New York City's main terminus for regional trains (Harlem and Hudson Lines, Metro-North Railroad) lives up to its name: it's central, on 42nd Street at Park Avenue (map), and it's grand.

Even if you're not taking a train, it's worth entering the station just to experience the main concourse with its star-lit ceiling of constellations.

A train information kiosk is at the center of the main concourse. The first window in the eastern bank of ticket windows on the main concourse is a tourist information window (tel. 212-697-1245), open Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm, Sunday from 9:30 am to 6 pm.

Snack and coffee shops, newsstands and other shops are at the sides of the concourse.

You board trains on either the Upper Level (same level as the grand concourse), or the Lower Level.

Restaurants and seating are located on the Lower Level in the Dining Concourse, as are the toilets.The terminal's most famous restaurant is the Grand Central Oyster Bar-Restaurant, a noisy, tile-encrusted hall on the Lower Level where you can order 20 to 30 varieties of oysters, oyster stew made while you wait, 25 varieties of fish, and 400 types of wine, 70 of them available by the glass.

Pennsylvania Station, New York's other principal intercity railway station, for interstate Amtrak trains, is 13 blocks (1.5 miles/2.41 km) southwest of Penn Station at 8th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets (map): walk 4 blocks west on 42nd Street, then 9 blocks south on 7th Avenue to 33rd Street and turn right (west).

You can walk between stations in about 45 minutes, 35 if you have no luggage and you walk fast. A taxi might take 15 minutes.

Grand Central Terminal
42nd Street at Park Avenue