30th Street Station

30th Street Station

Type	Train station, landmark
Address	2955 Market Street
Map	View on Google Maps
Neighborhood	University City
Phone	(215) 349-3196
Website	Official site
Established	1933
Founder	Pennsylvania Railroad
Owner	Amtrak
Hours	Open 24 hours
Products	Rail transportation
Status	Active

30th Street Station(215) 349-3196https://www.amtrak.com/stations/phl2955 Market StreetPhiladelphiaPAUS

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.

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.

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

External Links

• Amtrak Station Information
• SEPTA Official Website
• National Register of Historic Places