Transportation from Cape Cod to Philadelphia
 

After a relaxing summer week with friends on Cape Cod in August, I need to get myself and my two children from Chatham MA to Philadelphia for a family reunion. I live in Southern CA and will have flown into Boston to get there in the first place, and then we fly homwe from Philly. Could anyone recommend some options for getting from Cape Cod to Philadelphia? Amtrak? Rental Car? We don't have much time for leisurely sight-seeing along the way and a 6-hour drive doesn't sound real appealing. But the train seems to also take 6 hours (from Boston). Maybe there's another route???

I would recommend you look into flying from Providence, RI to Philly. Southwest has just added this route and USAir is matching many fares so there are some flights as low as $29 one way.

Bonanza Bus lines runs a route from Hyannis and other stops on the Cape to TF Green Airport (officially Providence, actually it's in Warwick). Note that some of their buses go to the train/bus depot in Providence, which is several miles from the airport so be sure to get the bus route that goes to the airport.

http://bonanzabus.com/schedules/gree....shtml#hyannis

We've driven Cape Cod to Philadelphia several times, and just known that 6 hours is probably your best driving time. The driving route you'll take can have significant traffic delays all along I-95 in Connecticut, or crossing the GW or Tappan Zee Bridge, or on the NJ Turnpike. Or at all three places! We've done the drive in as little as 6.5 hours, and as much as 8.5+ when hitting bad traffic around NYC. If you are traveling on a Sat. or during rush hour, plan on it being longer than 6 hours.
I'd also look into Southwest from Providence, but by the time you wait at the airport, etc. it might take you just as long to fly as to drive.

The scheduled train time is about the same as the best driving time for this route - since unfortunatelt we don;t have high speed trains in the US. The only benefit is that the train is usally reasonable near schedule - while with driving it very much a guess since there is a lot of construction going on over the next couple of months.

Persoanlly I would drive - but since I know the area would have a lot of options if I ran into massive traffic - which would be more difficult for someone not from the area. So train may be the better choice for you.

I also like the idea of Southwest Airlines from PVD. Bonanza bus goes from Hyannis to Providence. With 3 people, you can just take a taxi from Bonanza's depot in Providence to the airport. [Their bus between NYC and Providence stops in Kennedy Plaza, but those from Cape Cod don't.]

Or fly Cape Air from Hyannis to PVD, then connect to Southwest.

Thank you all! I've checked all your very helpful advice, even making a spreadsheet of options. (Yes, scary - I know!) All options seem to take about 6-8 hours of travel and cost about the same. After much debate. we've opted to rent a car from the handy Hyannis airport and suffer through the long drive. At least this way, we won't miss any boarding times and can make use of the car once we get to PA. THANKS so much to all of you!!!

Now that you have decided to drive (that's what I would have done with kids as well), we all need to nag you about when you will be driving. Certainly it is a 6-8 hour drive - but not on a Saturday morning or Sunday evening in August. And not anytime on Labor Day weekend. If it is a weekend family reunion, leave around 9 AM on Friday and beat this traffic and rush hour around cities through which you must travel (and then hit Phil. at rush hour - no way to avoid it, sorry)

Rentals on the Cape are generally Sat PM through Sat AM - that is reason for Saturday exodus. Sundays are crowded with departure of weekend visitors. Everyone leaves early if weather is bad. So if you need to be in Philadephia such that you would drive during these times, leave earlier and spend the night someplace else. If traffic and weather are uncooperative, just getting from Chatham to bridge can take 2 hours. (And others can advise of the horrors of NJ beach traffic)

I *love* this forum! I so appreciate your concern! My journey will take place on Thursday August 26, so as to be in beautiful Bucks County for our Friday noon family reunion. We plan to leave Chatham at about 8/9AM (unless I hear otherwise from you wiser than I)and hope to make it to Lahaska by 4. Sound do-able?

Yes, that sound doable. It's about 360 miles, and the time you're travelling through Providence and New Haven, traffic shouldn't be too bad.

After New Haven, you have the option of jumping to the Merritt Parkway that parallels I-95. It's two-lane each way, instead of 3-lane on I-95, but no trucks. Speed is not high on that route, but traffic is usually a little smoother, and often less stressful to drive on.

Either way, you'll then take I-287 and the Tappan Zee Bridge across the Hudson, and follow I-287 through NJ to US202. You'll be bypassing all of NYC, as Lahaska is north of Philly.

Again, my most sincere thanks to all of you for the helpful advice!!!