hightide

I'm thinking of visiting Philadelphia. As PA's neighbour is tax-free state DE, I would like to go shopping as well as pre-buy gadgets online posted to a hotel in DE or pick them up at storefronts in DE.

It looks like Greyhound buses and Amtrak arrive at zip code 19801. Googling that zip code, I don't see any shopping centers and/or malls nearby.
Is there a more convenient to reach city in DE by bus/train aside from Wilmington that has abundant shopping?

Would Newark be a decent option as I see Christina mall?

JimInOhio

Christiana Mall is by far the largest shopping complex in Delaware. There are buses which connect the Amtrak station to the mall.

CDTraveler

You'd have to be spending over $250 for the sales tax savings to cover the cost of getting there. Outside Philly, the tax on most goods is 6%, and no tax on clothing, and the King of Prussia Mall is one of the largest in the country. The suburbs, easily reachable by regional rail, offer plenty of big box and electronic stores.

If you go to Delaware, SEPTA regional rail is probably your best bet as Amtrak fares have recently risen, and a last minute RT PHL-WIL ticket would start at $62 and go up. Regional rail could be as little as $13 if you use an Independence Pass (check that they are valid to DE). http://www.septa.com/schedules/rail/pdf/nwk.pdf

travelmad478

Word to the wise: just rent a car and be done with it. SEPTA takes a dog’s age to get to Wilmington from 30th St. Station, and even then, you’d then be stuck waiting another dog’s age for a DART bus to Christiana Mall (which is nowhere near Wilmington). And once there, if you didn’t have a car, you’d miss out on the big box stores that are located in the off-mall Fashion Center (e.g. REI, Nordstrom Rack, etc.). And of course, if you’re going to buy enough stuff to make the whole exercise worthwhile, you’re not going to want to carry it around with you all day, much less shlep it back to Philly on multiple buses and trains. A rental car would cost you what, $35?

hightide

Thanks for the responses. Yes, I will definitely be spending over $250 as I plan to buy an iphone and a laptop.

hightide

$35 would be excluding gas. I consider driving to unfamiliar places a chore, hence I would be willing to spend more money or time to not have to pay attention to the road.

For the laptop, I might just get it delivered to a hotel (I will choose a hotel that is willing to accept packages on behalf of guests).

travelmad478

The gas would cost maybe $5; there are no tolls on the route. If traveling for at least 2.5 hours each way and hauling all your purchases around all day sounds like less of a chore than driving 45 minutes straight down I-95 (Christiana Mall has its own exit off the highway), you and I have very different opinions about what a chore is!

AMflier

+1 on the driving over the train,

That said, if you still want to take the train, consider taking Amtrak or SEPTA to Newark, DE. Service is less frequent, but it is much closer to Christiana Mall than Wilmington. It's also a nice college town.

There is also a cluster of big box stores at US 202 and DE 92 near the PA - DE Border. No Apple Store the last time I checked. You could Uber / Lyft from Septa's Claymont Station or there may be a bus from Wilmington.

bitburgr

It might be helpful to give us an idea of what else you’re looking to buy. If it’s just an iPhone and laptop, then going to Best Buy is easy. SEPTA plus Uber. But you still have to account for Uber $$. (No idea about buses in DE).

Often1

On $2,000 worth of goods, you are saving $130 on the sales tax (PA other than Philadelphia). Consider that depending on how you time things and where you are physically located in Philadelphia, the public transport options to Delaware may take 3+ hours in each direction, you are talking about a day on an international trip to save what may not be much in the end.

Most hotels will accept packages for guests. Never heard of one which does not disclaim liability. Fine to have a new shirt delivered, but high-end electronics are not the kind of thing I would ever have delivered to someone I do not know and personally trust.

bitburgr

Minor nit to pick, but it's worse...it's only a savings if $120.

TribalistMeathead

But some will charge a "package handling fee" of $5 or $10, as I learned the hard way at the Hilton in Salt Lake City two years ago.

JimInOhio

I don't believe Apple or Best Buy will ship an order to a state (even if it's a hotel) that has sales tax without charging the appropriate tax for that state.

Often1

Of course they do. The law requires it. That is a given.

That isn't the point. It is that only a fool would have something of significant value delivered to a hotel because one can search for a long time for one which doesn't disclaim liability for loss / damage.