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We havea 6 hour layover in Philadelphia before catching an international flight. We would like to take the train into the historic center. The problem is we need to check our carry-on luggage somewhere. We are unable to carry it while visiting. There are no lockers at the airport.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also any good details about the train and city visit.
Thanks.
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philadelphia Pa. Airport 6 hour layover. Where to check luggage?
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The Airport Line (R1) will take you to 30th Street Station where I believe there are luggage lockers for Amtrak customers. You may need to purchase an Amtrak ticket in order to use them. (I'd suggest the one to Atlantic City, probably the cheapest.) You would then get a regional rail train from the same station to reach Market East, 12th and Market, or go out of the station to the Market-Frankford Line across the street which would take you to the historic district, either 5th or 2nd street stops.
However, the R1 does not run all that frequently (www.septa.org for schedules and info) and the travel time (without stopping with the luggage) will run you at least 45 minutes to an hour each way into Center City. Security lines at Philadelphia can be very lengthy; you need to be there three hours at least before an international flight. So, provided your plane touches down right on time (which is sadly unlikely) you'll have maybe an hour in the city center. I'd suggest (with regret, as I love for people to have a chance to visit in the city) that you stay in the airport area.
I don't know about storage lockers in Philadelphia, but I wanted to respectfully clarify some of the information you've been given.
The R1 Airport Line runs every 30-45 minutes and travel time into Center City is 20-30 minutes, depending on which terminal you are departing from and which station in Philadelphia you are going to.
There is no need to be at an international flight in PHL 3 hours ahead, particularly here where you have no checked luggage/it's already checked through for you. Even at peak departure times in the evening, the security lines in Terminal A move very quickly.
Finally, Amtrak hasn't run between Philadelphia and Atlantic City since, I think, 1995. The AC route is serviced by NJ Transit. If, for some reason, you need to buy a cheap Amtrak ticket to access a storage locker, I'd look into Wilmington, Princeton or Exton as inexpensive "destinations."
My best advice would be to look for a private company that holds left luggage in close proximity to Market East train station or in Old City (what no one in Philadelphia refers to as the "historic center"). For some reason I feel like there's a souvenir shop around 3d and Arch that offers this service, but I don't know the name and, quite frankly, I might me making this up.
Finally, there are a lot of threads on FlyerTalk about seeing Philadelphia during a layover. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mid-atlantic-453-2.html. You may find that advice to be helpful.
To clarify, the 7897 Thruway train (30th St to Atlantic City NJ Transit station) may be a cheap option and allow you to use Amtrak's lockers at 30th Street Station.
Whilst the R1 run is, indeed, only 20 to 30 minutes, there is the additional time required to get into Cenner Ciddy. The wait time of 30-45 minutes between trains on both outbound and inbound trains is obviously another consideration; if you just miss a train, that's a fair size wait. (And the historic center consists, as it has for at least 44 years that I can vouch for, of sites in both Old City and what is frequently called Center City.)
The airport itself suggests a minimum of two hours previous to an international flight, which is down from its previous recommendations; my apologies. I've had a few fairly interminable waits, myself. Of course, having your baggage already checked is a big plus, and there are certainly many things that you can do in an hour or so in Old City or Center City Philadelphia. Here are a few threads for info if you decide to go for it: http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/and-nowthe-100-best-things-to-eat-in-philadelphia.cfm and http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/advice-on-philadelphia-itinerary.cfm
One thing you may not have thought of - how much carry-on luggage are you really going to have and is it reallky necessary to check it. Whyile different airlines have different rules, if you are flying overseas on a non-US airline, they tend to have stricter limits on carry-ons. And even if it is a US airline, might the entire process be a lot easier if you must reduced the size and weight of your carry-on, assuming you are checking some luggage thru. - and take it with you.