Getting to Greater Philadelphia

To travel by:
Air – www.phl.org
Rail – www.amtrak.com
Public Transportation – www.septa.org
Auto - http://www.pcvb.org/ab_phil/philamaps.asp

Air Travel
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is the nation’s 12th busiest airport in terms of aircraft operations, with 463,000 takeoffs and landings in 2002 and with more than 3.2 million international passengers passing through PHL in 2002. It ranks 18th in the U.S. in passenger traffic and 14th in U.S. cargo and airmail tonnage. Twenty-four airlines provide 541 daily departures to more than 100 cities including daily non-stops to 29 international destinations.

International Terminal A-West, which opened in May of 2003, is a magnificent, state-of-the-art, $550 million terminal consisting of 800,000 square feet covering four levels. It features 13 gates that accommodate widebody aircraft, a spacious ticketing lobby with expanded, convenient check-in counters, as well as an expanded federal inspection area and a uniquely designed International Arrivals Hall.

PHL is one of only a few airports in the country with a hotel attached to the terminal building (Airport Marriott) and a regional rail line connecting the Airport to downtown and regional/Amtrak train service.

Philadelphia International Airport traces its origins to 1925 when the City of Philadelphia provided 125 acres of land for training aviators of the Pennsylvania National Guard. Today, Philadelphia International Airport, owned and operated by the City, is a self-sustaining entity that operates without the use of local tax dollars. It is one of the largest economic engines in Pennsylvania, generating an annual $7.2 billion in revenue for the Regional economy and employing a workforce of nearly 21,000.

For more information and specific travel details, visit www.phl.org or call 215-937-6944.

Rail Service
Amtrak service began on May 1, 1971 when Clocker No. 235 departed New York’s Penn Station at 12:05 am bound for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The schedule consisted of 184 trains, serving 314 destinations with 25 employees. Today, Amtrak operates more than 22,000 route miles. On weekdays, Amtrak operates up to 265 trains per day, excluding commuter trains and served more than 24 million passengers in fiscal year 2003.

Amtrak services include short trips from one city to another or leisurely cross-country journeys. The Auto Train, which travels between Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida, is the longest Amtrak passenger train with two engines and 40-plus rail cars.

The 457-mile Northeast Corridor rail line connecting Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Boston is the busiest passenger line in the country. An estimated 200 million travelers use Amtrak and seven commuter rail systems over a portion of the Northeast Corridor ever year. With the introduction of Amtrak’s Washington-to-Boston Acela Express service, passengers are experiencing first-hand, the benefits that high-speed rail can provide for travelers, communities and the country as a whole.

For more information and specific travel details, visit www.amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

Public Transportation
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) operates a multi-modal system that provides public transit services in the Greater Philadelphia Region including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties, and to selected stations in New Jersey and Delaware.

SEPTA is a convenient way to travel around the Region, offering a variety of fare options. In addition to regularly scheduled services, SEPTA also has a companion paratransit service.

For specific information, contact SEPTA’s Travel Information Center at 1-215-580-7800 or visit www.septa.org.



Auto
For maps and travel information, visit http://www.pcvb.org/ab_phil/philamaps.asp.