In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Philadelphia
Give Philadelphia 2–3 nights: Old City and the museum mile on foot in a day, one half-day for a neighbourhood, and it slots between New York and Washington by train.
Philadelphia is the birthplace of American democracy and the country's first capital, and most of what you came for sits in a walkable strip between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. Two nights covers Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Museum of Art steps and one food market; three nights adds a neighbourhood and a day trip. It is a train stop, not a flight destination, for most visitors: 1 h 25 min from New York, 1 h 40 min from Washington on Amtrak.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), late Jan–Feb (cold snaps and snow)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget US$90–140 excl. bed · Mid US$150–250 excl. bed · High US$280+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | US$3–6 |
| Cheesesteak | US$12–18 |
| Roast pork sandwich at Reading Terminal Market | US$12–16 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a shop | US$7–9 / US$2–4 |
| SEPTA single ride | US$2.50 (check) |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) rideshare3.1 mi (5 km) rideshare | US$14–22 |
| Museum entry | US$20–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PHL · Philadelphia International Airport
- SEPTA Regional Rail Airport Line to Center City, about 25 min; see the airport transfer page for the current fare.
- EWR · Newark Liberty International
- Amtrak to 30th Street Station, about 1 h; useful if the fare or routing is better.
- BWI · Baltimore-Washington International
- Amtrak to 30th Street Station, about 1 h 20 min.
Typical fares
- PHL → Center City, SEPTA Airport Line
- about US$7–8, about 25 min (check)
- Taxi or rideshare PHL → Center City
- US$35–50, 20–30 min
- Amtrak Philadelphia → New York
- US$40–150 depending on how far ahead you book, about 1 h 25 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Center City and Old City are walkable end to end in about 30–40 min. SEPTA runs the Market-Frankford and Broad Street subway lines plus buses and trolleys; a single ride is a flat fare and day passes exist (check current prices). Amtrak, SEPTA Regional Rail and NJ Transit meet at 30th Street Station. Driving is for day trips only: parking downtown is expensive and the streets are one-way.
See and do
Known for
- Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell
- Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rocky Steps
- Reading Terminal Market
- Cheesesteaks and roast pork sandwiches
- Amtrak's 30th Street Station
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | Amtrak Northeast Regional or Acela from 30th Street Station | About 2 h 15 min |
| New York | Amtrak from 30th Street Station | About 2 h |
| Lancaster and Pennsylvania Dutch country | Amtrak Keystone from 30th Street Station | About 1 h 30 min |
| Reading, Pennsylvania | Car, or bus with a change | About 1 h 30 min by car |
| Kutztown | Car | About 1 h 45 min |
Sleep
- Center City (Rittenhouse and around City Hall)
- Best all-round base: walkable to the museums, restaurants and the Broad Street line; most hotel beds.
- Old City
- Historic quarter by the river; you wake up next to Independence Hall, quieter at night, fewer rooms.
- University City (West)
- Cheaper beds near Penn and Drexel, 10–15 min to Center City on the Market-Frankford line.
- Airport area
- Only for a very early flight; nothing to walk to and a train ride from everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Excuse me | Excuse me |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the subway station? | Where is the subway station? |
| One cheesesteak, please | One cheesesteak, please |
| Is this seat taken? | Is this seat taken? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Sales tax is added at the till; the shelf price is not the price you pay.
- Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, US$1–2 a drink, 15–20% in taxis.
- Independence Hall entry is by timed ticket from the visitor centre, and security screening applies; no ticket, no entry.
- Some North Philadelphia blocks have real crime problems; stay in the centre at night and use a rideshare after dark.
- Summer heat and humidity push the heat index past 32°C; plan the walking blocks for the morning.
Center City and Old City are busy and generally safe by day and evening; the real risks are petty theft on transit, aggressive panhandling, and walking into North Philadelphia blocks at night. Use a rideshare after dark and keep your phone out of sight on the subway.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Philadelphia yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell
- Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rocky Steps
- Reading Terminal Market
- Cheesesteaks and roast pork sandwiches
- Amtrak's 30th Street Station
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Discover Philadelphia (official tourism): www.discoverphl.com/
- City of Philadelphia: phila.gov/
- SEPTA (regional transit): www.septa.org/
- Philadelphia International Airport: www.phl.org/
- Amtrak: www.amtrak.com/
- Wikivoyage: Philadelphia, revision 5332380 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5332380
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Philadelphia
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Most countries keep embassies in Washington, D.C., with consulates in New York; check your own country's list before you travel.
English is the working language; no phrasebook needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/philadelphia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.