Megabus NY to Philly: How to Travel From New York to Philadelphia

Traveling to the US has so many wonderful perks for us. The main one is that my kids get to visit with their grandparents and beloved uncle. Since my parents are dying to spend as much time with the kids as possible, the hubby and I like to take advantage and do a romantic getaway.

My parents live in New York, and we wanted to go to Philadelphia. They both have so much to offer, are the two biggest cities on the Eastern Seaboard, and are just 95 miles (152 kilometers) away. So, we hop on the Megabus Grandparents are the best babysitters. They spoil the kids to death, and they are thrilled to deal with all their ups and downs.

The one not-so-great part about this is that my parents only have one car and, obviously, need it. So we can’t just hop in the car and head to wherever. But living so close to New York City, the central hub of the US to buses and trains to any destination, the problem dissolves instantly.

Below, I’ve listed ways to travel from New York City to Philadelphia, specifically using the popular bus line called Megabus. So, read on and learn how to easily travel from NYC to Philly.

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How To Get From New York To Philadelphia? 

Our chosen city this time – Philadelphia. There are many reasons for choosing this great city, but one of the main ones is the close proximity to New York.

There are four ways in total, you could use, if you want to travel from NYC to Philly: Bus, Train, plane, or Car. Obviously, the fastest one is by train and plane, but at the same they are pricey.

The Bus takes longer, but it is super cheap. I kept the driving option at the fourth, cause the distance is pretty huge, 152 kilometers, so, it’s going to be a little hectic, and stressful, especially if you’re driving in from another state.

4 Ways To Get To Philly From NYC

How To Get From New York To Philadelphia by Bus

The bus option, which will help you get from New York City to Philadelphia, is the prospect to avoid the mini-stress of driving through the crowded corridors of the East Coast yourself. It is true that the bus will price your trip a little more time when compared to driving or taking the train, but there are many advantages to this. 

If you drive the car yourself, the trip will take about two hours in time or more, especially when in high traffic or in an unfamiliar range. Decide on affordable offers without sacrificing comfort, thanks to companies like Greyhound, Peter Pan, and Megabus. You barely have to spend over $1 for the bus ticket.

Onboard amenities such as free Wi-Fi mean you can stay connected throughout the journey, whether it’s catching up on emails or streaming your favorite podcast. The buses themselves are huge, ensuring that you have ample space to stretch out.

They typically feature comfortable seating, a restroom, and sometimes even onboard entertainment to make your trip as pleasant as possible. To enjoy these perks, it’s best to make your travel plans ahead of time.

You can conveniently purchase tickets online, often at a discount for early bookings. This way, you secure your spot and can look forward to a stress-free ride – sans the worries of navigating traffic or the fatigue of driving.

📖 Recommended Reading: If you’re looking for more useful information, check out Things to Do on a Long Bus Ride

How To Get From New York To Philadelphia by Train

Amtrak is the name of the train company, which leaves several times a day from Penn Station to Philadelphia. The time en route is no more than 1.1 hours. This obviously the fastest way to reach the city of brotherly love. Plus, it’s at the same time the easiest one, too. 

You can grab your tickets online or at the station. For the best prices, snag them at least two weeks ahead – within the train tickets run hourly and have different classes of service, from coach to business and to other types of first-class. Additionally, you may enjoy such amenities as WiFi, power outlets, and food and drinks on board. Tickets kick off at $19 when you book early for coach seats, but once they start flying, prices can shoot up to over $100 in no time!

How To Get From New York To Philadelphia by Rental Car

Alternatively, you could meet your friends in New York and then either rent a car or drive to Philadelphia yourself. Philadelphia is located just under 95 miles north of New York, and it would take you an hour and 40 minutes to drive nonstop without traffic. You could rent a car from numerous locations in New York, for example from the airports, train stations, and city center.

That is right. While a ride from New York to Philadelphia can be quite enjoyable, due to the views of the countryside you are most likely to encounter on the way, fun stops and places of interest, it can also be quite stressful and costly given the traffic conditions, quality of the roads and parking.

How To Get From New York To Philadelphia By Plane

The last option to travel from New York to Philadelphia is by plane, but this is not very common or practical. There are flights between the two cities, but they are very expensive. The flights are usually operated by regional airlines, such as American Eagle and United Express, and depart from LaGuardia or Newark airports in New York to Philadelphia International Airport.

You can book your flight tickets online or through a travel agent, but be prepared to pay at least $145 for a one-way ticket. The plane ride takes about the same time as the train – just one hour and 10 minutes, but you will also have to factor in the time and cost of getting to and from the airports, checking in, going through security, and boarding.

What is the Best Way `to Purchase Tickets?

When you do a search for buying tickets for either buses or Amtrak the amount of options is staggering. Obviously, you can go directly to the companies and purchase from them. But you are paying full price.

And even when you do a search for discounted tickets, you get tons of choices, and they all have the same discounted rate…

Except for one – wanderu

WanderU

WanderU is best for buses. They offer all the same buses that leave from NYC, but their rates are literally 50% off or more. I have no idea how they do it. But after calling them and asking multiple times, not to have any hidden fees when I press the pay button, I was convinced that these really are their prices.

The only fee they do add on is the purchase fee, which all the companies do on top of their full rates, or so-called discounted ones.

We decided to go on the bus because the tickets were $6 each way. While the train was $54 each one way. And the time difference was less than 30 minutes. And the bus dropped us off a few blocks from our hotel, while the train was a bit further and required us to either take a cab or the metro.

The process was super smooth. And all you need is to show your electric ticket, which you get via your email, and you’re golden.

I am now hooked on WanderU. They have a wide variety of destinations and work with all the top bus lines and Amtrak.

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Last Updated on June 26, 2025