Pennsylvania Station, nicknamed ‘Penn Station’, is one of New York’s most famous train stations and has become an iconic landmark for travelers heading to the city. The station is the busiest rail hub in North America, with it connecting New York to so many destinations. This means that if you’re arriving in the city or want to travel to other nearby destinations, it may well be at Penn Station.
Therefore, it is super handy to find yourself somewhere to stay near the station! Along with this Penn Station has an ultra-central location nearby plenty of New York’s top sites, including the famous Madison Square Garden, making it a pretty convenient place to base yourself! However, both these factors have meant that accommodation options near Penn Station can be pretty expensive.
That’s why we scouted the web to try and find some low-cost and budget-friendly options in the neighborhood and found three epic hostels for you to choose from…
Quick Answers: The Coolest Hostels near Penn Station
#1 Best Overall Hostel near Penn Station – Freehand New York
#2 Best Hostel near Penn Station for Solo Travelers – America Dream Hostel
#3 Best Hostel near Penn Station for Couples – Incentra Home Chelsea
#1 – Freehand New York
Best Overall Hostel near Penn Station
- Cost: $$$
- Distance to Penn Station: 1 mile/1.6km
- Time to Penn Station by Walking: 20 minutes
- Time to Penn Station by Public Transport: 15 minutes
- Time to Penn Station by Taxi: 6 minutes
The funky hostel of Freehand New York is our top pick for the overall best hostel near Penn Station. Not only is it just a 20-minute walk from the station, but it is also situated in one of New York’s coolest neighborhoods, Manhattan’s Flatiron neighborhood. This means you will have plenty of cool cafes and interesting sites to explore on your doorstep, including Madison Square Park.
The hostel also offers epic on-site facilities with awesome furnishings throughout which have been custom-commissioned by Bard College students and alumni. This has created a vibrant flare with bright and quirky decorations scattered throughout the hostel. One of the best amenities is the hostel’s restaurant and lobby bar, which is run by acclaimed restaurateur Gabriel Stulman’s Happy Cooking Hospitality team. At the bar, guests can grab themselves a tasty selection of drinks, including specialty cocktails and a range of locally sourced beers.
Have some time? Get out of the city with these epic day trips from New York!
#2 – American Dream Hostel
Best Hostel near Penn Station for Solo Travelers
- Cost: $$
- Distance to Penn Station: 1.1 miles/1.8km
- Time to Penn Station by Walking: 22 minutes
- Time to Penn Station by Public Transport: 15 minutes
- Time to Penn Station by Taxi: 7 minutes
Next up we have American Dream Hostel, a firm favorite for those traveling to New York City alone. This is due to it having a bustling social atmosphere throughout the hostel with plenty of social spaces to mingle and meet other backpackers. Along with this, the hostel is home to a super friendly team of staff who are always on hand to help you out! Whether you want advice on the best restaurants and bars in the nearby neighborhood or want help booking a tour to one of New York City’s top sites.
New York is a hectic place to explore, and most travelers will have a busy day ahead when traveling to the city. That’s why it is so great that the hostel offers a hearty free breakfast every single morning for its guests, to help them fuel up for a day of adventuring through the big apple. Oh, and this breakfast is no standard hostel breakfast! Expect a delicious display of the hostel’s famous homemade waffles that are served alongside assorted cereal, toast, seasonal fresh fruit, coffee, orange juice, and various teas.
Travel can be expensive! But then again, New York’s cheap hostels will show you how little it can cost!
#3 – Incentra Home Chelsea
Best Hostel near Penn Station for Couples
- Cost: $$
- Distance to Penn Station: 0.2miles/0.3km
- Time to Penn Station by Walking: 4 minutes
- Time to Penn Station by Public Transport: Just walk
- Time to Penn Station by Taxi: 2 minutes
The last hostel on our list is the Incentra Home Chelsea Hostel, which is the closest hostel on our list to the famous Penn Station. The hostel is just a 4-minute walk to the entrance of the station, meaning guests won’t have to travel far if they have an early train to catch out of the city. Along with this, it is situated on a bustling street with plenty of restaurants and cafes on its doorstep if you fancy grabbing yourself a quick bite to eat.
Incentra Home Chelsea hostel is also our top pick for couples heading to Manhattan! The hostel provides a variety of deluxe private rooms, many of which are equipped with beautifully modern en-suites. This is perfect for those heading on a romantic weekend away, but don’t want to fork out on one of New York’s super expensive hotels!
Recommended Article: Looking for the best hostels in New York? Check out our EPIC Guide!
Conclusion to the Best Hostels near the Penn Station
So that was our guide to the best hostels near Penn Station, New York City. All the options we’ve listed above are within a short walking distance of the famous station and are all easily accessed by public transport, too. Even if you aren’t planning to visit Penn Station, the area surrounding it is pretty cool and a great place to base yourself to explore Manhattan’s top sites. In this article, we whittled down our list to just three options. However, if we were to take it one step further and pick just one epic place to stay near Penn Station, it would have to be Freehand New York! The famous chain of Freehand has really pulled out all the stops with their NYC hostel with it being beautifully decorated, having a bustling social atmosphere, and, of course, an incredible location.
We hope this article has helped you find an epic place to stay near Penn Station. If you do end up booking any of the hostels we have listed in this article, please do let us know in the comments below!
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