Introduction

If you want a Penn Station pickup to go smoothly, you don’t “wing it.” You pick one curb, you name the street, and you treat “I’m outside” as a cry for help, not an update.

That matters even more from Feb 13 to Mar 15, 2026. Amtrak begins the Portal North Bridge cutover on Feb 13, and NJ TRANSIT’s rider-facing disruption runs Feb 15–Mar 15, when trains squeeze through a single-track segment between Newark and Secaucus.

When trains are forced into that pinch point, arrivals stop being evenly spaced. You get waves. You get last-second platform changes. And you get riders who swear they’re at penn station nyc, while standing somewhere that definitely isn’t your pickup curb.

This guide gives you a simple, repeatable plan: meet at Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station with a street-level target, handle Hoboken diversions without panic, and keep connections like penn station to jfk and Penn station to Newark airport on track.

Key Points

• Amtrak says Portal North Bridge cutover work begins Feb 13, 2026.
• NJ TRANSIT describes the cutover window Feb 15–Mar 15, 2026, with single-track operations between Newark and Secaucus driving temporary service reductions.
• The cleanest pickup instructions at Moynihan are street-specific: W 33rd (rideshare) and W 31st (taxis), both mid-block between 8th and 9th.
• During the window, more arrivals will be “off-plan,” so your pickup needs a default: one curb, one fallback curb, one text template.
• Some popular searches we saw (like Penn station coupons, Penn station promo code, Penn station menu with prices) often refer to Penn Station East Coast Subs, not Penn Station New York.

What is the Portal North Bridge cutover window

One track is moved to the new bridge, and the rail network runs with less flexibility for a few weeks.

• Amtrak describes the cutover as transferring one track of rail service from the 115-year-old Portal Bridge to the new Portal North Bridge, starting Feb 13, 2026.
• NJ TRANSIT frames the rider impacts around Feb 15–Mar 15, 2026, with trains limited to a single track between Newark and Secaucus.
• Translation for Midtown: arrivals can clump, schedules are modified, and missed handoffs rise.

Why Penn Station pickups get messy during cutover weeks

The station doesn’t change, arrival patterns do.

• When rail capacity tightens between Newark and Secaucus, small delays stack, and arrivals show up in uneven waves.
• Riders who expected penn station new york may get told “Hoboken,” then they guess their way into Manhattan.
• More “Where is Penn Station?” texts happen because people pop out of the wrong exit and lose their landmarks.

Where is Penn Station in NYC (and what “Moynihan” means)

Think of Penn Station as the rail complex; Moynihan is the bright front door on the west side.

• Moynihan Train Hall sits between 8th and 9th Avenues and 31st and 33rd Streets, across from the older Penn Station areas.
• If you say penn station nyc to a rider, they may still walk toward 7th Avenue out of habit—so name the street you want.
• “Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station” is the phrase that helps travelers orient inside the complex.

The pickup playbook that works at Penn Station New York

One-line overview: Pick the curb before the train arrives, not after the passenger is lost in the crowd.

• Step 1: Decide pickup type: rideshare-style curb or taxi-style curb (both exist at Moynihan).
• Step 2: Send a one-line instruction with street + mid-block + avenue range.
• Step 3: Use one fallback curb if the first is jammed.

The two Moynihan curb points that end confusion

Pickup type	Exact curb	What to tell the passenger	Why it works
Rideshare / private pickup	W 33rd St mid-block between 8th & 9th	“Exit to 33rd, mid-block curb.”	It’s a single target, away from 8th Ave swirl
Taxi-style curb	W 31st St mid-block between 8th & 9th	“Exit to 31st, taxi area curb.”	Often steadier flow near the main entrance

Text templates for Penn Station NYC arrivals

Short messages beat phone calls when a train unloads.

• Send one template before arrival, one template when the rider is curbside.
• Ask for one anchor photo if needed (street sign or cross-avenue view), not a selfie in a crowd.

Copy/paste (send 10 minutes before arrival):
“Penn Station pickup today is at Moynihan. Exit to W 33rd St mid-block between 8th & 9th (rideshare curb). Text ‘CURB’ when you step outside.”

Copy/paste (fallback):
“If 33rd is packed, go to W 31st St mid-block between 8th & 9th (taxi area).”

If your train changes and you end up at Newark Penn Station or Hoboken

“Penn Station” can mean different places, and cutover weeks increase wrong-station risk.

• Newark Penn Station is not Penn Station New York, it’s a major NJ hub with its own curb, its own pickup issues, and its own rider habits.
• During the cutover window, the Portal Cutover site notes that much Midtown Direct service terminates at Hoboken instead of NY Penn, with connections onward.
• Your pickup plan should include one question: “Are you in NYC or New Jersey right now?”

Fast “where are you” sorting

Passenger says…	What it usually means	What you ask next
“I’m at Penn Station”	Could be NYC or Newark	“Do you see 8th Avenue (NYC) or Newark Penn signs (NJ)?”
“They sent us to Hoboken”	You’re in Hoboken Terminal	“Are you taking PATH to 33rd or ferry?”
“I’m at Newark Penn Station”	New Jersey pickup	“Are you staying NJ-side or heading to Manhattan?”

The Hoboken diversion mini-plan for Manhattan pickups

If Hoboken happens, keep the car plan in Manhattan, not in Hoboken curb chaos.

• NJ TRANSIT’s cutover info points riders to Hoboken connections during the window.
• The clean Midtown meeting point remains the Moynihan curb on 33rd or 31st, depending on traffic.
• Set the rule: “Get to Manhattan first, then we meet.”

Penn Station to Newark Airport (and Newark Airport to Penn Station)

This route is common during cutover weeks because travelers pivot from rail to air.

• The MTA guide states you can take an NJ Transit train from New York Penn Station to Newark Liberty International Airport Station.
• NJ TRANSIT’s airport page notes frequent train service to the Newark Airport station and that trains stopping there are marked with an airplane or “EWR.”
• Newark Airport’s AirTrain page explains the AirTrain connects the airport station to terminals and outlines fare rules for access.

Penn Station to JFK (and JFK to Penn Station)

This is the other big one during disruption weeks, and it rewards simple routing.

• The MTA’s JFK guide describes transferring to AirTrain at Jamaica Station and also outlines the LIRR + AirTrain option.
• For most travelers, the clean story is: Penn → Jamaica → AirTrain.
• “How to get from penn station to jfk” works best when you decide early if you’re using subway-to-Jamaica or LIRR-to-Jamaica (time vs comfort).

Does Penn Station have lockers (and are there lockers at Penn Station)

People ask this daily; the answer is usually “no public lockers,” with a few workarounds.

• Amtrak states it offers baggage assistance and temporary bag storage at many stations, with details varying by station.
• For travelers searching does penn station have lockers or are there lockers at penn station, plan on off-site luggage storage services nearby or Amtrak bag storage where available, not coin lockers inside the main halls.
• If you’re doing a rail-to-car pickup, bag storage is often a hidden time sink, decide it before you separate from your luggage.

Penn Station food, restaurants near Penn Station, and the “penn station menu” confusion

“Penn Station food” can mean station dining, and “Penn Station menu” can mean a sandwich chain.

• Moynihan publishes a dining directory and hours, and it’s one of the easiest “meet and eat” zones in the complex.
• The MTA has a guide to what to eat in Penn Station’s LIRR concourse and a separate guide for Moynihan dining, which is practical for travelers with short dwell time.
• Terms like penn station menu and penn station menu with prices often refer to Penn Station East Coast Subs (a restaurant chain), which has its own official menu page.

Penn Station coupons, Penn Station promo code, and “buy one get one free”

These terms usually target the sandwich chain, not Penn Station NYC.

• Penn Station East Coast Subs operates under the penn-station.com brand and publishes its menu; deal sites may list rotating promotions.
• If you searched penn station coupons or penn station promo code while standing in Midtown, double-check you’re not mixing a restaurant discount search with rail-station logistics.
• For pickups, the real “deal” is time: one curb point, one fallback curb.

NY Penn Station Map and LIRR Arrival Tips

If you’re searching ny penn station while walking, pull up a penn station map and anchor yourself to Moynihan’s simple box: 31st–33rd Streets and 8th–9th Avenues. That boundary keeps you from drifting toward the 7th Avenue exits when your pickup is on the west side. For Long Island riders, check the LIRR schedule Penn Station view before you step off the platform so you already know which concourse you’ll land in—then you can head straight to your curb instead of doing the “which Penn am I in?” lap.

A quick note on “old Penn Station” and why people still get turned around

The name “Penn Station” carries history, and the complex still feels like multiple stations stitched together.

• Moynihan’s west-side entrances (31st/33rd) are bright and easy to recognize; older Penn areas can feel like a maze.
• If you’re meeting a driver, treat Moynihan as your default meeting shell, even if your train signage says Penn Station.
• During cutover weeks, fewer decisions is the point.

When someone texts “I’m at Penn,” pause and confirm: Penn Station New York or penn station Newark. During the Portal cutover window, this mix-up happens more often because riders get rerouted and stressed. If they’re in New Jersey, they’re dealing with a totally different curb and often looking for newark penn station parking, which means your Manhattan pickup plan won’t help them until they’re actually across the river.

Penn Station Deals, Coupons, and the East Coast Subs Mix-Up

If your search results suddenly turn into penn station deals, penn station coupon, penn station coupon code, or penn station coupons buy one get one free, you’ve drifted into the restaurant chain world: Penn Station East Coast Subs. That’s not the rail complex. It’s a separate brand with its own menu and promotions, so don’t let those results pull you away from the pickup directions for Penn Station NYC.

Chauffeur’s Pro Tip

If you want a smooth Penn Station handoff during Feb 13–Mar 15, run it like an airport pickup:

• One curb target: W 33rd mid-block between 8th and 9th for rideshare-style pickup.
• One fallback: W 31st mid-block between 8th and 9th.
• One truth check: “Are you in Penn Station New York or Newark Penn Station?” Don’t assume.

Cutover weeks create surprise arrivals and last-minute platform changes. Your pickup stays calm when the passenger has one job: get to a single curb and text one word.

FAQs

Conclusion

The Portal North Bridge cutover window is short on the calendar and loud in the day-to-day experience. Amtrak begins the work Feb 13, 2026, and NJ TRANSIT frames the rider impacts through Mar 15, 2026, with single-track operations between Newark and Secaucus driving the disruption.

If you want Penn Station pickups to feel normal during an abnormal month, keep it simple:

• Meet at Moynihan, not “somewhere outside.”
• Use the W 33rd curb as your default and W 31st as your fallback.
• Separate “Penn Station New York” from “Newark Penn Station” early.
• For airport pivots, rely on the official transit steps for penn station to jfk and penn station to newark airport, not guesses made at the curb.

By VIP Black’s Car Services
Licensed Chauffeured Transportation in Connecticut & New York
Committed to raising industry standards through safety, transparency, and integrity in every journey.