Philadelphia Travel Forum

Fastest way from airport to Convention Center?
Posted: Wed February 18, 2009 02:02 AM UTC

I'm flying into PHL airport on a Sunday morning in lat March. What's the fastest way to get to the Convention Center downtown (taxi?), and how much time will it take (30 mins?).

~gs2gf

9 replies

[Reply]

Re: Fastest way from airport to Convention Center?
Posted: Wed February 18, 2009 08:37 AM UTC

what is PHL?

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yrren

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Re: Fastest way from airport to Convention Center?
Posted: Wed February 18, 2009 12:26 PM UTC

The airport.

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[Reply]

Re: Fastest way from airport to Convention Center?
Posted: Wed February 18, 2009 02:20 PM UTC

Yes, a taxi will be the fastest way. It should be about 20 minutes on a Sunday morning.

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travelmad478

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Possibly faster (and definitely cheaper) way
Posted: Wed February 18, 2009 07:03 PM UTC

Take the R1 train from PHL to the Suburban Station (NOT the 30th Street Station). At that point you're just a block or so from the Convention Center. Depending on the traffic jams (I'm NOT going to say "IF there's traffic jams," because I know there will be), the train will be faster than a cab.

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PR-7

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Re: Fastest way from airport to Convention Center?
Posted: Wed February 18, 2009 07:13 PM UTC

The R1 only runs every 30 minutes. It takes 27-31 minutes, depending on which PHL terminal you are leaving from, to get to Market East (the station you would use for the Convention Center). The train is cheaper, but it is not faster than a cab. It is highly unlikely that you would get stuck in traffic on the relevant parts of I-95, I-76, or the Vine Expressway on a Sunday morning--almost the whole route to the Convention Center is on highways. Again, taking a cab is the fastest way.

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travelmad478

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TravelMad is correct on all counts
Posted: Thu February 19, 2009 01:27 AM UTC

I missed the time of the trip -- Sunday morning -- at which it is indeed unlikely that there will be major traffic jams.

And, if you do indeed to spend about $20 less for the ride and take about forty minutes more time, you will indeed get off at Market East, not Suburban Station. Plain and simple, I mis-remembered the name.

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PR-7

[Reply]

Re: Fastest way from airport to Convention Center?
Posted: Thu February 19, 2009 03:52 AM UTC

Most helpful, thanks all.

Any tips on getting a taxi quickly from the airport, I think I will be on a tight time schedule. Don't know the airport...

~gs2gf

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[Reply]

Re: Fastest way from airport to Convention Center?
Posted: Thu February 19, 2009 11:43 AM UTC

It's extremely easy. Just follow the signs to baggage claim, and you'll see signs for taxis and all other ground transportation. You can't miss it.

One other warning--if you are really interested in getting out of the airport quickly, DON'T CHECK BAGS. Philly is notoriously slow at getting bags to the belt. Do carry-on and you will be a happier person.

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travelmad478

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Re: Fastest way from airport to Convention Center?
Posted: Thu February 19, 2009 09:29 PM UTC

Yes, am planning to not check bags, don't want to burn that time waiting for them to be offloaded and show up on the carousel, etc.

~gsgf

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