Welcome to Philadelphia! We’re just like other cities, but bumpier. (edited 6/17/2024: now with added parking information!)
The Symposium will be held at
Van Pelt Library
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA (map)
Parking near the Library
Penn’s Visitor Parking information (linked here). The University of Pennsylvania’s public lots only accept credit card payment and have a daily rate of $18 on weekdays and $15 on weekends.
There is street parking available. The only free street parking on campus is Walnut Street on Sundays. All other places and times will require paid parking and have a limit of 2 to 3 hours. You will need to pay attention to the posted signs with the rules for that particular street/block. Spaces will not have individual meters, but there will be kiosks on the block where you can pay by credit card and enter your car’s license plate (more information). Your parking will be tracked electronically and the Philadelphia Parking Authority is very efficient. There is also an app (link) where you can pay and track your time on your phone.
Driving Directions
From WEST via 76 East – exit at 30th Street Station, at the light turn right, curve around the train station to the left. At the third light, you’ll want to be in the right lane to go straight across Market Street. Turn right onto Walnut Street – after 33rd, start looking for a parking spot or follow directions to the parking garage/lot of your choice. The closest parking garage/lot is two short blocks north of the site on 34th Street between Chestnut and Ludlow Streets. Both the garage and lot cost $13 for the day, and can be paid only by credit/debit cards.
From EAST via Benjamin Franklin Bridge to 676 West. Exit at 30th Street Station and follow directions above.
Philadelphia Airport
The are independent Airport Shuttles that will take you to your hotel (be sure to confirm that they include the hotel you have chosen), but I do not have experience with them and can not recommend one over another. We also did not find a non-Yelp sort of site that compared Philadelphia shuttle services. If the rates are higher than $35, then you should definitely scroll down to read our taxi information.
SEPTA provides train service between Center City and the airport on the Airport Regional Rail Line. Trains run every 30 minutes on weekdays and operate from 4:13 am to 11:03 pm (Center City to Airport) and from 5:07 am to 12:07 am (Airport to Center City).On weekends, trains run hourly and operate from 5:13 am to 11:13 pm (Center City to Airport) and from 6:07 am to 12:07 am (Airport to Center City)
Stations on the Airport Regional Rail Line include Terminal E/F, Terminal C/D, Terminal B, Terminal A (East), Eastwick, Penn Medicine, 30th Street, Suburban, Jefferson and Temple. All stations on the Airport Line are wheelchair accessible.
For additional SEPTA information, call 215-580-7800 or visit www.septa.org.
Regional Rail
30th Street Station is equally close to the library as the University City station that usually requires switching SEPTA trains and getting off at 33rd & South:
- Penn Medicine (University City – next to the Penn Museum)
- Amtrak Gray 30th Street (Near campus and local transit routes)
From 30th Street Station it’s three-quarters of a mile to walk to the library. Or you can leave the building and head to the entrance to the subway at 30th & Market.
Philadelphia Gray 30th St. Station Renovation Project
Effective January 2024
Please be advised that Amtrak is renovating the Gray 30th Street Station.
There will be several phases of construction focusing on modernizing and expanding station retail, upgrading community amenities and enhancing building infrastructure. Starting in January 2024, the south concourse along Market Street will be closed for renovation. During this phase, food and beverage options will be limited and several entrances will be closed. Please use the main entrances off 29th or 30th streets.
Additionally, platform three will be closed and the loop road along the station’s south side will be closed. Please be aware of the shift in traffic patterns.
Intercity Buses
If coming by Greyhound or FlixBus, the station has moved to 520 N Christopher Columbus Blvd (entrance is on Spring Garden) and the buses load at 603 Noble St. This station is near a stop of the (elevated) Market Frankford Line, so to get to campus you will take that line from the Greyhound stop WEST (and south) to the 34th street (underground) exit to be closest to the hotel. That station, however, does not have an elevator, so you might want to get off at the 30th Street station stop and follow directions from there.
Megabus looks like it still drops off near 30th Street Station with their main stop at the NE corner of Schuylkill Ave & Walnut St, but there is an additional stop for New York Service at 2nd Street & Spring Garden (where the other buses have relocated).
Public Transit Directions:
Within the city – Aside from being convenient to the MFL, the library is also easily reached by the 21 and 42 buses, both of which stop at 34th & Walnut.
Rideshare
Philadelphia does have Uber, and Lyft. The dropoff point for rideshares to the library is 3401 Walnut Street. From there you will cross Walnut street and follow the diagonal path into the center of the block to find the entrance to the library
Taxi Service
Rideshare companies have improved Philadelphia’s taxi service. They are all required to accept credit card payments, and there are dispatch apps for our taxis. https://215getacab.com/
Taxi Rates are set by the Philadelphia Parking Authority
Metered Rate
- First 1/10 mile (flag drop) or fraction thereof: $2.70
- Each additional 1/10 mile or fraction thereof: $0.25
- Each 37.6 seconds of wait time: $0.25
* Tips are not included in the fare
** Fares are per cab, not per person
*** There is no additional charge for handling baggage or other items that can be safely carried in the vehicle.
Fuel Surcharge
- Please check the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s website for the monthly fuel surcharge amount.
Flat Rate Trips Between the Center City Zone and the Airport
Rates (Effective February 6, 2023)
- Flat Rate from the Center City Zone to the Airport: $32.00 per one way trip regardless of the number of passengers.
- Flat Rate from the Airport to the Center City Zone: $32.00 per one way trip for one (1) passenger. A $1.00 per passenger surcharge for each additional passenger after the first will be added to the meter after the flat rate fee is engaged on the meter by the driver after leaving the Airport. This applies only to passengers over the age of twelve (12). If the trip necessitates a drop-off at more than one destination in the Center City Zone, the following applies: the flat rate and all additional per passenger surcharges of $1.00 each are to be collected upon departure of the first passenger in the Center City Zone. The driver will then reset the meter initiating a new flag drop using the standard meter rates above for each of the remaining passengers if each requires a separate drop-off.