# Driving from New York to Philly on a weekday morning - when to leave? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 20, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-from-new-york-to-philly-on-a-weekday-morning-when-to-leave/635251 "2012-09-20T12:36:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-from-new-york-to-philly-on-a-weekday-morning-when-to-leave/635251/1 "2012-09-20T12:36:46Z")
The title sums it up. I’d like to get to the place before noon; they open at 10am. I prefer to drive for a variety of reasons given that I am starting in the burbs of Westchester. - Leave at 6am, get a bit underneath NY traffic and across the GW, but deal with closer-to-Philly 8am rush hour traffic? If I get there early, I hang out for a bit; no biggie. - Leave as late as 8am, deal with the tail end of NY rush hour, but hit Philly at mid-morning so dealing with less traffic? What say you, 95 corridor Dopers? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-from-new-york-to-philly-on-a-weekday-morning-when-to-leave/635251/2 "2012-09-20T14:03:24Z")
I don’t where you are in Westchester, but it might be better to take the Tappan Zee and then down the Garden State till you get to the Turnpike. To be sure I would leave at 8. Of course, it also depends on where in Philly. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-from-new-york-to-philly-on-a-weekday-morning-when-to-leave/635251/3 "2012-09-20T14:05:59Z")
I don’t have an opinion about the drive, but definitely think you should email me so we can set up lunch or coffee or something while you’re here! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-from-new-york-to-philly-on-a-weekday-morning-when-to-leave/635251/4 "2012-09-20T14:07:08Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I don’t have an opinion about the drive, but definitely think you should email me so we can set up lunch or coffee or something while you’re here! Hey - I hadn’t thought of that. I will PM you. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-from-new-york-to-philly-on-a-weekday-morning-when-to-leave/635251/5 "2012-09-20T14:45:25Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I don’t where you are in Westchester, but it might be better to take the Tappan Zee and then down the Garden State till you get to the Turnpike. To be sure I would leave at 8. Of course, it also depends on where in Philly. OP, do this to avoid problems. Or take the Palisades down to the Turnpike. It’s fall, so the best route is to go up 9 to the Bear Mtn. Bridge, take Seven Lakes Drive through the park to see the foliage, then down to 87 to get to the parkway or turnpike. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-from-new-york-to-philly-on-a-weekday-morning-when-to-leave/635251/6 "2012-09-20T14:47:45Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > OP, do this to avoid problems. Or take the Palisades down to the Turnpike. It’s fall, so the best route is to go up 9 to the Bear Mtn. Bridge, take Seven Lakes Drive through the park to see the foliage, then down to 87 to get to the parkway or turnpike. I am in South Westchester; just above the Bronx. I have to go 15 - 20 minutes north to get to the TZ. Hmm, need to think about this. I am going to downtown Philly, I think. And hopefully connecting with \*\*twicks \*\*for lunch or a cuppa joe! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-from-new-york-to-philly-on-a-weekday-morning-when-to-leave/635251/7 "2012-09-20T15:23:08Z")
Your pretty close to the GW already. Should be okay to leave at 9:00AM since you’re going outbound. You just never know what day there will be some giant mess there. But that could happen on any route. Have fun, tell Twix I said hi. Eat a cheesesteak. A real one with real cheese. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-from-new-york-to-philly-on-a-weekday-morning-when-to-leave/635251/8 "2012-09-20T15:47:56Z")
All that makes sense. Thanks. Mmm, cheese steaks.