Replying to Trenton Station vs. Philly station

Trenton Station is in a dark high crime neighborhood. It is not in a safe area. I would avoid that station. Park in the adjoining Amtrak parking lot. You can check out the exact rates online.

Seriously? Enough with the fear mongering. To the OP, you & your friend will be perfectly safe at the amtrak station in Trenton. As a young woman, I certainly wouldn't wander around the neighborhood by myself in the evening flashing cash or with lots of bags, but it is fine in the actual station or walking to the station from the parking area. In fact I normally observe a few police officers in the station keeping an eye on things.

The other bonus of picking up someone in Trenton is saving on the bridge toll over to Philly from NJ. I think it might be up to $5 right now.

Trenton Station is in a dark high crime neighborhood. It is not in a safe area. I would avoid that station. Park in the adjoining Amtrak parking lot. You can check out the exact rates online.

I'll back up what most have said here already, that TRE is much easier for pick-up than PHL. Although beware that in the "back" (eastern) side of the station, the cabs take precedence over everyone else, so don't try to cut into their line. Just wait behind them at the back and then have you friend call you so you can pull up to the front of the line and have him or her hop in.

Or you could just go to the front (west) side....

PHL 30th Street is a nicer station than Trenton, but Trenton has better railfanning options!

Philly is a beutiful old place. Trenton is a boring testament to Jersey bad taste and wasteful political spending.

Being a biased Trenton regular passenger here, but while it is indeeed dull it is very modern and very functional.

I grew up in NJ where its also about equidistant between PHL and Trenton. I always do Trenton if I'm on the regional because a) the parking is easier and b) the traffic is better. The station itself is not glorious and grand like PHL, but its easier for the person doing pick up and that is what matters to me. However please be aware that most acelas don't stop in Trenton, so if you are taking acela, you will have to do PHL.

Right now leaning towards Trenton, seems easier for him and for me, as Philly can be a mess on a friday night. Just hoping there is/are no long delays...

At PHL there's meters to feed. A quarter gets five minutes. Parking limit is an hour. So after an hour of quarters or the PPA smart cards, you have to refeed. There's always parking on Market street. Between 8 and 4 you get an hour and it's kiosks which accept credit/debit cards. 4pm to 10pm it's 3 hours I think if not 2 hours. This is between 23rd and Schuylkill Ave. It's a short walk and if you have a light luggage load I would do this. If you have a heavy load of luggage have your friend park at meters and if they so choose wait with the car or feed the meter. A fare warning. An expired meter ticket in Philly is $36. It can be overturned if you see the PPA officer writing the ticket. Anything else.. Your screwed.. The parking at PHL which is metered has spots open 24/7 on both sides of the station. If he's running late.. PHL is a better place. A lot of things to do in the area and in the station it's self!

If you choose PHL.. Avoid a train between 4 and 730PM. Traffic is awful at that point in the day.

Depending on where in NJ he is, you could make it easier for him and take the NJT River Line from Trenton to a stop somewhere along the route.

Or the NJT Atlantic City Line from 30th St. to Cherry Hill.

If he has to park the car and wait for you -> Trenton
If you plan to arrive first and wait for him to come and pick-up curbside -> Philly