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Philadelphia is the second-largest city on the East Coast (and sixth-largest in the nation), with a metropolitan population of over 6 million people and a thriving downtown district — known as Center City — that’s easy to get to from almost anywhere in the U.S.
Conveniently located in the heart of the Northeast Corridor, Philly lies 80 miles southwest of New York City, 120 miles north of Washington, D.C. and 55 miles west of the New Jersey shore.
More than 80 million people — nearly one-quarter of the U.S. population — live within a six-hour drive of Philadelphia, where international award-winning restaurants, world class arts and cultural institutions and America’s most historic square mile await.
Approximately a quarter of the U.S. population lives within a six-hour drive of Philadelphia.
The best part: You don’t even have to drive to get here — so feel free to keep the car at home.
Those who wish to leave the driving to others can kick back and relax en route to the City of Brotherly Love. Hop aboard Amtrak, which provides train service along the Northeast Corridor and from nearly any point west and south (and even Canada). Or arrive via long-distance bus service offered by Greyhound Lines, Megabus and more, connecting Philadelphia with every other Northeastern city.
Flying in is also simple. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), the fifth-busiest in the Northeast, is seven miles from Center City and serves 17 airlines. It offers around 500 daily departures to more than 130 nonstop destinations worldwide, including over 80 domestically.
And coming in 2026, Philadelphia will once again become a major cruise line hub, with excursions linking the city with ports-of-call in Bermuda, New England and Canada.
To view a list of useful maps available for viewing or download, click the button below.
With its central location, Philadelphia is remarkably easy to get to by car.
Just a two-hour drive from New York City and Baltimore, three from Washington, D.C., and about an hour from Lancaster, Atlantic City and the beaches of the New Jersey shore, Philly is the perfect destination for a spontaneous day trip, a weekend getaway or a much-needed vacation.
— Photo by G. Widman for Visit Philadelphia
Philly is just 80 miles south of New York, 120 miles north of Washington, D.C. and 55 miles from the Jersey shore.
Philadelphia is served by numerous interstates and highways, such as the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276, tolled), I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway), I-476 (Blue Route), I-95, US Route 1 (Roosevelt Expressway), US Route 30 and the New Jersey Turnpike (tolled).
The city is accessible from New Jersey across a number of bridges, including the Burlington–Bristol, Tacony–Palmyra, Betsy Ross, Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman and Commodore Barry bridges. Bridges are tolled from New Jersey into Pennsylvania and free in the return direction.
You don’t have to bring your own car to enjoy Philadelphia by personal vehicle, either.
Rates for car share services like Enterprise CarShare and Zipcar cover everything from insurance to maintenance to parking (and even gas).
Alternatively, you can rent a vehicle from one of the many auto rental companies that operate throughout the city, including at Philadelphia International Airport.
Or simply open up an app and enjoy the convenience of getting picked up and dropped off by rideshare services from Lyft or Uber.
— Photo by D. Nicole for Visit Philadelphia
One of the things that makes Philadelphia great is its compact Center City, which is so walkable — the most walkable city for visitors in the U.S., in fact — that you don’t need a car to get around.
So why not ditch your vehicle once you get to the area and explore easily on foot, via cab or public transportation? If you’re driving into town, store your car in a garage on arrival and get out there and experience the city.
Caught the walking bug? Center City isn’t the only great spot to get around on foot. Check out many of Philly’s great walkable neighborhoods like Chestnut Hill, Manayunk, Fishtown, University City and more.
Parking Lots and Garages
You can find everything you need to know about parking in Philly from the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA).
To locate a PPA parking lot or garage near your destination (attraction, restaurant, hotel or neighborhood), click this link and type in a specific address or choose from a list of popular locations. Then compare nearby garages by their hours and rates.
Meter Parking and meterUP App
Additionally, Philadelphia has thousands of metered and non-metered timed spaces throughout the city, with rates and time limits that vary depending on location.
Many Philly neighborhoods have replaced coin-operated meters with parking kiosks that offer a variety of payment options, including credit cards and phone tap. Or skip the kiosks altogether and use the meterUP app to pay for parking right from your phone.
— Photo courtesy Philadelphia Parking Authority
Be sure to follow any signed restrictions or instructions where you choose to park. The posted meter, meterUP and regulation signs can help you figure out where to park and when. Red signs tell you when you can’t park, green signs indicate when you can and for how long.
Electric Vehicle Charging
If your personal vehicle or rental is an electric car, Philadelphia has plenty of charge-while-parking options and hundreds of charging stations. Find available stations using locator maps from EVgo, ChargePoint, Tesla and more.
For more information about parking, visit our Parking in Philadelphia page or the Philadelphia Parking Authority website. For emergency road services, contact AAA (American Automobile Association) through their website, app or at (800) 222-4357.
To view a live area traffic map with real-time traffic information, click here.
Philadelphia is served by the Amtrak intercity rail network, which operates throughout the northeast corridor stretching from Boston to Washington, plus from other major cities across the United States and Canada.
Amtrak’s William H. Gray III 30th Street Station in West Philadelphia is minutes from the Pennsylvania Convention Center and Center City hotels and attractions, offering visitors a grand welcome to Philadelphia. The nearly 100-year-old station greets visitors from the platforms with stunning art deco details and modern amenities that complement the historic architectural features.
William H. Gray III 30th Street Station — Photo courtesy Amtrak
Both major Amtrak Northeast Corridor routes stop at 30th Street Station, the Northeast Regional Line and the high-speed Acela Line. Amtrak also operates two regional routes through Philadelphia: The Pennsylvanian, which runs between New York Penn Station and Pittsburgh, and Keystone Service to Harrisburg.
Other routes stopping in Philadelphia include Carolinian/Piedmont, Silver Service/Palmetto, Crescent, Vermonter and Cardinal.
— Photo courtesy Amtrak
Local train service is provided by SEPTA through its Regional Rail network, which serves over 150 stations.
The commuter trains span the region, running as far north as Doylestown, PA and as far south as Newark, DE, all stopping through Center City. The system also connects directly to the Trenton Transit Center where New Jersey Transit service is available from New York City.
SEPTA also offers two primary subway lines: the Broad Street Line (B-Line) and the Market-Frankford Line (L-Line).
The BSL runs north/south between North Philly and the Sports Complex (with a spur to the Historic District). The MFL (also known as “The El,” for elevated train) travels east/west between West Philly and Northeast Philly.
The Norristown High Speed Line (M-Line) extends travel from Norristown into West Philadelphia.
SEPTA Regional Rail — Photo courtesy SEPTA
New Jersey Transit offers trains to William H. Gray III 30th Street Station from the Jersey shore along the Atlantic City Line.
And PATCO (Delaware River Port Authority Transit Corporation) operates the PATCO Speedline from adjacent New Jersey into Philadelphia, with nine stations in Camden County and four in Center City (and a fifth opening soon).
The primary Greyhound Lines bus departure stop in Philadelphia is at 199 Spring Garden Street, traveling to such popular cities as New York, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.
The service also makes stops at Logan Square, William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, Walnut Street in University City and in Malvern.
Don’t forget to check out Greyhound’s Deals & Promotions before booking your trip.
Service from New York City and Washington, D.C. is also available on Megabus, which offers spacious seating, free Wi-Fi and affordable fares starting at just $1.
Certain Megabus trips terminate at William H. Gray III 30th Street Station at John F. Kennedy Boulevard, while others at 2nd & Spring Garden streets.
In addition to New York City and Washington D.C., service is available from Boston, Baltimore and Richmond, VA.
Megabus — Photo courtesy MegaBus
Many other bus services operate intercity routes to Philadelphia, including Amtrak Thruway, FlixBus, Martz Group, OurBus, Peter Pan Bus Lines and Trans-Bridge Lines.
For local trips or get to other parts of the city after you park, SEPTA’s bus and trolley services take you anywhere you want to go in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
SEPTA’s nearly 1,000 buses run 115 routes within the region covering over 1,200 miles of road. Nearly all use traditional buses, with some served by trackless trolleys.
Tracked trolleys are utilized along SEPTA’s Subway-Surface Trolley Lines (T-Route) in West Philadelphia and Center City and in the countryside on the Media-Sharon Hill Line (D-Route), with streetcars along the Girard Avenue Line (G-Route).
SEPTA Trolley — Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia
Neighboring New Jersey Transit offers buses into Philadelphia from around 20 destinations in South Jersey, including Atlantic City, Camden, Cape May, Asbury Park, Cherry Hill Mall, Willingboro Town Center and Gloucester Premium Outlets.
Located just seven miles from Center City via I-95, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is served by all major domestic carriers with flights from more than 80 American cities.
PHL is a key international hub for American Airlines, featuring nonstop service from over 30 destinations, including London, Rome, Doha, Budapest, Copenhagen, Athens, São Paulo, Cancún and the Bahamas.
— Photo courtesy Philadelphia International Airport
Airlines serving Philadelphia International Airport include:
Ground Transportation from PHL
Navigating travel between PHL and your hotel or final destination is simple, thanks to frequent public transportation service through SEPTA (Philadelphia’s public transportation authority) and easy access to cab, rideshare and car services.
Local taxi services charge a flat rate of $28.50 between the airport and Center City, or pay the meter price to anywhere else in the metro area ($2.70 upon entry plus $2.30 per mile).
Travelers can also utilize rideshare service vehicles from Lyft and Uber. Seven major rental car agencies operate from PHL for travelers who want to venture out in a personal vehicle. And shuttles to local hotels and outer parking lots are also available in addition to private limousines, vans and charter buses.
For access, follow the Ground Transportation signs from Baggage Claim and continue to the pickup zone assigned to your transport of choice.
For more information, contact the Philadelphia International Airport:
Other Regional Airport Options
Philadelphia is centrally located among a hub of regional, commuter and other international airports, so getting here is a breeze for visitors flying through other cities.
A short train, bus or car ride from these airports will have you exploring Philly in under two hours:
For the first time in over 15 years, The Port of Philadelphia on the Delaware River will be back open to a major cruise line.
Come 2026, the port will welcome the Norwegian Cruise Line ship Norwegian Jewel for cruises between Philadelphia, Charleston and Bermuda and between Philadelphia and eight ports of call in New England, Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Norwegian Jewel — Rendering courtesy PhilaPort
For a shorter journey for those coming from New Jersey, hop aboard the RiverLink Ferry across the Delaware River, a passenger ferry service connecting the Camden, NJ waterfront to Penn’s Landing in Old City Philadelphia. Service on the 600-passenger Freedom is seasonal.
SEPTA offers ADA Paratransit Services in addition to its fixed-route transport. All SEPTA buses are accessible and the authority offers over 100 accessible boarding stations. The Philly PHLASH is also wheelchair accessible. Both Amtrak and the Philadelphia International Airport feature accessible services and egresses up to the codes designated by the Department of Transportation, TSA and the ADA.
Philadelphia allows 60 minutes of free parking for vehicles with disability placards or license plates, and unlimited free parking for vehicles identifiable as having wheelchair lifts or ramps.
For more information about Accessible Philadelphia (including parking), visit the Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities page. Other accessible travel info can be found at WheelchairTravel, Accessible SEPTA and accessibleGO.
The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks.
Or maybe you’d prefer to buy two Philly hotel nights and get a third night for free? Then book the new Visit Philly 3-Day Stay package.
Which will you choose?