# The best way to get from Philly to NYC and back? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856 "2015-02-28T15:45:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [March 1, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/21 "2015-03-01T01:15:19Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Amtrak is great, but the local commuter rail will be a much better deal. NJ Transit I think runs from Philadelphia 30th st Station to Manhattan (check the website). Not sure off-hand about airport to 30th st or whether there are trains from the airport. No, NJ Transit does not run south of Trenton; see my previous post. SEPTA also runs a service from the airport to 30th St. All SEPTA trains come into the upper level at 30th St. and all AMTRAK use the lower level. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/22 "2015-03-01T01:19:57Z")
Another voice for Amtrak. We’ve taken it between Philly and NYC ourselves. Fast and efficient. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/23 "2015-03-01T01:44:30Z")
> [@FeAudrey](#): > > I just checked their [Megabus’s] websites, and they’re showing fares as low as $5-$9!!! > > Not sure whether that gets you a ding or a gold star on your cheapskate card. 😛 Megabus uses that rate as a come-on; it’s unlikely you can get it unless you book months in advance. However, they are less expensive than the train. The buses are relatively new and clean. There’s wifi, too. OTOH, they have a reputation for breaking down. The good thing is that they’ll get you to the destination that day, but don’t do it if you have anything planned that day. Another down side is the location of the bus stops. In NYC, they drop you off ten blocks south of Madison Square Garden/Penn Station. However, they depart from 12th Avenue near the Javits center and you have to wait on the sidewalk (with nowhere to sit). Not very pleasant in bad weather. You’d probably be happier with the train. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/24 "2015-03-01T02:15:36Z")
As a fairly frequent traveller to NYC from Philly: Amtrak is reliable but can be costly. Taking SEPTA’s Trenton line and switching to NJT’s New York line once there is less expensive but can be tricky making the switch in Trenton. NJT and SEPTA seem to compete to see how they can screw up a traveller’s trip and add an extra hour or two to the journey. Greyhound is what I use the most as it is pretty cheap ($11 if you book in advance online). The buses run hourly and some are direct-to-NYC and some stop in Camden, Mt. Laurel, or Newark. Check the schedules. That being said Greyhound can be a bit ‘ad hoc’ as a transportation system. I’ve seen stops change on the fly, buses be unavailable, and other issues. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/25 "2015-03-01T02:45:51Z")
OP, exactly where in NYC does his son live? Does his son have a car and could pick him up somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/26 "2015-03-01T04:17:40Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > I second this. The trip takes about 1 1/2 hrs, with a departure every 15-30 min during the day. I third this. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/27 "2015-03-01T10:49:36Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > If you **really** want to do it on the cheap and not have to put up with the bus… > [@RealityChuck](#): > > The buses are relatively new and clean. There’s wifi, too. OTOH, they have a reputation for breaking down. The good thing is that they’ll get you to the destination that day, but don’t do it if you have anything planned that day. > > Another down side is the location of the bus stops. In NYC, they drop you off ten blocks south of Madison Square Garden/Penn Station. If Amtrak is in your budget, go for it. For a guy like me, Amtrak is way too expensive. If you need to save money, don’t be scared by any warnings against the bus. I’ve bussed between Philadelphia and New York many many times and have never considered the bus something to “put up with”. The seats are perfectly comfortable for the amount of time you have to spend in them- which really isn’t all that long. Have there, in the history of busses, been incidents of busses breaking down? Sure. There have also been obstructions on train tracks causing delays, not to mention derailings. None of these concerns are anything I’d ever worry about. I would certainly not say that the busses have a reputation for breaking down. If you have tickets for an 8:00pm show, sure, don’t take a bus that is scheduled to arrive at 7:30pm. They’re not _that_ reliable. But if you want to get into the city by the “early afternoon” and you take a bus scheduled to get you in at 12:30 or 1:30 you’re not going to be _so_ late that your arrival won’t still safely be in the early afternoon. I’ve always taken the Peter Pan bus. Cheap and it takes you right to the Port Authority- about as convenient a drop-off spot as you can get. If I had more money, I’d take Amtrak. I don’t, however, consider there to be any advantage to the SEPTA-\>Trenton then switch to NJ Transit-\> NYC. I’d say either go Amtrak or take the bus. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/28 "2015-03-01T13:08:59Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > OP, exactly where in NYC does his son live? Does his son have a car and could pick him up somewhere? My nephew is a grad student at Columbia and he lives pretty close to campus, so upper Manhattan. And no car, so he can’t pick him up. My brother can take the subway once he gets to NYC. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/29 "2015-03-01T13:13:40Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > If Amtrak is in your budget, go for it. For a guy like me, Amtrak is way too expensive. If you need to save money, don’t be scared by any warnings against the bus. I’ve bussed between Philadelphia and New York many many times and have never considered the bus something to “put up with”. The seats are perfectly comfortable for the amount of time you have to spend in them- which really isn’t all that long. > > Have there, in the history of busses, been incidents of busses breaking down? Sure. There have also been obstructions on train tracks causing delays, not to mention derailings. None of these concerns are anything I’d ever worry about. I would certainly not say that the busses have a reputation for breaking down. > > If you have tickets for an 8:00pm show, sure, don’t take a bus that is scheduled to arrive at 7:30pm. They’re not _that_ reliable. But if you want to get into the city by the “early afternoon” and you take a bus scheduled to get you in at 12:30 or 1:30 you’re not going to be _so_ late that your arrival won’t still safely be in the early afternoon. > > I’ve always taken the Peter Pan bus. Cheap and it takes you right to the Port Authority- about as convenient a drop-off spot as you can get. > > If I had more money, I’d take Amtrak. I don’t, however, consider there to be any advantage to the SEPTA-\>Trenton then switch to NJ Transit-\> NYC. I’d say either go Amtrak or take the bus. Thanks for the informative (and reassuring) post. My brother will absolutely be looking at the most economical options. On a fairly short ride like that, I think I’d probably take the bus. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/30 "2015-03-02T01:52:28Z")
If Amtrak is out of your price range, check into taking SEPTA to Trenton from 30th Street Station and then switching to NJ Transit to NY Penn Station. It’s about 2 1/2 hours but should be a lot cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/31 "2015-03-02T02:16:40Z")
Amtrak is a bit faster and much pricer than the bus. I find business people on expense accounts take Amtrak and those paying for their own tickets take a bus. Megabus, Boltbus, and Greyhound have around 20 departures a day each. Megabus and Boltbus leave Philly on the street a block away from 30th Station and drop you in NYC on 33rd or 34th St between 11th and 12th Ave. All waiting is on the street. If it’s cold or raining the wait will be unpleasant or worse. Greyhound leaves Philly from the terminal across from Jefferson Station (formerly known as Market East) on Filbert St at 10th St and drops you in the Port Authority Bus Terminal, 8th Ave between 41st and 42nd Sts. So, you will be waiting indoors. I find Port Authority poorly marked. It’s hard to find the Greyhound gates unless you know where they are. If you take Greyhound, allow time to locate the Greyhound gate area. You can get a round trip ticket on all three bus lines for $20-$30 if you buy a few days in advance. If you take Greyhound, try to take an express bus. These are a bit faster and boarding is more civilized. I don’t see any reason to take SEPTA/NJT (changing in Trenton). This is slower and more expense than any bus. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/32 "2015-03-02T03:20:47Z")
> [@skdo23](#): > > I second this. The trip takes about 1 1/2 hrs, with a departure every 15-30 min during the day. Thirded. Amtrak is awesome for getting around the Bos-Wash corridor (Boston, NYC, Newark, Trenton, Philly, Baltimore, DC). Amtrak is also decent if you want to go to Pittsburgh or Chicago, and gets increasingly less useful as you go west (long distances, slow trains, few cities served, etc.) Check out the Acela if you’re interested - it’s a bit more expensive but faster. ---
**Author:** ![FollowMeDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6a8cbe/32.png) [@FollowMeDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FollowMeDown)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/33 "2015-03-02T15:58:45Z")
On Amtrak From Philly to NYC (and reverse) there are 3 options: 1: Acela- stops at Newark Penn station then NYP (skips trenton, metropark, newark airport). 2: Regional- stops at Trenton, Metropark, Newark (and some stop at Newark airport), then Penn station NY. Regionals have food cars & Business class. 3: Keystones- stops at Trenton and Newark NJ, then NYP (skips Metropark & Newark airport). No food cars. No business class. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/34 "2015-03-02T23:36:22Z")
Thanks for the replies, everyone. Looks like Amtrak gets the most votes but the bus is more economical. I think my brother will most likely choose the bus. ---
**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/35 "2015-03-03T00:59:59Z")
> [@Bumbershoot](#): > > … Amtrak gets the most votes but the bus is more economical … As in, “Acela costs ten times what Megabus does” (cites from me in previous posts). The odd places that the buses pick up and unload passengers are all near West Side subway lines stations, so the trip uptown shouldn’t be a problem. The MTA charges a buck to issue a Metrocard, but you can usually grab one from a trash bin and just load it with the fare you need. There are lots of MTA pass and multi-trip ticket options, too; presume nephew can advise. Standard gear for subway riding: MTA map, refillable water bottle, something to read; rarely see a rider without these. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/36 "2015-03-03T01:15:25Z")
> [@FeAudrey](#): > > As in, “Acela costs ten times what Megabus does” (cites from me in previous posts). > > The odd places that the buses pick up and unload passengers are all near West Side subway lines stations, so the trip uptown shouldn’t be a problem. > > The MTA charges a buck to issue a Metrocard, but you can usually grab one from a trash bin and just load it with the fare you need. There are lots of MTA pass and multi-trip ticket options, too; presume nephew can advise. > > Standard gear for subway riding: MTA map, refillable water bottle, something to read; rarely see a rider without these. More helpful suggestions- thanks **FeAudrey!** ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856/37 "2015-03-03T04:45:36Z")
> [@FeAudrey](#): > > Standard gear for subway riding: **MTA map** , refillable water bottle, something to read; rarely see a rider without these. I like [this](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.episode6.android.nycsubwaymap) one for Android. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-way-to-get-from-philly-to-nyc-and-back/713856.md?page=1)