Getting around · Philadelphia · United States
Getting around Philadelphia
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Center City is a flat grid about 3.5 km wide between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, and most sights are walkable: Independence Hall to Rittenhouse Square is about 30 minutes on foot. SEPTA runs the subway, trolleys, buses and Regional Rail for longer trips. No for the city itself: walking, SEPTA and ride-hailing cover Center City and nearby neighbourhoods, and parking is expensive.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- PHL
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- SEPTA Key card
Ways to get around
Walking
The grid makes navigation easy: numbered streets run north–south and tree names such as Walnut, Chestnut and Spruce run east–west. Old City, Society Hill, Washington Square West and Rittenhouse join up seamlessly on foot.
Metro
SEPTA's two subway lines cross at City Hall: the east–west Market–Frankford Line runs under Market Street to Old City and Fishtown, and the north–south Broad Street Line reaches the South Philadelphia sports complex.
Use a SEPTA Key card for fares and transfers rather than paying cash.
Bus
SEPTA buses and trolleys cover the rest of the city, including routes along the Parkway and to the Italian Market and East Passyunk.
Train
Regional Rail stops at Jefferson, Suburban and 30th Street stations in Center City and serves the airport, the suburbs and Chestnut Hill. Amtrak trains from 30th Street Station reach New York in about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
Cycling
Indego bike share has docks across Center City and University City, and the Schuylkill River Trail is a car-free route along the river to Boathouse Row and beyond.
Ride-hailing
Uber, Lyft and taxis are easy to find in Center City and useful late at night or for South Philly and Fishtown.
Tickets and passes
SEPTA Key card
A reloadable card for subway, bus, trolley and Regional Rail fares; it gives cheaper fares than cash and allows transfers.
From the airport
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is about 11 km southwest of Center City. SEPTA's Airport Line Regional Rail train reaches University City and Center City stations in about 25 minutes, and taxis charge a flat fare to Center City; the drive takes 20–40 minutes depending on traffic.
Do you need a car?
No for the city itself: walking, SEPTA and ride-hailing cover Center City and nearby neighbourhoods, and parking is expensive. A car helps for Valley Forge, Longwood Gardens and Lancaster County.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Forge National Historical Park | About 40 minutes by car | Car, or SEPTA train and bus |
| Longwood Gardens | About 1 hour by car | Car or organised tour |
| Lancaster County | About 1 hour 30 minutes by car | Car, or Amtrak to Lancaster |
| New York City | About 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes by Amtrak | Amtrak from 30th Street Station to Penn Station |
| New Hope | About 1 hour by car | Car |
| Cape May | About 1 hour 45 minutes by car | Car |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Philadelphia?
No for the city itself: walking, SEPTA and ride-hailing cover Center City and nearby neighbourhoods, and parking is expensive. A car helps for Valley Forge, Longwood Gardens and Lancaster County.
+How do you get from the airport to Philadelphia?
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is about 11 km southwest of Center City. SEPTA's Airport Line Regional Rail train reaches University City and Center City stations in about 25 minutes, and taxis charge a flat fare to Center City; the drive takes 20–40 minutes depending on traffic.
+What is the best way to get around Philadelphia?
Walking: The grid makes navigation easy: numbered streets run north–south and tree names such as Walnut, Chestnut and Spruce run east–west. Old City, Society Hill, Washington Square West and Rittenhouse join up seamlessly on foot.