Advice - JFK to Philadelphia
 

Hello Everyone, We will be landing in JFK with 2 kids, around 6 checked in bags via Emirates at 3.30 in T4. Our final destination is Phoenixville a suburb in Philadelphia. Can someone advise on the best and economical way to reach from JFK to Phoenixville? I understand we can take the Airtrain from JFK to Jamaica for free and then get out of the train, purchase tickets to Penn station, get off at Penn and look for Amtrak, get off at Philadelphia and then look out for shuttle rides to Phoenixville. If there is anyone out there who has done this in the past, please shed some light if there any better options since we will be arriving from JFK after 19hrs on the Flight and this seems to be too many times changing with luggage. Thanks for any input I might receive.

Check out this discussion from last September.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...iladelphia.cfm

You have a choice, 2-3 transportation changes and, hopefully, you'll keep up.

Since there are 4 of you, you really might think of a service to your actual destination, for the 4 of you, by paying a tad bit more, and avoding confusion.

You have enough bags to warrent a door to door shuttle. Find a van to accomodate your 6 pieces of luggage and 4 people, and you will be less unhappy than trying to make public transportation changes after a very long flight.

google services from JFL to Philly.

I think what was in your post is probably pretty close to what you'll have to do, except you probably won't find a shuttle to Phoenixville, you'll probably need a taxi.

~Liz

I understand that you may be tired, but I would consider renting a car, especially if you will arrive on a weekend. It's not a difficult route to the Philadelphia area -- you will not have to go through Manhattan, though you will have plenty of company on the road no matter what day it is.

Taking the train to Philadelphia isn't that challenging, even though there are several transfers. It will be time-consuming, though. Also, if it's a weekday and you get to Penn Station around 5.30pm, there's a good chance that the next train(s) to Philly will be fully booked. Also, getting from Philadelphia to Phoenixville is another question, though.

I think public transit with kids (you don;t say how old whichmakes a difference) and all that luggage is going to be a giant PIA. And if you are going to take Amtrak to Philly - it won;t be cheap either. (For 2 adults and 2 kids Penn to Philly is about $250 unless you do advance discount fares - not realisti since you don;t kow what time you will ge there - when you add about $50 from JFK to Penn station and then a cab to Phoenixville - ??? - the total cost will not be cheap.)

I would consider renting a car if anyone will be able to drive at that point - or else a car service directly from (you won't find a shuttle to Phoenixville from anywhere - except possibly Philly airport). (And won't you need a car when you get there anyway?) I would go to the websites and check the cost with Dial 7 or Carmel. But be prepared with the exact address and specific directions to where you are going. And remember that you will have to pay bridge and/or tunnel tolls and tip (20% is usual - esp with all that luggge) ontop of the fare quoted.

Check out Phoenixville Limo... They go from Phoenixville to
JFK so I would assume (although we never should) they go from JFK to Phoenixville.
http://www.trophylimo.com/phoenixvil...ixville-pa.asp

The AirTrain to Jamaica Station is not free. It costs $5 per person. (The AirTrain that circles the airport terminals IS free, but the ones that go to Jamaica Station or Howard Bach Station have a fee.)

I suspect that by the time you paid to drag the entire family with luggage on the AirTrain and the Long Island Railroad, it will cost the same or more than taking a taxi from JFK to Penn Station. You might have to wait a little for one of the bigger taxis, but otherwise it will cost $45 set rate to Manhattan, plus toll and tip--$60 or so.

But for me, a direct limo/car service as suggested by schmerl may be the best idea considering all those connections after a long flight.

Thanks so much for all your input. My kids ages are 6 and 3. I have asked for a quotation from Dave's limo. I am now considering to rent a car, that seems to be more economical. I just have to check which car rental allows to drop off the car in the other city. It has been 3 yrs since I have been to the US so that's one of the reasons I was trying to see the shuttle option

With 2 kids that age public transit really isn't possible. One adult would have to hang onto both kids (I would never let go of them on Air Train, subway or LIRR - too many accidents of little kids falling between trains and platform or wandering off/getting lost if they ren;t held by the hand) and the other would have to deal (alone) with 6 pieces of luggage. There's no way one person could get all that luggage on the LIRR - and you would have to give a Redcarp a significant tip to load it all on the Amtrak.

Check out the Phoenixville shuttle - I doubt it would be much more (if any) than the $300 plus public transit would cost.

FWIW, the AirTrain is not free. It is $5 per person over 5 years of age, paid at the end of the ride when you arrive at Jamaica. (You have to purchase a card in order to exit the turnstile out of the AirTrain area.)
www.mta.info/mta/airtrain.htm

The drive from JFK to Philadelphia is straightforward, but not something to do if you're not well-rested (which IMO would be the case after a 19 hour flight with young children!). If you can swing it, the shuttle bus or limo would be the best option. ...You could then see about doing the public-transit thing on the return-!

If you do drive, the good news is that your route won't take you through Manhattan. The bad news is that you'll pay the toll to go over the Verrazano Bridge, which is currently $13 per auto.
www.mta.info/bandt/html/veraz.html (click Toll Information)

> I just have to check which car rental
> allows to drop off the car in the other city

Kayak.com allows you to specify pick up at one spot and return it to another. I've done pretty much the trip you're describing (pick up at JFK, drive to Philly suburbs) and recommend you check out the possibility of dropping off the car at PHL Airport and then taking a cab back to Phoenixville (PV).

When I chose a random date for both of these options, It was $174 (tax and fees included) for one day, JFK to PHL; and $188 for one day, JFK to King of Prussia (about 12 miles from PV, as a crow drives a car on the expressway). Also check Hertz, as they have a dealership in Collegeville, which is even closer to PV.

Of course, you can also take the train from PHL to Center City, the Norristown Train to the Norristown Transportation Center, then the #99 bus to PV. Or, if you decide to return the car to King of Prussia, the #99 bus goes very close to there.

If you find similar pricing to what I've found, I would recommend doing the latter. I think the extra $14 in rental car costs will be made up by the savings in the cost to get back to PV after dropping off the car -- a mere $2 (no change given, so have exactly $2 when you board the bus)

Living in Phoenixville and also being a travel agent I will tell you your best bet is to use a car service from JFK to Phoenixville.

It is going to be expensive though, probably around $500.00

Between taking a train and having the kids and luggage it will be a nightmare after a 19 hour flight if you do public transportation.

Good luck