cellular service, Wi-Fi, charging stations, improved signage, and improved station lighting. Unlike other stations that were renovated under the initiative, 34th Street–Penn Station was not completely closed during construction.^[23] In January 2018, the NYCT and Bus Committee recommended that Judlau Contracting receive the $125 million contract for the renovations of 57th and 23rd Streets on the IND Sixth Avenue Line; 28th Street on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line, and 34th Street–Penn Station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and IND Eighth Avenue Line.^[24] However, the MTA Board temporarily deferred the vote for these packages after city representatives refused to vote to award the contracts.^[25][26] The contract was put back for a vote in February, where it was ultimately approved.^[27] These improvements were substantially completed by May 2019.^[28]

The MTA announced in December 2021 that it would install wide-aisle fare gates for disabled passengers at five subway stations, including 34th Street–Penn Station, by mid-2022.^[29] The implementation of these fare gates was delayed; none of the wide-aisle fare gates had been installed by early 2023.^[30][31] The MTA announced in late 2022 that it would open customer service centers at 15 stations; the centers would provide services such as travel information and OMNY farecards. The first six customer service centers, including one at 34th Street–Penn Station, were to open in early 2023.^[32][33] The 34th Street station's customer service center opened at the beginning of March 2023.^[34] Additionally, the MTA replaced four of the station's elevators; this work was completed in January 2023, along with a new elevator entrance at 33rd Street.^[35][36]

Station layout

Entrance from Penn Station

G	Street level	Entrances/exits Elevators at: Northwest corner of 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue South side of 34th Street west of Seventh Avenue at LIRR entrance
B1 Platform level
	Side platform
	Northbound local	← toward Van Cortlandt Park–242nd Street (Times Square–42nd Street) ← toward Wakefield–241st Street late nights (Times Square–42nd Street)
	Northbound express	← toward Wakefield–241st Street (Times Square–42nd Street) ← toward Harlem–148th Street (Times Square–42nd Street)
	Island platform
	Southbound express	→ toward Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College (14th Street) → toward New Lots Avenue (14th Street) →
	Southbound local	→ toward South Ferry (28th Street) → toward Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College late nights (28th Street) →
	Side platform
B2	Mezzanine	Connector between platforms, connection to Penn Station

The local platforms are served by the 1 at all times^[37] and by the 2 during late nights.^[38] The express platform is used by the 2 and 3 trains during daytime hours.^[38][39] The next stop to the north is Times Square–42nd Street, while the next stop to the south is 28th Street for local trains and 14th Street for express trains.^[40]

This station has two side platforms for local service and a center island platform for express service. Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center on the IRT Eastern Parkway Line and 34th Street–Penn Station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line are the only other stations in the system with this configuration.^[41] This is due to the expected increase in ridership and to encourage riders to switch at the next stop northbound, Times Square–42nd Street, as it is set up in the usual island platform manner for cross-platform interchanges.^[41][42]

There is no free transfer between this station and the station of the same name on the IND Eighth Avenue Line, despite the fact that both connect to Penn Station. The nearest transfer location is at Times Square–42nd Street with a free transfer to 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal.^[42]

33rd St to 34th St subway cross-section

11th Av	10th & 9th Avs are skipped	Farley Building & Moynihan Train Hall		8th Av	Madison Square Garden	7th Av	Storefronts	6th Av & Broadway		5th & Madison Avs are skipped	Park Av
mezzanine		train hall		A / C / E	concourse	1 / 2 / 3	Former Gimbel's passageway	mezz	PATH		6 / <6>
mezzanine			conc	mezzanine	concourse	mezzanine		N / Q / R / W
7 / <7>		Penn Station (Platform Level)						B/D/F/<F>/M

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Exits

View of lower mezzanine

Signage pointing to Penn Station

34th Street–Penn Station spans three streets (32nd, 33rd, and 34th Streets) with a set of entrances/exits at all of these streets. For the purposes of this article, entrance and exit are interchangeable.^[43]

There are four entrances directly from the intersection of 34th Street and Seventh Avenue. On the local platforms the turnstiles for these exits are at platform level; passengers wishing to use the express platforms must use a passageway beneath the platforms and tracks. These entrances utilize the northern portions of the platforms. There is also a supplementary and handicapped-accessible entrance to the Penn Station complex in general from 34th Street.^[43] A wheelchair-accessible elevator is also present on the south side of 34th Street at Seventh Avenue, within Penn Station's LIRR entrance.^[44]

There are three direct entrances from the street at 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue. As a replacement for the southwestern corner's lack of an entrance, there is an underground entrance directly connecting the station with the Long Island Rail Road concourse in the Penn Station complex. The turnstiles for this entrance are located below the track level and utilize the central portions of the platforms.^[43] There is an elevator from the street at the northwestern corner of this intersection.^[44]

The main entrance to the Penn Station complex is located on the western end of 32nd Street. From there, passengers may go through the New Jersey Transit and Long Island Rail Road concourses and use the entrance to this station at the end of the latter's concourse. There is also a smaller exit from the station at the southern ends of the platforms that connects with the end of the New Jersey Transit concourse where it meets the Long Island Rail Road underneath the main corridor in the station that connects New Jersey Transit and Amtrak. There is also an entrance on the north side of 32nd Street between Seventh and Sixth Avenues.^[43]

Ridership

34th Street–Penn Station on the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line is continually ranked as one of the busiest stations in the subway system. In 2016, it was the fifth-busiest subway station, with 27,741,367 riders as recorded by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.^[45] By comparison, its sister station on the Eighth Avenue Line is ranked sixth-busiest, with 25,183,869 passengers.^[45] When the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line station was a shuttle stop before the rest of the South Ferry extension opened, ridership was quite low; in its first year of operation, only 78,121 boardings were recorded.^[46]

References

1. "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
2. "Three New Links of the Dual Subway System Opened". The New York Times. June 3, 1917. p. 33. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
3. "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
4. "Terms and Conditions of Dual System Contracts". nycsubway.org. Public Service Commission. March 19, 1913. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
5. "The Dual System of Rapid Transit (1912)". nycsubway.org. Public Service Commission. September 1912. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
6. "Most Recent Map of the Dual Subway System Which Shows How Brooklyn Borough Is Favored In New Transit Lines". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 9, 1917. p. 37. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2016 – via Brooklyn Public Library; newspapers.com.
7. Sealey, D.A. (1916). "Rapid Transit Work in New York City, 1915". Engineering News. Vol. 75, no. 18. McGraw-Hill Publishing Company. p. 846. hdl:2027/njp.32101061103816. Archived from the original on June 20, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2021 – via HathiTrust.
8. Whitney, Travis H. (March 10, 1918). "The Seventh and Lexington Avenue Subways Will Revive Dormant Sections" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 12. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
9. "Public Service Commission Fixes July 15 For Opening of The New Seventh and Lexington Avenue Subway Lines" (PDF). The New York Times. May 19, 1918. p. 32. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
10. "New Subway Opened". New-York Tribune. June 4, 1917. p. 5. ProQuest 575722451.
11. "Subway Joins Times Square to Penn. Station: Parts of Express Stations of 7th Av. Route Opened to the Public". New-York Tribune. June 10, 1917. p. B6. ProQuest 575732261.
12. "Seventh Avenue Subway.: Two Tunnels Will Connect Pennstation and New Hotel". The New York Times. October 28, 1917. p. RE11. ISSN 0362-4331. ProQuest 99885327. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
13. "Open New Subway to Regular Traffic; First Train on Seventh Avenue Line Carries Mayor and Other Officials". The New York Times. July 2, 1918. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
14. "7th Avenue Subway System Is Opened To Public To-day: First Train Will Start at 2 O'Clock This Afternoon". New-York Tribune. July 1, 1918. p. 9. ProQuest 575909557.
15. "Times Sq. Grows as Subway Centre: New Seventh Avenue Line, Open Today, Marks Great Transportation Advance". The New York Times. July 1, 1917. p. RE11. ISSN 0362-4331. ProQuest 99994412. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
16. "Open New Subway Lines to Traffic; Called a Triumph" (PDF). The New York Times. August 2, 1918. p. 1. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
17. "City Transit Unity Is Now a Reality; Title to I.R.T. Lines Passes to Municipality, Ending 19-Year Campaign". The New York Times. June 13, 1940. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
18. "Transit Unification Completed As City Takes Over I. R. T. Lines: Systems Come Under Single Control After Efforts Begun in 1921; Mayor Is Jubilant at City Hall Ceremony Recalling 1904 Celebration". New York Herald Tribune. June 13, 1940. p. 25. ProQuest 1248134780.
19. "3-Dimensional Advertising Signs Installed In City Subway Station; More Are Planned". The New York Times. October 6, 1948. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
20. "3-Dimensional Lit-Up Posters Invade Subway: First of Projected 480 for 6 Key Stations Set Up at Grand Central I. R. T". New York Herald Tribune. October 6, 1948. p. 14. ISSN 1941-0646. ProQuest 1327435571.
21. Katz, Ralph (January 27, 1956). "Subway Stations to Get New Lights; $3,750,000 to Be Spent on Fluorescents for I.R.T. and B.M.T. Transfer Points". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
22. Gordy, Margaret (August 24, 1985). "MTA to fund Troubled Tunnels". Newsday.
23. "Enhanced Station Initiative: CCM Pre-Proposal Conference" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 25, 2016. p. 8 (PDF page 15). Archived (PDF) from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
24. "NYCT/Bus Committee Meeting" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. January 22, 2018. p. 135. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 27, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
25. Barone, Vincent (January 24, 2018). "Controversial cosmetic subway improvement plan falters". am New York. Archived from the original on October 3, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
26. Siff, Andrew (January 24, 2018). "MTA Shelves Plan to Modernize Subway Stations Amid Criticism". NBC New York. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
27. Rivoli, Dan (February 13, 2018). "Foes Hit Gov's Station Fix Plan". NY Daily News. Archived from the original on February 23, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
28. "NYCT/Bus Committee Meeting" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. May 20, 2019. p. 168. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
29. Barone, Vincent (November 17, 2021). "MTA to test out new, wider subway turnstiles to improve accessibility". 1010 Wins. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
30. Brachfeld, Ben (February 21, 2023). "MTA to begin installing wide turnstiles for wheelchair users in subway this year". amNewYork. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
31. Brosnan, Erica (February 22, 2023). "MTA to install new 'wide-aisle' turnstiles at two subway stations". Spectrum News NY1 New York City. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
32. Garcia, Deanna (December 14, 2022). "'Customer Service Centers' to open at 15 subway stations". Spectrum News NY1 New York City. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
33. Chasan, Aliza (December 15, 2022). "MTA opening subway customer service centers". PIX11. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
34. Parry, Bill (March 7, 2023). "MTA opens new customer service center at Main Street-Flushing transit hub". QNS.com. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
35. "MTA unveils new elevator for commuters at Penn Station". CBS New York. January 27, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
36. Bocanegra, Michelle (January 26, 2023). "MTA announces new and improved elevators at Penn Station". Gothamist. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
37. "1 Subway Timetable, Effective December 17, 2023". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
38. "2 Subway Timetable, Effective June 26, 2022". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
39. "3 Subway Timetable, Effective June 30, 2024". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
40. "Subway Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
41. Williams, Keith (August 16, 2018). "Weird Subway Quirks, Addressed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
42. "34th Street-Penn Station". NYCSubway.org. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
43. "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Pennsylvania Station / Times Square" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
44. "MTA Accessible Stations". MTA. September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
45. "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
46. "1904-2006 ridership figures". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2008.

External links

• nycsubway.org – IRT West Side Line: 34th Street/Penn Station