Some Yelp reviews ( edited, they go on endlessly) will tell you why
One person, I note, was sort of philosophical about the whole scene there
Port Authority Bus Terminal
42nd St and 8th Ave
New York, NY 10001
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West, Theater District
(212) 564-8484
New York, NY 10001
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West, Theater District
(212) 564-8484
- Nearest Transit Station:
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42 St. - Port Authority Bus Terminal (A, C, E)Times Sq - 42 St. (7, 7X)Times Sq - 42 St. (1, 2, 3, N, Q, R)
291 reviews for Port Authority Bus Terminal
290 reviews in English
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Review from David N.
When in New York, I prefer to stay in Hell's Kitchen and the Port Authority meets all of my transportation needs.
I fly into Newark (EWR), I catch the Newark Airport Bus (Terminal C) and for $28 round trip I'm at the Port Authority. The MTA is right there and I can be in anywhere in the city within 10 minutes. If you dare, you can even rent a car there.
Yes, it's a dirty mess, it can be confusing, and there's not a lot of food choices inside. However, grab some of the best pizza at Capizzi, located right behind the Port Authority on 9th Avenue! http://www.yelp.com/biz/… -
Review from Caesar R.
Brooklyn, NYPLEASE POWER WASH THIS PLACE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
I dread when I have to take a bus from this place. It takes all the energy out of me trying to navigate this place.
Ugh.... -
Review from Monica B.
This place is confusing!!! There are NO signs that explain where to go. I knew what bus I wanted to take, but had no idea what gate to go to. It was a complete miracle that I was able to purchase my bus ticket and get on the right bus.
The terminal and buses are old and dirty, but they get you where you need to be and are cheap. -
Review from Anthony S.
Secaucus, NJLike the going HOME part the best. It is not only a bus terminal there are plenty of connections to get to the NYC subways. Very crucial for when you want to go from the West Side where the PA is to the East Side. Since the Guilani days this place is much better then it was. My only gripe is the hanger-ons and scam artists and homeless that filter in. Most of the times it is very safe but like anything else the later it gets the worse it can be for the commuters. The NJ Transit buses are not on time and the dispatchers are clueless. They really do not let the commuters know about delays or anything else. That is why it is a bad grade. It really is a bad grade for NJ Transit. There are places to eat for Ex: deli's, Sbarro's etc with two bars/restaurants and a bowling alley to kill time while waiting for buses. -
Review from Nicole J.
Los Angeles, CAThis place is confusing, dirty and homeless bums with no teeth will offer to help as long as you tip them $5, according to them because the information booths were all closed....AVOID!!!!!!!! -
Review from Sharon T.
I really, really don't wish this place on anyone. If you occasionally travel back and forth from here, I will personally give you a big hug because that is the one thing everyone needs from being here.
I'm actually fortunate that I almost never take a bus from here because I would rather drive 10 hours straight than to take a bus that makes stops at creepy stations (and I'm not solely blaming PABT). (Most) people that work here have stuck-up, vile attitudes, even if you approach them nicely. Most of them are completely clueless; I had the unfortunate experience of coming back after more than a decade last summer when I was going to EDC at the MetLife Stadium. You had to ask where the Meadowlands bus was. MEADOWLANDS. Is anyone even going to bother knowing that name?
Ticket sales people are not that much better as they scream at you. My guy friend and I were buying round-trip and this guy gave us only 2 tickets and when we went back, he SCREAMED at us. Bus drivers are usually very cranky; you'll be lucky the day you come across a friendly and helpful one. I don't even know how these people get hired.
Other than those people, I'd say the place is great when it comes to the variety of shops; it's like a mall of food chains and convenience stops in there. I really hate the layout of this place because it's like a maze in there and you have to run in circles to get to where you want to go. -
Review from Andrea S.
I hate this place. It makes NO damn sense. Who the hell organized this hell hole? They deserve to be strung up between four buses all going in opposite directions.
So as a commuter, you would expect there to be a master board of sorts telling you where the bus you need is to depart and at what time, and as an added bonus, perhaps the stops along the way. NO. YOU FAIL. How could you expect something as sensical as this? Instead what you get is nothing, and on top of it, no employees around to help either. Such fucking bullshit. Seriously.
There's like four floors of this insanity, ruled by the poor saps who use this jacked up bus system, roaming around like blind rats that have crawled out of the very tunnels they're trying to navigate.
At one point, the bus you need leaves from basically the same place each day, and then at other times, it leaves from a COMPLETELY different part of the building. Good luck figuring out where and why. Also, let's talk about Zones. Know which bus yours belongs to? No? Good luck figuring it out.
Also, schedules. That's a loose and funny term. The bus will show up whenever it wants, essentially. And fuck you if you're one minute late because it probably chose to be on time that day and left your ass behind.
I fucking hate this place. -
Review from Max S.
Here is the problem. You have a terminal that has outgrew its size because too many people commute in, combined with the non-existent communication of the bus companies, where jobs like "Senior Screamer to Incoming Buses" could be replaced by computers and signs, but will never be replaced in the near future. Why? Because unions.
While its direct proximity to the Lincoln Tunnel seemed like a good idea at the time of conception, the architects and engineers should have double bagged it and pulled out prior to conception. With no shoulder in the tubes, all it takes is one car, or more often one disabled bus to bring the commute to its knees. The buses do a lot of routes per day and, based on the number of them breaking down, doesn't seem like any of the companies are proactively maintaining them.
During peak hours, the lines of people combined with the clueless tourists and trust fund kids taking the bus because mommy had to hire the family driver, during peak hours, get tangled up and create a mess. Maybe velvet ropes aren't a good idea, with piss, shit, and vomit - all common elements at the port authority, especially after hours - being a challenge to clean, you have to think of something. Illuminated paths, an end of line sign... Something... Anything... Ducks can fly in a v formation, but us humans - we be stupid. Accommodate this stupidity. We are already paying you enough for the Port Authority NY/NJ to be the largest company that isn't regulated by the federal gov't, in terms of incoming cash.
Bathrooms are disgusting but that is due to bums making it their living quarters. With not enough staff to control the bum population in port authority, you will always have an essence of sick accompany you during your visit.
Given all this fuckery, I still choose to commute in because there is nowhere I'd rather work than the greatest city in the world.-
Totes chaotic HAM as usual
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Review from Tom A.
What a huge temrinal with buses that can take you just about anywhere from NY to any city in the USA, there is also a train station at the bottom floor you can take around the city.
This building is impressive and the amount of buses coming in and out of here is crazy, I took the subway from here to another part of Manhattan. -
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Review from Sarit I.
When I went 3 hours away for school, 'I knew this was going to be my means of transportation for the next 4 years...
Luckily that was 6 years ago (how times flies) Now I take it once in a while and somethings just never change. First of all, I think who ever built this building thought he/she was building for rats. It is a maze! I always get lost and I've been coming here for almost 10 years. I hate when I print out tickets and yet I still need to see someone in a window to give me an 'actual' ticket...I mean "what is that?!"
It is always smart to come an hour before you come here because not only the ticketing situation is stressful, standing on those long lines is overwhelming! Now I do not suffer from any type of anxiety, but for some reason every time I'm here, anxiety rushes through my blood stream. Just be prepared for that!
Lastly, If you are a tourist, stay clear! It could be a hectic place...
To some up Port Authority- "Meh, I've experienced better." -
Review from Lucy G.
New York, NYBuy your tickets or monthly pass in advance. Don't wait until the last minute or you will stand on long lines. -
Review from Donna H.
Tulsa, OKHuge bus terminal and very hard to navigate if you aren't used to mass transit. The first floor being divided by a street going brought it makes you wander around looking for the other side. You have to go to the second floor or outside to get to the other side. I likes the suggestion to power wash the place from top to bottom! I must add that the people in the terminal need to be power washed too! It is packed with places to eat, drink and buy most anything you want. The restrooms are on the second floor and hard to find, but pretty clean. The subway and buses to NJ and other parts leave from the terminal. There are a lot of taxis at several entrances. It is pretty close to Times Square. There is a Catholic Church right across the street. -
Review from Max Robert L.
Edgewater, NJMy problem with Port Authority is the time it takes to get off the bus and the time it takes to get on the bus.
In the morning buses line up on ramps leading up to the terminal. There are just too many buses queuing to unload passengers. You have arrived, but you cannot get off the bus. In the evening enormous lines counting hundreds of people snake toward gates. That buses never appear on schedule worsens the situation. Nowadays I consider delays and long waits for the bus to arrive for my ride home a norm. A bus that is at the gate on time and has enough seats for everyone is a rare gift.
Every time it rains an announcement goes over the PA that there are delays due to inclement weather. But when the weather is good there are delays nonetheless. Then the announcement claims that delays are "due to heavy volume".
It seems obvious to me that the amount of traffic Port Authority handles must be far exceeding the most ambitious numbers that the Terminal was designed for. I am sure Lincoln Tunnel has a lot to do with it, but I think the root cause for these ridiculous congestions is the Bus Terminal itself.
I am willing to overlook disgusting bathrooms, homeless people and absence of air conditioning. I can understand how in an overpopulated city like New York it may be challenging, even impossible to keep a public facility that handles an enormous number of people every day just basically clean. But the facility must perform its function, which is to get people where they are going and not be a bottleneck. Buses should be able to cruise smoothly toward the gate and let everyone get off quickly. Buses should arrive on time, and there should be enough buses to handle the volume of passengers.
I continue to feel that by moving from New York to New Jersey I improved my quality of life significantly. Having to ride buses via Port Authority 5 days a week negates a large chunk of that improvement. If you decide to make New Jersey your home, please try to make sure there is a train station nearby. -
Review from Ian Y.
Oh, Port Authority, how I hate you so. Crowded, confusing, and filled with staff members who assume that everyone is out to make their lives difficult, I loathe having to travel through your doors.
Intercity bus is my main form of out-of-state travel these days, as you can score incredibly cheap fares compared to those found on Amtrak and the airlines. But unless you bought your ticket one one of those curbside buses, you're going to be stuck at Port Authority.
In sharp contrast to Boston's South Station where everything is clearly laid out on a single level, Port Authority will make you curse its maze of multi-level gates and ticketing stations. Traveling on a horribly busy day, like the Sunday after Thanksgiving? Be prepared to be really screwed over, as the massive crowds add even more confusion to the already unclear signs.
One of the many things I hate about Port Authority is how difficult it is to find your gate. You'll likely find yourself asking random people in the (100-person-long) lines, "Is this the bus to ___ ?" Don't worry, everyone else will likely be just as flustered as you are, so they won't explode at you for asking (in fact, they probably asked the same question just a couple of minutes earlier).
It also doesn't help that there's hardly ever any staff people in sight, and if you do find one, they're either angrily yelling at crowds to move or unhappy to the extent that they don't want to talk to you.
So, if you have the (dis)pleasure of needing to pass through Port Authority, just remember to keep cool. You'll be out of your misery soon enough.
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