How to get to the Jersey Shore from Philly

No car? Here’s how to get from Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore by train, bus, rideshare, or, if you want to splurge, private jet.

NJ Transit train in route to Atlantic City is shown at 30th street station in Philadelphia, Pa. Sunday, May 2, 2019. New Jersey Transit restored train service to Atlantic City today.Read moreJOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer

by Jason Laughlin and Henry Savage

Updated April 26, 2023, 11:46 a.m. ET

Published May 17, 2019, 5:00 a.m. ET

Yes, there are other ways to get to the Shore besides driving down in the family car. From a 12-minute jaunt in a private jet to a four-hour scenic tour by bus, here are some alternatives to getting behind the wheel:

By train

New Jersey Transit’s Atlantic City Rail Line is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get to the Shore from Philly. The train to A.C. leaves 30th Street Station 12 times daily, from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. A one-way ride costs $10.75 and takes about an hour and a half. The final stop is in Atlantic City though, if you need to get to another Shore town, you can take an NJ Transit bus or ridesharing service. njtransit.com/acrl

By bus

NJ Transit buses offer connections with most Shore towns, so check the website to see those options. There are plenty. A trip to Cape May from the Greyhound terminal at 10th and Filbert Streets in Center City, for example, costs $23.70 to $24.75 and takes about 4 hours. Routes that require transfers often make riders change buses in Atlantic City, so consider combining a train trip to get to A.C., then picking up a bus from there. njtransit.com

There are also Greyhound buses available with direct service to Atlantic City and they’re cheaper and faster than NJ Transit buses at around $13 for an hour-and-a-half one-way trip. The Greyhound only goes to AC, so if the final destination is at another Shore town, you’ll need to get an NJ Transit bus or get a ride with Uber or Lyft to where you need to go. greyhound.com

By Uber or Lyft

Ridesharing through Uber or Lyft can get you there, but it’ll cost you. Prices vary according to factors like the service you choose, distance of trip, and time of day. Getting an Uber or Lyft ride to Atlantic City from Philadelphia at a low-demand time can be $100 to a little over $110. Sea Isle City puts you closer to $120, and Long Beach Island would run $130. Those rates would go up during peak times. There are more expensive options through both services — if you want to ride in larger or higher-end vehicles — but cheaper options like sharing a trip with strangers are not available on longer trips to the Shore.

By plane

If money is no obstacle, charter flights are available. A trip for four on a private jet from Philadelphia International Airport to Cape May County Airport costs between $6,700 and $9,500, according to Executive Jet Management. It’s about the same price to most Shore destinations. Travel time: 12 minutes. executivejetmanagement.com

This story has been updated since it first published.