Driving from Philadelphia to NYC, best route
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: El Paso, TX, USA
Programs: Kicked out of all of them
Posts: 32,554
Driving from Philadelphia to NYC, best route
I am planning on driving from Philly, actually, Sesame Place to Manhattan on Sunday July 6th at about 5:00 p.m.
I did a mapquest, and it's telling me it should take 1:30 minutes, but people tell me that the turnpike is going to be murder on a Holiday weekend.
I already have a reservation at the Waldorf, so spending the night close to Sesame place is not an option
What is the best route to take?
I did a mapquest, and it's telling me it should take 1:30 minutes, but people tell me that the turnpike is going to be murder on a Holiday weekend.
I already have a reservation at the Waldorf, so spending the night close to Sesame place is not an option
What is the best route to take?
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Best route is the NJ Turnpike and then listen to AM 1010 or 660 and listen to figure out which tunnel has the least traffic. Traffic will be heavy and it will take a bit of time, but there isn't much you can do about it.
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,053
#5
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: PHL, EWR
Programs: UA Gold; AA; Amtrak Select Plus;HH Diamond;Hyatt Disc;Hertz PC; Total Wine Grand Reserve!
Posts: 2,398
If you are departing from the Sesame place area of the Philly suburbs, you may also consider taking I95 north to route 1 and then take route 1 north through NJ (passing through Trenton, Princeton, New Brunswick and Edison) and then hook up with the NJ turnpike via 287 or the Garden State parkway in northern NJ.
While route 1 has traffic lights, they are pretty well timed and unless the traffic is really bad, you can usually cruise along at a pretty good clip. You would avoid the shore tie-ups taking this route. I drive between Philly and northern NJ on a quasi-regular basis and frequently take this route as an alternative to the turnpike. Surprisingly enough, there is not a huge time difference between the two routes (if the turnpike isn't backed up).
While route 1 has traffic lights, they are pretty well timed and unless the traffic is really bad, you can usually cruise along at a pretty good clip. You would avoid the shore tie-ups taking this route. I drive between Philly and northern NJ on a quasi-regular basis and frequently take this route as an alternative to the turnpike. Surprisingly enough, there is not a huge time difference between the two routes (if the turnpike isn't backed up).
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Summer at the Jersey Shore AAAH
Posts: 11,294
You plan on leaving Sesame Place at 5pm. Dude change the res at the Waldorf to Monday. Seriously, that will be primetime, and not in a good way. Turnpike > Lincoln is your best shot, but listen to 1010 & 880. 660 is the sports station and doesn't have updates as often..
I'm sure dhammer offered you even more specifics.
Good Luck, I don''t now what would be worse Sesame Place on a Sunday or the traffic afterwards.
I'm sure dhammer offered you even more specifics.
Good Luck, I don''t now what would be worse Sesame Place on a Sunday or the traffic afterwards.
#7
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 947
If you are departing from the Sesame place area of the Philly suburbs, you may also consider taking I95 north to route 1 and then take route 1 north through NJ (passing through Trenton, Princeton, New Brunswick and Edison) and then hook up with the NJ turnpike via 287 or the Garden State parkway in northern NJ.
While route 1 has traffic lights, they are pretty well timed and unless the traffic is really bad, you can usually cruise along at a pretty good clip. You would avoid the shore tie-ups taking this route. I drive between Philly and northern NJ on a quasi-regular basis and frequently take this route as an alternative to the turnpike. Surprisingly enough, there is not a huge time difference between the two routes (if the turnpike isn't backed up).
While route 1 has traffic lights, they are pretty well timed and unless the traffic is really bad, you can usually cruise along at a pretty good clip. You would avoid the shore tie-ups taking this route. I drive between Philly and northern NJ on a quasi-regular basis and frequently take this route as an alternative to the turnpike. Surprisingly enough, there is not a huge time difference between the two routes (if the turnpike isn't backed up).
#9
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: PHL, EWR
Programs: UA Gold; AA; Amtrak Select Plus;HH Diamond;Hyatt Disc;Hertz PC; Total Wine Grand Reserve!
Posts: 2,398
Thanks, that was the one segment I wasn't sure about since I usually continue north on the Garden State parkway (my final destination is West Orange NJ) and have never tried to reconnect with the turnpike.
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Formerly HPN, but then DCA and IAD for a while, and now back to HPN!
Programs: Honestly, I've been out of the travel game so long that I'm not even sure. Maybe Marriott Gold?
Posts: 10,677
I am planning on driving from Philly, actually, Sesame Place to Manhattan on Sunday July 6th at about 5:00 p.m.
I did a mapquest, and it's telling me it should take 1:30 minutes, but people tell me that the turnpike is going to be murder on a Holiday weekend.
I already have a reservation at the Waldorf, so spending the night close to Sesame place is not an option
What is the best route to take?
I did a mapquest, and it's telling me it should take 1:30 minutes, but people tell me that the turnpike is going to be murder on a Holiday weekend.
I already have a reservation at the Waldorf, so spending the night close to Sesame place is not an option
What is the best route to take?
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 55,189
Rt 1 isn't always a joy either. Here's an alternative. Take 95 in PA from Sesame Place and cross into NJ. A mile or so into NJ, 95 North becomes 295 South. Don't worry about that. Take the exit for 206 North. Yes, it's a country road but it's a state road and you might move more quickly than Rt 1 or even the Turnpike. Take 206 North and follow it until you get to Rt 287 North -- about 15 miles. Take 287 North to Rt 78 East. Then start listening to 880AM on the 8s, 1010AM on the 1s and 1130AM on the 5s for traffic reports. If there is a Yankee game while you're driving, forget the traffic reports on 880. There is also 101.5FM which has traffic at :03, :18, :33, and :48 after the hour.
#12
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: NJ, Bay Area CA
Programs: CO Plat
Posts: 162
From Sesame Place take
-Oxford Valley Rd North to
-Route 1 North
-Cross into NJ
-Take Rt 1 North to New Brunswick
-Exit onto Rt 18 South for about 3/4 mile to the entrance to NJ TPK
-Get on NJ TPK North to Lincoln Tunnel
This is by far the most direct and fastest route having driven this probably around 100 times or so. As it is Sunday you should be fine on Rte 1. Since it's a holiday weekend, you may have some traffic on the Turnpike and at the tunnel. Generally traffic above exit 9 moves well. I would take the truck lanes to minimize any traffic. There are very few trucks on Sundays.
-Oxford Valley Rd North to
-Route 1 North
-Cross into NJ
-Take Rt 1 North to New Brunswick
-Exit onto Rt 18 South for about 3/4 mile to the entrance to NJ TPK
-Get on NJ TPK North to Lincoln Tunnel
This is by far the most direct and fastest route having driven this probably around 100 times or so. As it is Sunday you should be fine on Rte 1. Since it's a holiday weekend, you may have some traffic on the Turnpike and at the tunnel. Generally traffic above exit 9 moves well. I would take the truck lanes to minimize any traffic. There are very few trucks on Sundays.
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,053
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Summer at the Jersey Shore AAAH
Posts: 11,294
Based on today's weather and the forecast for tomorrow, traffic might not be so bad. I think people are cutting short their trips to the shore or other outdoor adventures.
Good Luck and post a NJ turnpike trip report!
Good Luck and post a NJ turnpike trip report!
#15
Join Date: May 2006
Location: New York, London, Sydney
Programs: United GS/2MM, DL*P, VS*G, AA*EXP, Avis CHM, Hertz Platinum, Sixt*D, HH*D, HGP*P, Starwood*P
Posts: 9,842
From Sesame Place take
-Oxford Valley Rd North to
-Route 1 North
-Cross into NJ
-Take Rt 1 North to New Brunswick
-Exit onto Rt 18 South for about 3/4 mile to the entrance to NJ TPK
-Get on NJ TPK North to Lincoln Tunnel
This is by far the most direct and fastest route having driven this probably around 100 times or so. As it is Sunday you should be fine on Rte 1. Since it's a holiday weekend, you may have some traffic on the Turnpike and at the tunnel. Generally traffic above exit 9 moves well. I would take the truck lanes to minimize any traffic. There are very few trucks on Sundays.
-Oxford Valley Rd North to
-Route 1 North
-Cross into NJ
-Take Rt 1 North to New Brunswick
-Exit onto Rt 18 South for about 3/4 mile to the entrance to NJ TPK
-Get on NJ TPK North to Lincoln Tunnel
This is by far the most direct and fastest route having driven this probably around 100 times or so. As it is Sunday you should be fine on Rte 1. Since it's a holiday weekend, you may have some traffic on the Turnpike and at the tunnel. Generally traffic above exit 9 moves well. I would take the truck lanes to minimize any traffic. There are very few trucks on Sundays.