Getting in and out of Philly by plane
The main airport for Philadelphia is PHL, located about 10 miles South of the main business and tourist district of Philadelphia, Center City. The airport has 6 terminals, named A through F, arranged in order and connected by circular "arrival" and "departure" roads.
There are four ways for the visitor to get between PHL and Center City:
Taxi
Taxi pick-up areas are close to the baggage claim areas at PHL. It is rare that there is not a line of taxis ready and waiting. If you have a large bike box, a dispatcher can call for a taxi van or station wagon, although this may take a while to arrive. The fare to Center City is $25-$30. The trip takes 15 - 20 min at quiet times but up to 40 min during rush hours.
Rental car
All the major car rental companies serve the airport. They will give you maps and driving directions to your hotel. Basically, follow the signs to I-76 "Central Philadelphia" over the Platt bridge, famed for, among other things, its smell. Immediately after the bridge, make a left at the traffic lights, and continue along the side of oil storage tanks until this road dumps you in the fast lane of I-76, the Schuylkill Expressway (nicknamed the Surekill Expressway by locals). Exit at the South Street Exit for University City, or take I-276 (the Vine Street Expressway, signed to Ben Franklin Bridge) to reach Center City. The exits at 15th St or 8th St are the closest to the Convention Center. Do not attempt to cycle this route. It is illegal to cycle on the Schuylkill Expressway and I-276 and, trust me, you wouldn't enjoy it.
Train
You can take a boxed bike on the train at any time. You can take an assembled bike providing (1) it is not rush hour, (2) there are not already two bikes on the train (highly unlikely), (3) there is not a passenger in a wheelchair (bikes travel in the spot assigned for wheelchairs), and (4) the conductor agrees. Be prepared to carry your bike (box) down escalators (frequently broken) and over turnstiles.
On your way from the plane to baggage claim, you will pass the entrance to the train platforms (there is one for each terminal except Terminal F). The train is the R1 line, operated by SEPTA (South Eastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority), and part of the extensive Regional Rail system. It runs once every 30 min and takes about 25 min to reach Center City. It does not run between midnight and 5 am. The fare between PHL and Center City is $7 each way. Online timetables and fares are available. For the trip into Center City, buy your ticket on the train. For the trip out of town, buy your ticket at the station.
There are several stops, three of which will satisfy most visitors. 30th Street Station is the main stop for University City. You can connect to AMTRAK and other regional rail lines here. Suburban Station is close to (and almost underneath) City Hall, at the junction of Broad St and Market St. This is the closest stop to hotels on The Parkway. Market East Station is underground at 11th and Market, and is the closest stop to the Convention Center.
Bike
Cycling from the airport. It can be done. (I'm working on a route) . In May 2003, the City Government funded a $1,000,000 project to build a bike path from Center City along the Schuylkill River to South Philadelphia and Fort Mifflin. This will be an excellent route to the airport, but it will not be completed until at least 2009. In the meantime, any route must either travel through West Philly or travel over the South side of the Platt Bridge, which is open to bicycles.