Getting to Philly from NYC

Most of the time, being in a “New York State of Mind” is not bad, but sometimes, you just need a change of pace or a change in scenery.  Luckily, it’s pretty easy and cheap to get out of the city and explore nearby places.

In this post, I’ll discuss options for getting to Philadelphia, but in future posts, I’ll cover Washington, DC, Boston, and any other places you guys may be interested in, so be sure to send me suggestions!

Train / Rail
The fastest and probably the most comfortable way to get to Philadelphia is Amtrak, but it’s expensive.  With Amtrak, you have two options: going with the Acela or the Northeast Regional.  I’d only take the Acela if you are going for work, it’s not worth the extra $75 in cost to get to Philadelphia 20 minutes earlier.  The Northeast Regional trains are good if you need to be in Philadelphia at a certain time or if you’re willing and able to pay for the comfort.

If you want to avoid the buses, but don’t want to pay Amtrak prices, NJ Transit/SEPTA may be a good alternative for you.  This alternative allows you to still get to Philadelphia via rail while paying a fraction of the cost of an Amtrak ticket.  The downside, however, is that you’ll need to transfer from NJ Transit to the SEPTA in Trenton, so you’ll actually have to stay awake during the trip.

Amtrak – Acela
Price:  ~$125 one way (could range from $95 to $160)
Est. Trip Time:  1 hour and 10 min.
Depart:  Penn Station (8th Ave. between 31st and 33rd St.)
Arrive:  30th St. Station

Amtrak – Northeast Regional
Price:  ~$50 one way (could range from $35 to $85)
Est. Trip Time:  1 hour and 30 min.
Depart:  Penn Station (8th Ave. between 31st and 33rd St.)
Arrive:  30th St. Station

NJ Transit/SEPTA
Price:  $24.25 one way ($15.50 for NJ Transit + $8.75 for SEPTA)
Est. Trip Time:  2 hours and 30 min. (1 hour and 20 min. for NJ Transit, 20 min. wait time, and 50 min. for SEPTA)
Depart:  Penn Station (8th Ave. between 31st and 33rd St.)
Arrive:  A variety of options including 30th St. Station, Suburban Station, Market East, University City, North Philadelphia, North Broad, and Temple University

Bus
Bus is by far the cheapest way to get to Philadelphia, so if you’re on a budget, don’t get car sick, or just have a more flexible schedule, this option may be the way to go.  There are many bus companies that go to Philadelphia.

Bolt Bus
Price:  ~$10 one way (could range from $1 to $15)
Est. Trip Time:  2 hours and 15 min.
Depart:  8th Ave. at 34th St.
Arrive:  Philadelphia JFK and North 30th St. (by the 30th St. Station)

Megabus
Price:  ~$10 one way (could range from $1 to $15)
Est. Trip Time:  2 hours
Depart:  9th Ave. and 32nd St.
Arrive:  30th St. Station

Side-by-Side Comparison
Ultimately, the best option for you depends on your personal preferences with respect to value, time, convenience, money, and comfort.  I personally have used the NJ Transit/SEPTA combination as well as Bolt Bus.  I liked Bolt Bus better because I didn’t have to worry about thinking about a transfer and I didn’t have to deal with the Penn Station chaos (the Bolt Bus stop is outside).  Take a look at the options below in the side-by-side comparison.

What options have you used in the past to get to Philly and what’s your “go-to” mode of transportation?  Am I missing any key ones? 

Acela, Amtrak, Bolt Bus, Megabus, NJ Transit, NYC Weekend Trip, Philadelphia, SEPTA

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