The original capital of the nation,
PHILADELPHIA
was laid out by William Penn Jr. in 1682, on a grid system that was to provide the pattern for most American cities. It was envisaged as a "greene countrie towne" and today, for all its historical and cultural significance, it still manages to retain a certain quaintness. Just a few blocks away from downtown, shady cobbled alleys stand lined with red-brick colonial houses, while the peace and quiet of huge Fairmount Park make it easy to forget you're in a major metropolis.
Arrival And Information :
Philadelphia's
International Airport
(tel 215/937-6800) is eight miles southwest of the city off I-95. Taxis into town cost around $20 (try Yellow Cab; tel 215/829-4222), and the South East Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) runs
trains
every thirty minutes (6am-midnight; $5.50) to three downtown destinations: 30th Street near the university, Suburban Station near City Hall and Market East, adjacent to the Greyhound terminal at 1001 Filbert St (tel 215/931-4000). The very grand 30th Street Amtrak station, the second busiest in the US, is just across the Schuylkill River in the university area (Amtrak passengers can transfer downtown on SEPTA for free; ask when you purchase your ticket), opposite the city's main (24-hour)
post office
at 30th and Market (zip code 19104).
The excellent
visitor center
, 1525 JFK Blvd (daily 9am-5pm; tel 215/636-1666 or 1-800/537-7676, ) at the Penn Center subway station in the heart of downtown, supplies a wealth of information and can help with accommodation.
More Philadelphia information... |
Call toll free..
US and Canada: 1-800-780-5733
Europe: 00-800-11-20-11-40
Use discount code: 89865
