5 hour layover in philly-- what to do??
 

i think i found my fare except for one pproblem. i would fly from providence(40 mins from my house)to philly and then on to rome. times coming back are good except for a five hour layover in philly. i figure we could eat, but what else?? or, i could take a limo to jfk(as opposed to amtrak and then a cab) to jfk and fly to rome. the times are good and i would get home earlier, but would have to take the 2 and one half limo ride. which seems better? prices are about the same

This is a serious question?

I would be very careful about leaving the airport, as the security lines at Philly can be very long at Terminal A where the international flights leave. You should allow at least 2 hours before the flight to get through security, which would leave you only 3 hours to go into Philadelphia, which is about 15-20 minutes away by cab. Instead, go to the Marriott hotel that's attached to the airport and have a nice lunch or peruse the mall between Terminals B and C.

Agree with JulieB. The passport control lines at Philadelphia are endless--the airport is significantly understaffed. I have waited in line more than an hour just to get my passport stamped, then waited another hour in the security line to go into Terminal B (only ONE!! x-ray machine working at the time) and missed my connecting flight. The Marriott is pleasant and the bar menu has some good choices (like soft shell crab).

ang - I've done this, well, the 5 hour layover thing (I live 45 minutes from Providence, too). Take the layover in Philly. Better to sit there with a book, then worry about hitting traffic on the way to jfk and getting stuck. 5 hours is a long time.

I think I've read your post correctly. No major layover on the way there, just on the way back?

1. With a long (but not that long) layover I get a book, eat a meal, and stay put.

2. Normally I plan for the least number of airports possible, figuring each additional transfer means one more time things can go wrong. Having said that...

3. JFK is my least favorite airport ever. It's just a zoo.

Summary: this one's a toss up.

This is the "Europe" talk site, not the domestic site! Try posting your question on the US talk section for more answers.

I live in Philly and fly from Philadelphia Airport all the time and never had to wait more than half-hour to get through (you don't have to worry about your luggage, right?), so take a cab or SEPTA train (leaves right from the airport) and go into town for 2 -3 hours. Have a nice meal or walk around. 5 hours is a long time to wait at the airport w/nothing to do.

Huitres8 - Take a chill pill.

I agree with Yanna SEPTA train stops at terminal A thru E run every 30 minutes to downtown Philadelphia. Fast and easy to get to market east to eat and shop.TO avoid long lines use concourse "D" to go thru security make a right and walk to"A".Assuming your bags are checked thru.I travel with carry on luggage so this strategy works well for me.

Ang: My recent experience is more like JulieB's and BTilke's ---- very very long lines, first for immigration and customs, then to clear security to enter the terminal for my domestic flight. It was more than 90 minutes from the time I landed until I sat down in the departure lounge for my connecting flight. It can be very slow going when all of USAir's international fleet arrives from Europe around 3pm, dumping 1,000+ passengers for precessing. (But on my previous trip the return through PHL was a breeze, so maybe there's no predicting what you will find.)

There was a thread several weeks ago, complaining about the long lines in the new international terminal at the Philly airport. I know they opened a new international terminal in Philly within the last month or two, so unless yana and others have flown internationally in that timeframe, their experiences may not reflect the current state of affairs. Maybe a search on 'Philadelphia' will bring up that recent thread.

thanks for all the helpful hints. i wasnt actually thinking about going into philly,i would just rather play it safe and relax and wait. i just didnt know what else i could do at the airport. i think it will be the week of the world series so we may catch a game. yes, santachiara, it was a serious question-- i dont know what part you thought wasnt. and as far as this being the EUROPE TALK SECTION, this is regarding my flight to italy. i just wanted to see if there were any more thoughts so i could weigh out my pros and cons between leaving from providence to philly or just leaving from new york.

I agree with the suggestion about using the SEPTA train to go into Center City Philadelphia (the R1 line). But AVOID, AVOID, AVOID the cabs at all cost. If you are eager to experience the excitement of the Third World, along with the attendant dangers, a Philly cab is just the ticket.

While cab drivers in Amsterdam all speak English, you would have more luck with Arabic or Yoruba in Philadelphia. Whereas cab drivers in London are required to take an examination, to actually know the city, the cab drivers in Philadelphia can not find major locations with 10 minutes of the airport. They are a complete disgrace.

While the cabbies of Prague and Budapest have a dubious reputation, I have never had a problem with either. It is usual in Europe to assume that: the cab driver can at least speak the LOCAL language (Czech in Czech, German in Germany, etc.), if not several others beside; the cab will be clean; and the cab driver has spent more time in the city that you have.

None of these would be a safe bet in Philadelphia. Ignorant, abusive, and unsafe drivers who violate all traffic regulations in a vehicle whose filth few homeless people would tolerate. The idea of putting your luggage into the trunk seems not to occur to them, and when you ask them to do so, and they open the trunk, you half-expect to find a corpse in there.

Also, the cost of the train is one-
eighth the price. But some folks like to live dangerously...