Easy way from PHL to NYC?
 

My wife and I were able to get tickets LAX-PHL on DL for $112.40, but it's not a pure mileage run. We'll be in PHL from Saturday until Tuesday of Labor Day weekend. We would like to take a train or bus to NYC. Can anyone help us out with our best options? I did a search but came back empty.

Thanks!

Shane

I don't know how much help this will be, but from a year and a half flying into PHL, I do know that the ...I think it is SEPTA... has a stop right there in the airport (OK, wise guys, on the airport grounds! :) ). I think, but don't know for a fact, that you may have to change trains somewhere, like Trenton. Check with SEPTA.

Don't know about bus service, sorry.

The cheapest bus option is the Chinatown bus!

http://www.ivymedia.com/

If you are taking SEPTA you have to take R7 line to Trenton and change over to the NJtransit Northeast Corridor Line ( NEC) to NY Penn Station.

Amtrak will cost you 3-4 times the SEPTA/NJ Transit fare. If it is on time, it may be less painful than the SEPTA/NJT option.

Good Luck and enjoy both the cities.

Thanks for the replies!
 

^ Wow, this is why I love flyertalk! Sounds like our best option will be to take the bus, thanks to MSP2000's suggestion. $20 round-trip can't be beat!

I agree with MSP2000.

I hear the bus from Chinatown (in "center city" [=downtown] PHL) is pretty cheap and decent.

If used to take the SEPTA R7 to Trenton and NJT train to NY Penn Station when I lived in PHL. Not only cheaper than Amtrak (a bit longer but not much), but if you are going over the Labor Day weekend, Amtrak may be booked and/or jammed.

If you are looking for the easy way, the answer is Amtrak. One train---from Center City to Midtown. Buses can be frustrating and uncomfortable if you are sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike with limited air conditioning.....I've done those Chinatown buses---AC is sometimes there, sometimes not.

You didn't ask for the least expensive; you asked the easiest. There are plenty of trains between Philly and NYC. If you get to the station early enough, you can get a seat. That too I've done before.

NJ Transit 'off peak r/t' fare from Trenton to NY Penn is $15.75--not sure what the SEPTA fare is, but can't imagine it's too high. IMO take NJ Transit, rather than Amtrak. It runs on the same line all the way up to NYC and is much cheaper--sure its a bit longer (as it makes more stops), unless you are in a big hurry. If you need it, send me your address and I'll send out a schedule, although if you're not travelling until Labor Day, I'm sure there will be some changes to it before then. Additionally, if you were to do the Chinatown bus, you'd have to get into CenterCity from the airport first, this way you can go directly from PHL to SEPTA to NJ Transit (the NJ Transit ride takes about 90 min).

I wouldn't recommend the Chinatown buses for a couple reasons. Traffic is one of them. Plus, a news station recently did an investigative piece and it turned out that a lot of the drivers weren't licensed. They also showed that the buses break down routinely.

SEPTA/NJ Transit is the way to go. R7 Trenton line is what you want. I believe the fare is $9/RT on SEPTA and the NJ Transit line is quoted above. Transfering over at Trenton is very easy and the station is small. Also, alot of people do this so just ask if you have any questions. Keep in mind that if you are starting out at 30th Street Station in PHL that the Regional Rail lines (aka: SEPTA lines are in the far back corner- not in the great hall where the Amtrak lines are).

Also stated above, if money is no object, then go with Amtrak (and collect some points...). It's much easier and a little quicker with less stops.

I use SEPTA/NJ Transite for personal trips and Amtrak for business trips.

SEPTA up, Amtrak down
 

SEPTA trains are upstairs of the main lobby of the station (run on elevated tracks at least in this part of Phillie) while AMTRAK trains are below the lobby.

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say. Thanks!

For NYC-PHL, it is to be noted that in the past booking a train from NYC to Lancaster, PA (through Philadelphia -- although I don't if it was through the airport) was cheaper than NYC-PHL on the same exact train.

As many said, take Amtrak as it is far simpler (no need to switch trains. Go to the Amtrak forum on FT for some nice discount codes and/or check www.amtrak.com for fares and schedules.

MisterNice

But you do have to switch trains, from the SEPTA line from airport to Amtrak.

Switching from SEPTA to NJTransit at Trenton can't be any easier -- walk across the platform.