Philadelphia Travel & Transportation

Whether you’re traveling by train, plane, or car, Philadelphia is one of the most accessible cities to get in and out of. Here’s how to get to Philadelphia from outside of the city and how to get around once you’re here.

By Plane

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) serves the Philadelphia region with 24 airlines offering over 300 nonstop departures to over 120 destinations in the U.S. and around the world. PHL was named a top performer in a review of on-time flights by Cirium. Once you’ve arrived, it’s about a 25-minute ride on the SEPTA Airport Line or a 20-minute drive to Center City.

By Bus

Philadelphia is accessible by bus from most major Mid-Atlantic cities and more. The Greyhound Philadelphia Bus Station provides services to towns and cities both within and outside of Pennsylvania. Interregional bus providers Fullington Trailways, Martz Trailways, and Peter Pan Bus Lines also operate interregional services out of the station. NJ Transit, Megabus, and Martz Trailways all operate within or around 30th Street Station.

By Car

Interstates 95 and 76, and the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Turnpikes, provide direct access into Philadelphia. from all points on the compass. Once you arrive, there are more than 40 public parking lots and garages in Center City plus metered street parking. Read signs carefully for parking hours, as some streets have time limits or are permitted. To pay for metered parking, you can use the meterUP app or a variety of payment methods at one of the kiosks, which will issue a printed ticket for you to place inside your windshield. For more information on parking, visit the Philadelphia Parking Authority.

By Train

Enjoy the convenience of traveling to Philadelphia via Amtrak. Skip the traffic and take advantage of downtown to downtown service from Philadelphia to all major cities throughout the Northeast Corridor on the Northeast Regional and Acela trains. Amtrak also offers service throughout the state of Pennsylvania on the Keystone and Pennsylvanian routes. You’ll arrive in the middle of the action at the historic 30th Street Station, just a short walk from Center City. Visitors can also travel to and from Philadelphia’s Countryside via SEPTA Regional Rail out of 30th Street Station, Suburban Station, or Jefferson Station. SEPTA provides updated information on Regional Rail schedules and fares on their website.

Getting Around Philadelphia

Public Transportation

SEPTA is Philadelphia’s local transit agency, responsible for Regional Rail, subways, buses, and trolleys. There are two subway lines, the Broad Street Line and the Market-Frankford Line and multiple trolley lines to connect you throughout the city. SEPTA connects Center City with the surrounding neighborhoods and suburbs as far north as Trenton, New Jersey and south as Newark, Delaware. For more information on SEPTA’s intercity transit services, visit their website.

Taxis and Ride Sharing

There are more than 1,800 licensed cabs in Philadelphia, some of the most prominent services being the Philadelphia Taxi Cab Service, 215-Get-A-Cab, and the Germantown Cab Company. Or download the Uber or Lyft app to order a car to your location.

Attractions

Whether you’re traveling by train, plane, or car, Philadelphia is one of the most accessible cities to get in and out of. Here’s how to get to Philadelphia from outside of the city and how to get around once you’re here.