Philly Girl Guide to Getting Around

Before I moved to Philly as an “adult,” I lived in the burbs. I had literally never taken a train or bus or subway or taxi, besides on vacation, ever. What I knew about city transportation came from television & movies – specifically Sex & the City. Channeling my inner Carrie, I thought when I moved to Center City, my life would be filled with hailing cabs and never stepping foot on public transportation. But I’d say after about the, hm, 3rd cab ride, a few changes were in order.

After a few years of testing, these methods have become my tried & true for getting around in this city of ours, especially if you don’t own your own car!

Walking

This may be a silly one to start off with, but seriously, walking in Philly is the best! Take a street you wouldn’t normally, check out the pretty houses and enjoy the people watching.

Taxis

Cabs are great, if you get a driver that knows where he’s going. This could be obvious, but walk the extra block and pick one up going in the same direction as your destination, it will definitely save you a few bucks! Also, store some citywide cab companies’ numbers in your cell in case you need to schedule one ahead of time.

Public Transportation

I will admit, I am not a real big public transport gal, but I understand its necessity in the city. If you’re new to hopping on & off, start with the Broad Street Line (the least complicated) and work your way up. Just be aware, the bus drivers are not going to wait for you to put your money in before they start driving . . . I learned that the hard way.

Uber

If you haven’t heard of it yet, Uber is a private car service that you can “hire” on the spot through their awesome app. You can select an SUV, which is great if you’re going out with lots of friends – they can fit 7! The pricing is a little expensive (naturally), but there is a new feature where you can split the fare between other riders right from your phone.

Enterprise CarShare

I hate driving, but when I absolutely do not want to move own my car from my precious parking space and still need a set of wheels, Enterprise is a great option. They’re relatively affordable and the cars are gorg (don’t mind my snow covered one below!). Plus, you can just drop it back off in it’s designated spot, no searching for parking required!

Disclosure:  If you sign up using my Uber referral link, you & I will both receive a $20 credit. // I was provided with $15 in Enterprise CarShare driving credits & a $100 gift card for an outing of my choice. // All opinions are my own.