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 about 90 miles southwest of New York City, 140 miles northeast of Washington, D.C., and 60 miles west of the New Jersey shore.
Approximately a quarter of the U.S. population lives within a six-hour drive of Philadelphia.
The best part: Not only is Philly easily accessible by car, but it also has a wide range of public transportation options to get into the city.
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 many points west and south (and even Canada). Or arrive via long-distance bus service offered by Greyhound Lines, Peter Pan Bus Lines 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 about 10 miles from Center City and serves 29 airlines. It offers around 400 daily departures to more than 130 nonstop destinations worldwide, including over 90 domestically.
Plus, coming April 2026, Philadelphia once again becomes a major cruise line hub, with Norwegian Cruise Line excursions linking the city with ports of call in Bermuda, New England and Canada.
Maps and Directions
To view a list of useful maps available for viewing or download, click the button below.
Due to 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 Elevated Angles for Visit Philadelphia
Philly is just 90 miles south of New York, 140 miles north of Washington, D.C., and 60 miles from the New Jersey shore.
Philadelphia is served by numerous interstates and highways, such as I-95, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276, tolled), the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), the Blue Route (I-476), US Route 30, the Roosevelt Expressway (US Route 1) and the New Jersey Turnpike (tolled).
The city is accessible from New Jersey across several bridges, including the Burlington–Bristol, Tacony–Palmyra, Betsy Ross, Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman and Commodore Barry. Bridges are tolled from New Jersey into Pennsylvania and are free in the return direction.
Rideshares, Rentals and Carshares
You don’t have to bring your own car to enjoy Philadelphia by personal vehicle, either.
Rates for carshare services like Enterprise 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 the Lyft or Uber rideshare apps and enjoy the convenience of getting picked up and dropped off anywhere, any time.
— Photo by D. Nicole for Visit Philadelphia
Parking
One of the things that makes Philadelphia great is its compact Center City, which is so walkable — regularly voted the most walkable city for visitors in the U.S., in fact.
So why not ditch your vehicle once you get to the area and explore easily on foot, or 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 area to get around on foot. Check out many of Philly’s great walkable neighborhoods like Chestnut Hill, Manayunk, Fishtown, University City and more.
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.
For locations and information on other parking garages dispersed throughout the city, check out Parking.com.
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 tap-to-pay via phone. You can also 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, and 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 PlugShare.
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.
By Train
Amtrak Intercity Service
Philadelphia is served by the Amtrak intercity rail network, which operates throughout the Northeast Corridor and stretches from Boston to Washington, with lines to other major cities across the United States and Canada.
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 that run through Philadelphia: The Pennsylvanian, which runs between New York City and Pittsburgh, and the Keystone Service train from New York City to Harrisburg.
Other Amtrak trains stopping in Philadelphia include Carolinian, Silver Meteor/Palmetto, Crescent, Vermonter and Cardinal.
— Photo courtesy Amtrak
Local Trains and Subways
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, Pennsylvania, and as far south as Newark, Delaware, all stopping through Center City. The system also connects directly to the Trenton Transit Center, where New Jersey Transit service is available to and from New York City.
New Jersey Transit offers trains to William H. Gray III 30th Street Station from the New Jersey shore along the Atlantic City Line.
Plus, PATCO (Port Authority Transit Corporation) operates the PATCO Speedline from southern New Jersey into Philadelphia, with nine stations in New Jersey’s Camden County and five in Center City Philadelphia.
The service also makes stops at Logan Square and William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, on Walnut Street in University City and in Malvern.
Don’t forget to check out Greyhound’s Deals & Promos page before booking your trip.
— Photo courtesy Greyhound
Other Intercity Bus Services
Service from New York City and Washington, D.C., is also available on Peter Pan Bus Lines, which offers spacious seating, free Wi-Fi and affordable fares starting at just $1.
Certain Megabus trips end at William H. Gray III 30th Street Station at John F. Kennedy Boulevard, while others end at 2nd and Spring Garden streets.
In addition to New York City and Washington, D.C., service is available from Baltimore, Maryland and Richmond, Virginia.
For local trips or to 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 over 1,000 buses run 115 routes within the region and cover over 1,200 miles of road. Nearly all routes use traditional buses, with some served by trackless trolleys.
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, Willingboro and Gloucester.
By Plane
Philadelphia International Airport
Located about 10 miles from Center City via I-95, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is served by all major domestic carriers, with flights from more than 90 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
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.
SEPTA’s commuter Regional Rail Airport Line (AIR) offers boarding locations from all six terminals to several points in the city via Penn Medicine, 30th Street, Suburban and Jefferson stations.
The Airport Line also provides a connection to Amtrak at William H. Gray III 30th Street Station.
— Photo courtesy Philadelphia International Airport
Local taxi services charge a flat rate of $32 between the airport and Center City, or pay the meter price to anywhere else in the metro area ($2.70 upon entry plus $3 per mile).
Travelers can also utilize rideshare service vehicles from Lyft and Uber. Nine major rental car agencies operate from PHL for travelers who want to venture out in a personal vehicle. Shuttles to local hotels and outer parking lots are also available in addition to private limousines, vans and charter buses.
— Photo courtesy Philadelphia International Airport
Follow the Ground Transportation signs from Baggage Claim and continue to the pickup zone for access to your transport of choice.
For more information, contact the Philadelphia International Airport:
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 within a few hours:
Ahoy! For the first time in over 15 years, The Port of Philadelphia (PhilaPort) on the Delaware River reopens to a major cruise line. Come April 2026, PhilaPort welcomes two Norwegian Cruise Line ships for new cruise routes steaming across the sea, from Philly to nearby and international destinations and back.
For a shorter journey — especially daytrippers heading to and from New Jersey — hop aboard the RiverLink Ferry across the Delaware River to Camden. The passenger ferry service connects the New Jersey waterfront to Penn’s Landing in Old City Philadelphia. Service on the 600-passenger boat is seasonal.
Both Amtrak and Philadelphia International Airport feature accessible services and egresses up to the codes designated by the Department of Transportation, TSA and the ADA.
— Photo by Visit Philadelphia
For those driving, Philadelphia offers 60 minutes of free parking for vehicles with visible disability placards or license plates, and unlimited free parking for vehicles with identifiable wheelchair lifts or ramps.
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