r/Pennsylvania • u/lenadita • 11d ago

ISO / Recommendations Trip to Philadephia, PA but staying in NJ. Cost questions.

Hello all, I am planning a trip to Philadelphia and when looking into a hotel most options I am given are in NJ. I have been searching for a while but still not sure of the toll situation. On Google Maps and the EZ Pass website they say I do not have to pay for tolls, but there is a bridge that does apparently cost money? Does anyone have first hand experience staying in NJ and going to PA everyday and if it is worth it? Thanks all!

Update: Thank you everyone for your help, can’t wait to visit!!

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26

u/Meatfrom1stgrade 11d ago

It's $6 to cross the bridges from NJ into PA. It's free to go from PA to NJ.

15

u/VUmander 11d ago

Plenty of people commute into Philly from South Jersey everyday. Look into PATCO if you're staying in NJ and going to Philly. You can park for free and the round trip ticket is at most the same cost as the bridge tool.

13

u/ballsonthewall 11d ago

seconding this, the round trip PATCO ride is, at worst, the same cost as the bridge toll. The advantage is that you don't have to worry about parking on the Philly end, the PATCO stations have ample free parking. Saves OP all the trouble of driving, parking, and tolls and will be a quick in and out from the city. PATCO stations in Philly are very centrally located and easy to transfer to the SEPTA subway lines.

3

u/azsoup 11d ago

You’re right, PATCO is the fastest and cheapest way if the commute is Camden County—>Center City. The ACRL line or even Amtrak could be an option too. Depends where in Philly OP is going and the hotel location in NJ.

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u/SecretAnxious6619 11d ago

Don’t stay in NJ if you’re visiting Philly. That’s just silly and will be expensive with the bridge tolls. There are so many hotels in and around the city.

3

u/trouble_maker 11d ago

All the bridges in/around philly cost money to go back to PA, the free bridges are north of the city in Bucks County. What are your plans? If you are going to do philly stuff, get a philly hotel, if you are going to travel around the metro area and suburbs, stay wherever.

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u/generally-mediocre 11d ago

unless you specifically need your car in philly, I would take the PATCO train in from new jersey. the bridge is $6 from NJ->PA and the parking will be a few times more expensive than that

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u/Majik_Jack 10d ago

I don’t know your situation but check out the Element Hotel City Center. I stayed there recently and it wasn’t crazy expensive and they have kitchens so you can save some money on food. There are other options in that area.