Things to do / Travel Guide
By Air
Eastern Pennsylvania is served by four international airports. The largest is Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), which services hundreds of domestic and foreign flights each day. This airport is located eight miles southwest of the city's center, Center City. Serving the state's capital is the Harrisburg International Airport (MDT). Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) and Allentown/Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) serve the northeastern part of the region. Most major American air carriers serve these airports, so if your vacation destination is Harrisburg or the Lehigh Valley, you can avoid the crowded highways by flying directly into these local airports.
If you are planning a camping, hiking, or canoe trip along the Susquehanna River, or on renting a car for a road trip in the Pennsylvania Dutch area, consider arriving by air into Harrisburg, rather than Philadelphia.
To get from Philadelphia International Airport into the city, you can catch one of the SEPTA mass-transit Airport Line buses, which leave every 30 minutes to any of the four major train stations in the city, all of which connect to regional train lines. The major train stations are: University City (on the University of Pennsylvania's Medical campus in west Philadelphia), 30th Street Station, Suburban Station (on the corner of 16th Street and Market Street), and Market East (10th Street and Market Street). A taxi from the airport to Center City will cost anywhere from $20-$30 and can be picked up at Zone 5 at the airport. There are also some shuttle bus services which run to and from the airport for about $10 per person each way.
By Car
Eastern Pennsylvania is easily accessible by car. I-81 winds its way from Great Bend, on the New York border, through the region's northeast mountain area, and south to State Line, on the Maryland border, near Pennsylvania Dutch Country. I-84 runs east-west from Boston through Scranton through the north part of the region. I-78 runs east-west through the central part of the region from New York City, across New Jersey and through Allentown and Bethlehem before ending in Harrisburg. I-80, also running east-west through the central part of the region, stretches coast to coast from New York City across Pennsylvania and runs through Philadelphia and across the southern portion of the state. I-76 (a.k.a., the Pennsylvania Turnpike) runs east-west through the southern part of the region, from Atlantic City across New Jersey and through Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh, and ending in Ohio. I-95, the major East Coast highway, runs along the eastern border of the region, right through Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania's network of state highways, while numerous, do not enjoy a good reputation for condition and repair, (the portion of I-95 that runs through the region has been undergoing renovations for the past 20 years), so it's a good idea to check road conditions before starting a road trip, especially in the winter months. The Pennsylvania Turnpike, which spans the state from east to west, is a toll road.
Approximate distances and driving times to Philadelphia from other major and regional cities are as follows:
- New York City: 95 miles, about 2 hours
- Boston: 310 miles, 5.5 hours
- Washington DC: 140 miles, 3 hours
- Pittsburgh: 305 miles, 5 hours
- Allentown: 60 miles, just over 1 hour
- Harrisburg: 110 miles, about 2 hours
- Scranton: 125 miles, just over 2 hours
- Lancaster: 80 miles, 1.5 hours
By Bus
Many bus companies run routes from New York City, Atlantic City, Washington DC, and Boston into Philadelphia including Metroliner, Chinatown Bus Lines, and Greyhound for around $20-$50 one way.
By Train
Amtrak's Northeast Corridor routes, including the Acela Express and the Amtrak Metroliner, service Philadelphia' 30th Street Station from New York City's Penn Station, as well as from Boston and Washington DC. Traveling by train is faster, more comfortable, and more expensive than by bus. It is often faster than air travel, especially when traveling between city centers. For the east-west route, there is Amtrak Keystone, which provides rail service between Philadelphia and Harrisburg.
Airports in Philadelphia, Lancaster, the Poconos, Eastern Pennsylvania
Getting-There
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Airport (ABE)
Harrisburg International Airport (MDT)
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
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