Editing 30th Street Station

{{Infobox LocalBusiness
| name = 30th Street Station
| image =
| image_caption = Main concourse at 30th Street Station
| type = Train station, landmark
| address = 2955 Market Street
| neighborhood = University City
| coordinates = 39.9566,-75.1819
| phone = (215) 349-3196
| website = https://www.amtrak.com/stations/phl
| established = 1933
| founder = Pennsylvania Railroad
| owner = Amtrak
| employees =
| hours = Open 24 hours
| products = Rail transportation
| status = Active
}}

'''30th Street Station''' (also known as '''William H. Gray III 30th Street Station''') is the main intercity rail station in [[Philadelphia]] and one of the busiest rail stations in the United States. Located in [[University City]] at 2955 Market Street, the station serves as a major transportation hub for Amtrak, SEPTA Regional Rail, and NJ Transit, handling approximately four million passengers annually.<ref name="amtrak">{{cite web |url=https://www.amtrak.com/stations/phl |title=Philadelphia, PA - William H. Gray III 30th Street Station (PHL) |publisher=Amtrak |access-date=December 30, 2025}}</ref>

Completed in 1933 during the height of the Great Depression, 30th Street Station represents the last great railroad station built in the classical style in America. The building was designed by the architectural firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White and features a monumental Neoclassical exterior with Corinthian columns and an ornate interior featuring a 95-foot-high coffered ceiling, massive Art Deco chandeliers, and Tennessee marble floors. The station was designated a National Register of Historic Places site in 1978.<ref name="nrhp">{{cite web |url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/ |title=National Register of Historic Places |publisher=National Park Service |access-date=December 30, 2025}}</ref>

== History ==

=== Pennsylvania Railroad Era ===

The Pennsylvania Railroad began planning a new Philadelphia terminal in the 1920s to replace Broad Street Station, which had become obsolete and congested. The new station was strategically located in West Philadelphia to facilitate through-train service and connect with the railroad's electrified lines.

Construction began in '''1929''' just weeks before the stock market crash that triggered the Great Depression. Despite the economic crisis, the Pennsylvania Railroad pressed forward with construction, employing thousands of workers during the worst years of the Depression. The station opened on '''March 12, 1933''', and cost approximately $38 million (equivalent to over $800 million today).

=== Design and Architecture ===

Architects Graham, Anderson, Probst & White designed the station in the Neoclassical style, drawing inspiration from ancient Roman baths. The exterior features massive Corinthian columns supporting a heavy entablature, while the interior main concourse measures 290 feet long, 135 feet wide, and 95 feet high.

The building's architectural program was intended to convey the power and permanence of rail travel during an era when the railroad was America's primary mode of long-distance transportation. The design represents the final expression of the "city beautiful" movement in American rail architecture.

=== The Angel of the Resurrection ===

The station's most famous artwork is the '''Pennsylvania Railroad World War II Memorial''', a 39-foot bronze sculpture created by Walter Hancock. Dedicated in 1952, the statue depicts the Archangel Michael lifting a fallen soldier from the flames of war. The memorial honors the 1,307 Pennsylvania Railroad employees who died in World War II and remains one of the most moving war memorials in Philadelphia.

=== Renaming ===

In 2014, the station was officially renamed '''William H. Gray III 30th Street Station''' in honor of Congressman William H. Gray III (1941-2013), who represented Philadelphia in Congress from 1979 to 1991 and later served as president of the United Negro College Fund.

== Station Layout ==

=== Main Concourse ===

The main concourse serves as the station's grand public space, featuring:
* 95-foot coffered ceilings with skylights
* Art Deco chandeliers weighing several tons each
* Tennessee marble floors and walls
* Original wooden benches (now designated as historic furnishings)
* The Pennsylvania Railroad war memorial

=== Platforms ===

The station contains 16 tracks and 8 platforms serving:
* Amtrak Northeast Corridor and long-distance trains
* SEPTA Regional Rail (all lines)
* NJ Transit Atlantic City Line

=== Below-Ground Connections ===

30th Street Station connects to SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line (30th Street Station) and Trolley Lines via underground passages, making it the western terminus of the Center City transit system.

== Transportation Services ==

=== Amtrak ===

30th Street Station is Amtrak's third-busiest station nationally, serving:
* '''Acela''' - High-speed service to Washington, D.C., and New York
* '''Northeast Regional''' - Service from Boston to Virginia
* '''Keystone Service''' - Service to Harrisburg
* '''Carolinian/Piedmont''' - Service to North Carolina
* '''Palmetto/Silver Service''' - Service to Florida
* '''Crescent''' - Service to New Orleans
* '''Cardinal''' - Service to Chicago (via West Virginia)

=== SEPTA Regional Rail ===

All SEPTA Regional Rail lines pass through 30th Street Station, making it a key transfer point. Lines include: Airport Line, Chestnut Hill East and West, Cynwyd, Fox Chase, Glenside/Lansdale, Manayunk/Norristown, Media/Elwyn, Paoli/Thorndale, Trenton, Warminster, West Trenton, and Wilmington/Newark.

=== NJ Transit ===

NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line terminates at 30th Street Station.

== Future Development ==

In 2017, Amtrak and its partners unveiled a $6 billion master plan for the 30th Street Station District. The plan proposes transforming the rail yards surrounding the station into a mixed-use development with parks, offices, and residential buildings while preserving the historic station building.

== Visiting 30th Street Station ==

=== Getting There ===

* '''SEPTA Regional Rail:''' All lines
* '''SEPTA Subway-Surface Trolleys:''' 30th Street Station
* '''SEPTA Market-Frankford Line:''' 30th Street Station
* '''SEPTA Bus:''' Routes 9, 30, 31, 44, LUCY

=== Amenities ===

* Food court and restaurants
* Retail shops
* Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge (Acela passengers)
* Full-service ticketing
* Baggage services
* Accessible facilities throughout

=== Best Time to Visit ===

The station is open 24 hours but is most impressive during daylight hours when natural light floods through the skylights into the main concourse.

== See Also ==

* [[University City]]
* [[Pennsylvania Railroad]]
* [[SEPTA]]
* [[Transportation in Philadelphia]]
* [[Architecture in Philadelphia]]

== References ==
<references />

== External Links ==

* [https://www.amtrak.com/stations/phl Amtrak Station Information]
* [https://www.septa.org SEPTA Official Website]
* [https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/ National Register of Historic Places]

{{#seo:
|title=30th Street Station Philadelphia - History, Architecture, and Transportation Guide
|description=Complete guide to Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, one of America's busiest and most beautiful train stations. History, architecture, Amtrak and SEPTA services, and visitor information.
|keywords=30th Street Station Philadelphia, Philadelphia train station, Amtrak Philadelphia, SEPTA 30th Street, Pennsylvania Railroad station, William H Gray station, University City train
|type=Article
}}

[[Category:Landmarks]]
[[Category:Transportation]]
[[Category:University City]]
[[Category:Historic Buildings]]
[[Category:Architecture]]