How to get around Philadelphia

Getting around Philly is pretty easy. There are only two lines of the subway system, trolley lines, an easy bus system, and it’s not big enough of a ride anywhere to take too long (at least from where you’re probably going to be). 

Some of these options will obviously depend on where you’re staying and other aspects of your trip, but overall it’s not too tricky of a place to navigate. There really isn’t one best mode of transportation for getting around Philly, but the most common ways to get to Citizens Bank Park are by subway and car.

Getting to Citizens Bank Park by subway

There are only two actual subway lines* in Philadelphia: the Broad Street Line (BSL, the orange line on the map below) and the Market-Frankford Line (MFL, bright blue line). 

The Market-Frankford Line runs east-west and then makes a turn north and goes above ground— you may hear it referred to as the “El” because it is elevated above the ground other than the portion between 2nd and 40th Streets. 

The Broad Street Line runs north-south with the final, southernmost stop being NRG Station, which is where the stadiums are located. Since it’s the last stop, there is no risk that you’ll miss your stop. Both lines can be of use for navigating the city, and the Broad Street line essentially delivers you right to Citizens Bank Park.

*Note: SEPTA generally groups the trolley system with their subways, which are partially above ground and partially below. The stops are green on the map below.

Getting to Citizens Bank Park via Subway from Center City

This is pretty easy: once you’re on Broad Street, you’ll quickly find a subway stop—they’re well marked. If you’re staying in Center City, then you’ll likely be getting on the subway at one of three stations: Race Vine, City Hall, or Walnut-Locust. 

To get to the ballpark, just make sure you travel southbound towards the NRG Station. There is no transfer necessary, and from City Hall it’s just seven stops to the ballpark station. There are maps inside each of the cars in case you get lost, and Google Maps does a nice job of helping you navigate the subway and subsequent walk to where you’re staying.

Note: On most game days, the Broad Street Line will run an express train. This train stops at most of the Center City stops (from Walnut-Locust, City Hall, Race-Vine, Spring Garden) but will then go directly down to NRG Station without stopping at other stops. It is definitely faster, but not worth waiting around for, because the trip just isn’t that long to begin with. They will also run the express train after games are over, leaving the stadiums.

Getting to Citizens Bank Park via Subway from Old City

If you’re staying in Old City, getting to the ballpark via the subway will require a transfer. However, the transfer takes place at a major station—City Hall—and it’s free. Your stops on the Market-Frankfort Line nearest to the Old City area will likely be 2nd and 5th Streets, but maybe 8th too. 

Take the MFL west to City Hall, and once there, you’ll utilize the free transfer and follow signs for the Broad Street Line. Then, as described above, you’ll get on the southbound train until you end up at the last stop, NRG Station, where the stadiums are located. 

If you’re staying by the stadiums, you can follow all these directions in reverse to go out and explore the city if you’d like. From NRG Station, you’ll go north to Center City, and then east to Old City.

Notes, costs, and a pro tip on using the subway

The subway is a cheap and easy way to get around the city and down to the stadium complex. Each subway ride is $2.50, and you can transfer from one line to another for free at City Hall. There is a SEPTA Key Card system, where you pre-load money onto a card, which will then debit each time you scan to enter the system. But since the discount for using the Septa Key Card is just $.50 per ride, it’s really not necessary for you to get one of these for just a weekend.

TSI Pro Tip: If you’re traveling down to the stadium, buy your return ticket at the same time as you buy your first ticket. The lines for the kiosks can get long if you wait until the game is over.

Is the subway safe?

As with any major city, there are going to be some incidents on a public transportation system. However, the Philadelphia subway system is overall pretty safe. The Broad Street Line is a little bit cleaner than the Market-Frankford Line, but they’re both clean enough. 

Another aspect that might be a little different than other major cities is that the subway system is not complex and not huge; you’re really not going to be on a single ride for more than 10-15 minutes. And in the couple of hours around game time, the trains will be fairly crowded with plenty of other fans going to and from the game, so it’s an especially safe time to be on the train because there is always strength in numbers. 

Bottom line: The subway is plenty safe, but if you’re more comfortable calling a rideshare, the short trip in terms of distance and time won’t be a terrible strain on your wallet. We think that discovering public transportation in places can be part of the adventure, but if it’s not for you, the alternative is usually both price and time friendly.

Driving to Citizens Bank Park

If you choose to drive to Philadelphia, driving to the stadium is easy and the parking there, by stadium standards, isn’t that expensive at $25, and is basically unlimited. 

To drive there, you’ll either take Broad St. straight down to the stadium complex, or you’ll hop on I-95 south for a few minutes and the stadium complex is right off of the exit. Either option should take no more than 15-20 minutes, depending on lights, traffic, etc. We’ll cover more in the Gameday section, but the best place to park is the K Lot. It is technically for Lincoln Financial Field, but it is just across a small street from Citizens Bank Park and is covered by solar panels so there’s shade from the sun and/or rain (very nice for tailgating). The parking options are wide and varied, so your best option is to explore the Phillies Parking page — where you can buy parking passes directly — or the Phillies Parking Map to get the best idea of locations and what’s available. 

Using ridesharing for getting to/from Citizens Bank Park

The Phillies have designated a section of Lot T to be the rideshare lot for you to call and meet your ride. The markings for it are not abundantly clear, so you’ll need to look for it somewhat, but just know that it is right by the subway station. 

Note: Just because there’s a designated rideshare pickup point doesn’t mean that getting out will be fast. This whole complex is made up of huge parking lots and the majority of people drive to the games. So, you still might have to wait through traffic once you’re in your rideshare. This is why we recommend hanging out at Xfinity Live or Live! Casino (see the Gameday page) for a little while after the games to let the crowds clear out a bit.

Bottom line

It’s really not hard to get to Citizens Bank Park. Your choices will be influenced by where you’re staying, whether you have a car, and what your plans are besides attending the game. 

When factoring in how many people are in your group, the collective price of taking the subway, and compare that to the price of a rideshare, if it’s at all close, order a rideshare and make it easy. But if you’re more price sensitive, or if rideshares seem to be unusually expensive, the subway is cheap, easy, and safe.