National Train Day - Philadelphia 30th St

[BuzzKillington]

I'll be at NTD tomorrow in Philadelphia... I'll be traveling from North Jersey and would love to ride Amtrak, but the $200 price tag for me and a friend is just more than I can justify. So we're planning on driving... Is there any cheap but safe parking areas around 30th St station and would they be filled if I got down there around noon? Another idea I was thinking of is to drive to a nearby SEPTA subway or commuter station and park in their lot. Anyone have any good ideas?

 

[wayman]

I'll be at NTD tomorrow in Philadelphia... I'll be traveling from North Jersey and would love to ride Amtrak, but the $200 price tag for me and a friend is just more than I can justify. So we're planning on driving... Is there any cheap but safe parking areas around 30th St station and would they be filled if I got down there around noon? Another idea I was thinking of is to drive to a nearby SEPTA subway or commuter station and park in their lot. Anyone have any good ideas?

There's a massive SEPTA Park'n'Ride at Cornwell Heights. On a Saturday you should have no problem finding a spot there. That saves you a lot of driving, plus worrying about parking in Philadelphia.

There's a seven-story parking garage adjacent to the 30th St Station, for the Cira Centre, but I don't know what the deal is for parking there -- if you need to a pass or permit or business connection of some sort. It's not labeled as a "public garage" or as "Amtrak parking", but it's practically empty on most weekends I've wandered by. There are also 12-hour meters on JFK on the block west of 30th St Station to the former Conrail Office Building where the road bends and becomes 32nd St.

Of all that, I'd recommend Cornwell Heights for simplicity.

 

[AlanB]

You could also drive to Trenton and catch SEPTA from there or go to West Trenton and also catch SEPTA from there. And of course you could do the Trenton shuffle, where you board an NJT train up north and buy a combo ticket that let's you board SEPTA in Trenton to complete the journey. That would probably cost about 1/4 the price of Amtrak. For example from Newark to 30th Street would cost $19.50 per person one way, or $39 for a round trip.

 

[the_traveler]

Or you could park at KIN (RI) like I am! :lol: Free parking! (Of course, it's miles and miles and miles and miles and ... away! )

 

[dlagrua]

The huge 6 story parking lot right next door to the Station with a big Amtrak sign on it is the place to go. I've parked there on day trips to Washington DC. There should be plenty of room to park there on Saturday.

 

[wayman]

You could also drive to Trenton and catch SEPTA from there or go to West Trenton and also catch SEPTA from there. And of course you could do the Trenton shuffle, where you board an NJT train up north and buy a combo ticket that let's you board SEPTA in Trenton to complete the journey. That would probably cost about 1/4 the price of Amtrak. For example from Newark to 30th Street would cost $19.50 per person one way, or $39 for a round trip.

Those look like pre-fare-hike prices... are you sure it's still that low, given NJT just raised their fares by some ridiculous jump? (300%? 500%? ok, ok, maybe it was just 25%, but seems like 800%?...)

In any event, the SEPTA half of the fare is still a bargain -- especially for me on weekends, as my two-zone commuter pass becomes a six-zone pass on weekends

 

[AlanB]

You could also drive to Trenton and catch SEPTA from there or go to West Trenton and also catch SEPTA from there. And of course you could do the Trenton shuffle, where you board an NJT train up north and buy a combo ticket that let's you board SEPTA in Trenton to complete the journey. That would probably cost about 1/4 the price of Amtrak. For example from Newark to 30th Street would cost $19.50 per person one way, or $39 for a round trip.

Those look like pre-fare-hike prices... are you sure it's still that low, given NJT just raised their fares by some ridiculous jump? (300%? 500%? ok, ok, maybe it was just 25%, but seems like 800%?...)

Well that's the fare being shown on NJT's website, so I have to assume that it is correct.

Maybe you're thinking of the fare to NYP? I only quoted Newark, not New York.

 

[Acela150]

I have parked at the lot at the Cira Center. It's a little high for me but worth it. You can also take a Septa train to Market East and check out the Reading Terminal market which has some good food places. From Trenton to 30th Street it is $15 round trip per person.

 

[BuzzKillington]

Is it free to park at Cornwells Heights on the weekend?

 

[wayman]

Is it free to park at Cornwells Heights on the weekend?

Can't say for sure about Cornwell Heights, but I expect so. Parking in other SEPTA lots I'm familiar with is free on weekends.

 

[AlanB]

Is it free to park at Cornwells Heights on the weekend?

Can't say for sure about Cornwell Heights, but I expect so. Parking in other SEPTA lots I'm familiar with is free on weekends.

From SEPTA's website:

On weekends, parking is free at Regional Rail daily use lots ONLY

Just be sure that you're in a daily lot and not a permit lot, where you must have a valid permit at all times to park.