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| - Perhaps my only true disappointment came when approaching the station for the first time. Spoiled by several other eastern terminals from the grander days of rail architecture (think DC Union, Albany or Wilmington), the exterior of the former Penn Station building wholly impressed with its elegant stone apron, high rotunda and striking lighting. Sitting above the current Amtrak station, the restored terminal, now an apartment building and venue known as The Pennsylvanian, offered an enticing glimpse of what Pittsburgh departures were at one time.
That time has long, long since passed.
Passengers waiting to catch either of the Capitol Limited or Pennsylvanian have few options on the lower level here, including limited parking spaces for drop-offs. Modern travel benefits like power stations, WiFi and cafes are, respectively: very limited, unavailable and 'a la vending machine'. The station's design is unfortunately typical, utilitarian and very worn: there's no reason to arrive early for a departure from here.
On its own merit (especially if your stay is brief) PGH is a fine-enough Amtrak-specific station with a decent train shed. While there isn't much to particularly like, the station is convenient to Downtown Pittsburgh and offers routes to Chicago, New York and DC, among other destinations.
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