Mid-Atlantic - 6.5 hour layover - arrangements for visiting Philly

On our way home to Canada from Europe we will have a layover of 6hrs, 45 minutes. We would love to see a bit of Philadelphia. For sure we would plan to be back at the airport two hours before the flight which still allows nearly five hours to go into the city and back.

I know we will have to pick up our luggage and check it again. Could we then leave the airport for a few hours?

Questions:

1. Where could we check our carry on? Or should we plan on having small backpacks which we keep with us?

2. How do we get into town and back? I understand there is a train which takes 20 minutes. How often does this run on a weekday afternoon, evening?

3. Where does this train take you?

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

You have time to leave the airport and see a bit, certainly. There will not be a place to store carry-ons in the airport, though, so your choice is to either haul everything around with you or somehow stuff more of your carry-on items into the bags you'll be re-checking at PHL. (You'll pick them up at PHL baggage claim, go through customs, and then re-check them.)

Be aware that PHL baggage claim is notoriously slow, so it may take longer than you expect to get out of the airport.

The train into Philadelphia is SEPTA's Airport Line (http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/pdf/air.pdf). The stops in Philadelphia that would make the most sense for a short-stay tourist are Suburban Station or Market East. For train times, see SEPTA's trip planner (http://airs1.septa.org/bin/query.exe/en?).

On our way home to Canada from Europe we will have a layover of 6hrs, 45 minutes. We would love to see a bit of Philadelphia. For sure we would plan to be back at the airport two hours before the flight which still allows nearly five hours to go into the city and back.

I know we will have to pick up our luggage and check it again. Could we then leave the airport for a few hours?

Questions:

1. Where could we check our carry on? Or should we plan on having small backpacks which we keep with us?

2. How do we get into town and back? I understand there is a train which takes 20 minutes. How often does this run on a weekday afternoon, evening?

3. Where does this train take you?

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

You have time to leave the airport and see a bit, certainly. There will not be a place to store carry-ons in the airport, though, so your choice is to either haul everything around with you or somehow stuff more of your carry-on items into the bags you'll be re-checking at PHL. (You'll pick them up at PHL baggage claim, go through customs, and then re-check them.)

Be aware that PHL baggage claim is notoriously slow, so it may take longer than you expect to get out of the airport.

The train into Philadelphia is SEPTA's Airport Line (http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/pdf/air.pdf). The stops in Philadelphia that would make the most sense for a short-stay tourist are Suburban Station or Market East. For train times, see SEPTA's trip planner (http://airs1.septa.org/bin/query.exe/en?).

Welcome to FT!

You will have to clear immigration and customs at PHL. This could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours even...depending on the lines. (unless you are US Citizen / Greencard / Global Entry).

Then you take your bags, and find the terminal for your next flight. and check bags with that airline. You are now free to explore the city.

1. Where could we check our carry on? Or should we plan on having small backpacks which we keep with us?

Yes, keep small backpacks for essential stuff, passports, etc.
I dont think PHL has lockers.

2. How do we get into town and back? I understand there is a train which takes 20 minutes. How often does this run on a weekday afternoon, evening?

The train runs every 30 minutes or so from 5AM through Midnight. The train goes to downtown philly (which is known as Center City Philly). And it goes beyond that as well, but that wont matter to you. Buy a return ticket on board. So you save that ticket for your return trip.

3. Where does this train take you?

See above.

Get down at Suburban Station (City Hall). This will be a nice central point. Plenty of restaurants in that area. You can walk on Market street (or take a cab) to go see the LIberty Bell. (take a short 30 minute tour).
Eat a nice dinner.
And it will be time to come back to the airport. Get the train from Market Street station or from Suburban Station, depending on where you are at that moment.

I doubt you have will have more time to do other stuff...except Liberty Bell and a dinner.

Thanks so much to both of you for the help. I think with these clear instructions we should be good to go. Seeing just one thing has got to be better than hanging around the airport.

Check the US Airways forum. One of the stickies has a thread on the Philly airport, including things to do and options to get into the city.

Depending upon your interests, day and time, you could also visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art. If so, one option is to get off the Septa train at 30th Street Station and take a cab to the Art Museum.

wow! Thanks for all the tips.

Depending upon your interests, day and time, you could also visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art. If so, one option is to get off the Septa train at 30th Street Station and take a cab to the Art Museum.

Good thoughts. However, I feel that they may not have enough time to enjoy the Art Museum fully. At the minimum, the museum needs 2-3 hours for a minimal visit.

However, going near the Art museum, they can do the Rocky Steps, which can be done in a few minutes.

Thanks again. I'd love to 'do' the Rocky steps!

You've gotten some good information so far.
Once you clear immigration, you can look for the signs for the Regional Rail airport line. Note that you buy the ticket ($7.00) on the train and they only accept cash. Rather than buying a round trip on the train, I would recommend buying your return ticket from the ticket agent in whichever station you go to, as this will save you a few bucks.

If you want to run up the Rocky steps at the art museum, that would be a bit of a hike from any of the stations. If you also want to go to the historical area (Liberty Bell, Independence Hall), this is what I recommend: exit the airport train at 30th street station (note that this is the Amtrak station for Philly and it worth checking out in its own right). Walk into the main part of the station, exit either side and grab a taxi. Tell the driver you want to first go to the art museum steps so you can run up and take a picture.

Then have the driver take you down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, around City Hall, and down to the Liberty Bell. This should cost you about $10.00 - 15.00, (I'm guessing here) worth it for two people.

After touring the Liberty Bell and such, you can grab a bite to eat and then walk up Market Street and catch the train back to the airport from the Market East station (the main entrance is on Market St. between 11th and 12th sts.).

Should be a fun few hours!

What a great plan! Thanks so much.

Get down at Suburban Station (City Hall). This will be a nice central point. Plenty of restaurants in that area. You can walk on Market street (or take a cab) to go see the LIberty Bell. (take a short 30 minute tour).
Eat a nice dinner.

I doubt you have will have more time to do other stuff...except Liberty Bell and a dinner.Personally, if I only had a few hours in a new city, I'd focus a bit more on what I could see than dinner. Plus, while there are many nice restaurants downtown Philly, I've yet to find one that I'd call quick.

Eat like a local - grab something at Reading Terminal Market and munch while you stroll toward the Liberty Bell center. Once there, you'll find Independence Hall one way and the National Constitution Center the other - both are worth seeing, pick the one with the shorter line. Or take a horse drawn carriage ride around the old party of the city - and ask if you can be dropped near a subway station to speed you on your way afterwards.

Another good plan.

We will have to see how tired we are having got up early in the morning Europe time. We will have been up a long time.