Amtrak Celebrates Major Milestones in Transformation of Philadelphia’s Gray 30th Street Station

A new era takes shape at Amtrak’s third-busiest station, featuring newly renovated South Concourse, restored Main Hall, and additional upgrades underway 

PHILADELPHIA – Amtrak and partners officially opened the newly renovated South Concourse at William H. Gray III 30th Street Station in Philadelphia today, marking a major milestone in the ongoing transformation of the historic station and bringing new and improved spaces to the millions of Amtrak, SEPTA, and NJ TRANSIT customers who travel through it each year. 

The South Concourse reopening comes as Amtrak celebrates significant progress throughout the station, including restoration of the historic Main Hall and newly modernized Amtrak office space. Together, these milestones mark a major step forward in Amtrak’s transformation of the nearly 500,000-square-foot station, which when complete will feature an upgraded Metropolitan Lounge, improvements to Market Street Plaza, enhanced customer service and customer waiting facilities, and expanded food and retail options. 

“Amtrak is Philadelphia and Philadelphia is Amtrak,” said Amtrak Vice President of Government Affairs & Corporate Communications Ken Altman. “We’re preserving one of Philadelphia’s iconic landmarks while creating a more modern and enjoyable experience for the millions of customers who rely on it.” 

“For generations, this station has connected Philadelphia by passenger rail to communities across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Northeast Corridor, and the rest of the country,” said Amtrak Board Member Robert Gleason. “The Pennsylvania Railroad built this station to last, and nearly a century later, we’re proud to preserve its history, craftsmanship and railroad character while preparing it for the next generation of passenger rail.” 

The newly reopened South Concourse features brand new customer restrooms, carefully restored historic features, and food and beverage offerings from Dunkin’ and Starbucks opening soon. Completion of additional concession spaces is underway with new dining and retail options expected to open in phases over the coming months as the station continues to expand its customer amenities. 

Philadelphia is home to Amtrak’s largest corporate office, with more than 1,000 employees based at Gray 30th Street Station. The newly renovated space modernizes Amtrak’s workplace with updated offices, meeting and collaboration areas, and employee amenities designed to better support the teams working every day to keep America’s passenger railroad moving. These improvements are another example of Amtrak’s long-term commitment to Philadelphia.

Amtrak is delivering the redevelopment in partnership with Plenary Infrastructure Philadelphia (PIP) through a long-term public-private partnership encompassing the design, construction, financing, operations and maintenance of the station improvements. The project team includes Plenary Americas as the lead developer and equity sponsor, Gilbane Building Company as design-build lead, Johnson Controls for facility operations and maintenance, and Vantage Group for concessions development and management. 

Over the past two years, Amtrak and its partners have also completed state of good repair work to major infrastructural systems, helping to bring station assets up to modern standards. New elevators and escalators have been installed at four of five station platforms, and the station is now served by new electrical substations and new heating and air conditioning equipment, improving facility energy efficiency. With most work on the station’s south side completed, major construction activities have moved to the north side. The approximately $550 million capital investment is scheduled for completion by the end of 2028. 

In 2022, PIP equity sponsor, Plenary Americas, LP, made a commitment to invest $2.5 million into a community impact fund dedicated to supporting career development, small business growth aspirations, and community development in West Philadelphia and throughout the City. Since making this commitment, PIP has awarded over $1.3 million to over 25 local nonprofits, including recent investments to support training local residents in the culinary arts with a grants supporting an apprenticeship program at The Community Grocer and food service internships for local high school students at the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House.  

Reactions: 

U.S. Senator John Fetterman

“For almost a century, the 30th Street Station has connected Philadelphia to communities across the Commonwealth and the country. Amtrak’s work to transform 30th Street and its South Concourse will ensure this historic landmark continues to deliver for the millions of passengers who move through it each year. I join the community in celebrating this opening and look forward to their continued progress.”

U.S. Senator Dave McCormick

“This is a big win for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. When travelers arrive in Philadelphia, they’ll be greeted by an iconic station complete with modern improvements that ensure a world class travel experience.”

U.S. Representative Madeleine Dean

“The beautifully-named William H. Gray III 30th Street Station is an iconic and critical link in our region’s passenger rail network, helping people get to work, school, and wherever life takes them — and it is vital to keep its infrastructure modernized for commuters, travelers, and staff,” Rep. Dean said. “As someone who has had the privilege to use this station on a regular basis as I travel back and forth to Washington, I have been glad to see the transformations over the past two years, including a designated Food Hall with improved dining outlets for passengers, providing greater pedestrian and bike access through the South Face transformation, and new elevators and escalators in the expanded Mezzanine Hall for safer, more efficient services. In Congress, I will always fight for Pennsylvania’s infrastructure, and for continued improvements to this historic, beautiful space for travelers.”

U.S. Representative Madeleine Dean

“As one of Congress’s fiercest advocates for passenger rail, I’m proud to have fought for these historic investments in Amtrak. For almost a century, 30th Street Station has been a vital part of our city and I’m excited to experience its new South Concourse. This renovation is creating new jobs while ensuring the station will continue serving Philadelphians for decades to come.”

Pennsylvania House State Rep. Ed Neilson

“Built in 1933, 30th Street Station is a historic icon in Philadelphia. As a major stop on Amtrak’s Northeast and Keystone corridors, millions of travelers utilize the station to travel throughout the commonwealth and even the rest of the country. These upgrades will modernize the station, making it more convenient for travelers while ensuring that the iconic station preserves its historic significance.”

Plenary Americas President & CEO Brian Budden 

“The reopening of the South Concourse marks an important milestone in the transformation of Gray 30th Street Station and reflects the strength of our partnership with Amtrak and the entire project team. We are proud to help deliver improvements that enhance the passenger experience while preserving the station’s legacy as one of America’s great transportation gateways.”

Gilbane Building Director, Public Private Partnerships, Scott Mucci

“The South Concourse reopening and restored Main Hall mark meaningful progress for the riders and employees who depend on Gray 30th Street Station every day. We are proud of what our teams have delivered alongside Amtrak and our project partners, but our work does not stop here. We remain committed to delivering the next phases with the same focus on quality and excellence this landmark station deserves.”

Vantage Group Vice President, Commercial, Sammy Patel

“This milestone brings us one step closer to our vision for Gray 30th Street Station: a place that serves travelers exceptionally well while also becoming a destination for people who live and work in Philadelphia and those who visit,” said Sammy Patel, Vice President, Commercial, Vantage Group. “We’re curating a mix of food, beverage, and retail that reflects the city and gives people more reasons to enjoy their time at the station.”

SOM Partner Colin Koop:

“Our restoration and repositioning presents an extraordinary opportunity to leverage the station’s strengths, while breathing new life into this beloved building. The completion of this first phase fulfills a core goal of the master plan we created with Amtrak and its partners in 2016: to create the heart of an equitable, transit-oriented district that bridges Center City and University City.”