Pennsylvania

Travel Guide North America USA Northeastern United States Pennsylvania

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Introduction

Day_73_-_Pennsylvania Farm Country

Pennsylvania is a state in the northeast of the USA.

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Geography

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Cities

Allentown
Erie
Harrisburg, the state capital
Lancaster
Philadelphia, the state's largest city
Pittsburgh

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Sights and Activities

Yuengling Brewery is the oldest brewery in the United States and located in Pottsville. It is possible to go on tours and visit the tasting room.

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Events and Festivals

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Weather

Summers last from June to September and are nice and warm, between 25 °C and 30 °C during the day and between 15 and 20 °C at night. Winters last from December to March with average daytime temperatures mostly around zero or slightly above. Nights are well below zero during this time. Precipitation is quite evenly distributed throughout the year, with sometimes very heavy snowfall in winter. During summer, heavy showers can occur, especially after periods of hot weather.

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Getting There

By Plane

There are three major International Airports in Pennsylvania:
1. Philadelphia International Airport (IATA: PHL, ICAO: KPHL) receives many domestic as well as international flights and is one of the busiest airports in the world regarding aircraft movements.

To/from the airport

Rail: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has regional rail services between the airport and Center City Philadelphia via the R1 Commuter Rail line with convenient stops at University City, Amtrak’s 30th Street, Suburban, and Market East Stations. The fare is US$6.
Bus: SEPTA also operates various bus routes to the Airport: Route 37 (South Philadelphia to Eastwick and Chester Transportation Ctr via Philadelphia International Airport), Route 108 (69th Street Terminal to Philadelphia International Airport or UPS), and Route 115 (Ardmore/Darby Transportation Center to Philadelphia International Airport).
Car: rental cars, shuttles and taxis are all widely available at the airport.

2. Pittsburgh International Airport (IATA: PIT, ICAO: KPIT) receives many domestic flights and is located about 20 miles (32 kilometres) from downtown Pittsburgh. It has a few international connections, including flights to, Paris and Toronto and seasonal flights to Cancun and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

To/from the airport:

Car: PIT is located at Exit 53 of Interstate 376 and the Western Terminus Pennsylvania Route 576 (future I-576), and within 10 miles (16 kilometres) of Interstate 79 and 15 miles (24 kilometres) of Interstate 76, the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Bus: Buses go from downtown Pittsburgh and the city's University District (Oakland) via the Port Authority of Allegheny County's 28X Route as well as from the suburban BCTA Transit to locations north and westbound. Mountain Line Transit's Grey Line also has service to areas south of Pittsburgh including Waynesburg, Pennsylvania; Morgantown, Fairmont, and Clarksburg, West Virginia.

3. Harrisburg International Airport (IATA: MDT, ICAO: KMDT)

Other airports servicing the state include:

Lehigh Valley International Airport (IATA: ABE, ICAO: KABE)
DuBois Regional Airport (IATA: DUJ, ICAO: KDUJ)
Lancaster Airport (IATA: LNS, ICAO: KLNS)
Reading Regional Airport (IATA: RDG, ICAO: KRDG)
University Park Airport (IATA: SCE, ICAO: KUNV)
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (IATA: LBE, ICAO: KLBE)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (IATA: AVP, ICAO: KAVP).

By Train

Amtrak services Pennsylvania with rail service connecting to states in the Northeast, Midwest and South regions.

Acela Express (Boston – New York – Philadelphia – Washington, D.C.)
Capitol Limited (Washington, D.C. – Pittsburgh – Cleveland – Chicago)
Cardinal / Hoosier State (New York – Philadelphia – Washington, DC – Cincinnati – Indianapolis – Chicago)
Carolinian / Piedmont (New York – Philadelphia – Washington, DC – Rocky Mount – Raleigh – Charlotte)
Crescent (New York – Philadelphia – Washington, DC – Greensboro – Atlanta – New Orleans)
Keystone (New York – Philadelphia – Harrisburg)
Northeast Regional (Boston – Springfield/Providence – New York – Philadelphia – Washington, DC – Newport News)
Pennsylvanian (New York – Pittsburgh)
Silver Service / Palmetto (New York – Philadelphia – Washington, DC – Charleston – Savannah – Jacksonville – Orlando – Tampa/Miami)
Vermonter (St. Albans – Burlington – Springfield – New York – Philadelphia – Washington, DC)

By Car

By Bus

The entire state can be accessed by Greyhound and other bus services.

By Boat

There are no major waterways connecting the state with transportation. The Delaware River runs along the eastern border of the state, however, this is mainly used for freight.

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Getting Around

Pennsylvania is a very accessible state by plane, train or automobile. South Eastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) services the Philadelphia area. Capital Area Transit (CAT) provides bus service in the Harrisburg area. And Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAT) services the Pittsburgh area. Amtrak connects the state by rail and several airlines connect major cities throughout the state.

By Plane

By Train

In Philadelphia, SEPTA has eight regional rail lines leading into the city as well as 11 subway & trolly lines servicing the city itself. Pittsbugh's rail system, commonly known as the "T", provides subway service downtown & light rail service into the suburbs on four lines.

By Car

With the first Turnpike (toll road) in the country, Pennsylvania has an extensive network of major highways running north to south and east to west.

The turnpike (RT 76 E/W) is the only toll road in the state connecting Pittsburgh to Philadelphia across the southern part of the state.
I-95 N/S runs up from Delaware along the eastern border of the state into New Jersey
I-80 E/W runs across the top of the state
I-79 N/S comes down from Erie through Pittsburgh into West Virginia.

There are several state highways connecting the more populated areas of the state. Rural areas are also easily accessible through an extensive network of two-lane highways as well.

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

Pennsylvania has a number of National Scenic Byways which offer a great way to explore the state crossing beautiful landscapes. Mostly, there are lots of national parks, state parks or monuments along the way and it's generally a better alternative than the faster but boring Interstate Highways.

By Bus

Both the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metro areas have an extensive network of bus lines servicing both the cities & the suburbs. SEPTA provides bus service throughout the Philadelphia metro area as well as into Delaware and New Jersey with almost 300 routes. Pittsburgh's PAT (Port Authority) has 180 routes connecting the city with its surrounding counties. Capital Area Transit (CAT) services the Harrisburg area with 30 routes. Philadelphia can also be reached by the Chinatown bus of which there are several lines connecting the Chinatowns of major northeastern cities, like New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C..

By Boat

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Eat

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Drink

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Sleep

Hotel and Motel Chains

There are dozens of hotel and motel chains, ranging from budget to top end. Allthough they are not the most charming accommodations, they usually have a very decent midrange service with good rooms and are generally good value. At least you know what to expect and in some cases they are either the only or the best option in the area. Some of them include: