International
AETA International August 2010
King of Prussia, PA
see info about The International Visitors Council below
Getting to the Philadelphia region is a cinch
Philadelphia is the second largest city on the East Coast and ranks fifth in the nation, with a metropolitan population of 5.8 million. Philadelphia is conveniently located in the middle of the Northeast Corridor, 100 miles south of New York, 133 miles north of Washington, D.C., and 55 miles from Atlantic City. More than 63 million people - approximately a quarter of the U.S. population - live within a 5.5-hour drive from Philadelphia.
But you don't have to drive; Philadelphia is accessible by car, train, bus, airplane and even cruise ship.
By car, the city is just two hours from New York City, 90 minutes from Baltimore, three hours from Washington D.C. and about an hour from Lancaster County, Atlantic City and the New Jersey shore via major highways.
Those who prefer someone else to do the driving can hop on Amtrak, which provides service along the Northeast Corridor and points west and south, or Greyhound, operating bus service throughout the region. Several popular Chinatown bus routes also connect Philadelphia with Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. for extremely wallet-friendly prices.
The Philadelphia International Airport, approximately seven miles from Center City, serves more than 25 airlines. Air travel to Philadelphia got a whole lot cheaper with the arrival of Southwest Airlines in 2004. Southwest offers daily nonstop flights from cities such as Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Providence and Tampa Bay, etc. Travelers can also take advantage of direct or connecting service from 3 1 other destinations, such as Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Oakland, Houston and Seattle. Meanwhile, US Airways offers special GoFares starting at $39 one-way between Philadelphia and more than 20 popular U.S. cities!
Useful Info and Links:
By Plane
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is just seven miles from Center City. SEPTA's R1 line directly links the airport to Philadelphia's downtown for a fast, hassle-free connection. Philadelphia taxis charge a flat rate of $25 for travel between Center City and the airport. PHL is served by all major domestic carriers and is a major hub for US Airways. The New International Terminal features 13 new international gates, 56 U.S. immigration booths and more amenities to make your trip to Philadelphia as pleasant as possible.
Philadelphia International Airport, (215) 937-6800
Philadelphia International Airport Marketplace
US Airways
Southwest Airlines
By Train
Philadelphia is served by Amtrak, which operates rail service along the Northeast Corridor stretching from Boston to Washington, and other major cities in the United States and Canada. Amtrak's 30th Street Station is minutes from the Pennsylvania Convention Center and Center City hotels. Local train service is provided by SEPTA, which also connects to NJ Transit trains in Trenton, NJ en route to New York. NJ Transit trains also depart from 30 th Street Station for Atlantic City, NJ.
Travel Amtrak to Philadelphia and Save 40%
40% percent off for one companion traveling with a paid regular fare ticket on Amtrak travel to Philadelphia, PA. Request discount code V553 when you book online at amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.
Valid for travel through December 13, 2009.
Amtrak.com, (800) USA-RAIL
SEPTA, ( 2 15) 580-7800
PATCO, (856) 77 2-6900
NJ Transit, ( 20 1) 76 2-5 100 (in NJ, (800) 772-2222)
By Bus
Intercity bus service is excellent, with daily arrivals from all parts of the country. The Greyhound Bus Terminal is located at 10th and Filbert Streets. Meanwhile, SEPTA's bus, trolley and subway service will take you anywhere you want to go in Southeastern Pennsylvania . NJ Transit buses service routes between Philadelphia nd South Jersey .
Greyhound Lines, (215) 931-4075
SEPTA, (215) 580-7800
NJ Transit, (201) 762 -5100 (in NJ, (800) 772-2222 )
Academy Bus Tours, (215) 665-1734
www.2000coach.com
By Car
Philadelphia is served by the PA Turnpike (I-276), I-76, I-476, I-95, US-1 and the New Jersey Turnpike.
Click here for driving directions and parking information.
AAA, (215) 569-4411 (1-800-AAA-HELP outside of PA)
SmarTraveler
Live Traffic Map - Traffic Information
Philly Car Share - Why own when you can borrow? PhillyCarShare pays for insurance, maintenance, parking and even gas!
Parking Information
Ditch Your Car
One of the things that makes Philadelphia great is its compact Center City. Our downtown neighborhoods are so walkable that you really don't need your car. After arriving you can get around Center City and most of Philadelphia's eclectic neighborhoods easily on foot, via taxi or public transportation.
SEPTA also has a day pass that lets you ride the bus, subway and trolley all day for only $5.50. Visit www.septa.org for details, maps, schedules and more.
So if you're driving in to town, store your car in a garage upon arrival and get out there and experience the city.
Parking Lots and Garages
You can find everything you need about parking in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Parking Authority's official website, www.philapark.org. Find a parking lot or garage near your destination (an attraction, hotel or neighborhood. You can type in a specific address or choose from a list of popular attractions. Then you can compare nearby garages by their hours and rates.
For example, if you selected Rittenhouse Square as your destination, the interactive parking finder would display these nearby results.
Meters and Smart Cards
Additionally, Philadelphia has over 7,000 metered and non-metered timed spaces in Center City. There are several thousand additional spaces throughout the city. Meter rates vary per hour depending upon whether the meter is in a central location. Meter times vary from 1 – 4 hours.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority recently upgraded the city's parking meters in order to provide more convenient meter parking for Philadelphia residents, businesses and visitors. All meters now accept both Smart Cards and coins. You can purchase Smart Cards online prior to arriving.
Please pay attention to the posted meter and regulation signs. The red signs will tell you when you can't park, the green signs will tell you when and how long you can park.
For more information about parking, visit the Philadelphia Parking Authority's website.
By Boat
A perfect place from where to set sail, Philadelphia is an extremely popular port for cruise vacations. More than 30 cruises a year depart Philadelphia for Bermuda and the Caribbean .
If you cruise from Philadelphia, your vacation can start even before you get onboard! Combine your cruise with a stay-over in Philadelphia and you can enjoy a day full of shopping, dining, sightseeing and more before you even begin your real vacation.
Philadelphia Cruise Terminal at Pier One
The International Visitors Council
IVC's Citizen Diplomacy Network
2001 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee
Who is IVC?
Since 1954 we have been the official host for the U.S. Department of State’s highest exchange, the International Visitor Leadership Program. We are part of a unique “citizen diplomacy” network of 92 Councils in 48 states that receive established and emerging leaders from 120+ countries visiting the U.S. as guests of our government. Each participant visits up to five U.S. cities to meet their professional counterparts and experience American life through dinner with families in private homes and attending a variety of cultural events. The program allows visitors to see the country first-hand to form their own opinions of the U.S., its policies and people. Past visitors include F.W. de Klerk, Hamid Karzai, Willie Brandt, Nicolas Sarkozy and 248 others who later became heads of Government. Unlike other government-sponsors exchanges, this program is by invitation only. The network of 92 Councils and 80,000 citizen diplomats, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
More about us:
IVC is an international relations organization and the "door" to the greater Philadelphia community for guests of the U.S. Government as well as individuals and corporations seeking professional connections to the people and institutions of our region.
We are the region's citizen diplomacy organization, fully believing in the power of exchanges: exchanges create human bonds and enduring relationships that build bridges of cooperation and understanding between peoples.
Our core program is the State Department's prestigious "International Visitor Leadership Program," but that's just one of several programs we administer. IVC has two divisions that cover all our work: The Center for International Development and the Center for International Business.
As the region's leading international organization, we link businesses and institutions with hundreds of rising and established leaders each year. We are a non-profit, volunteer-based "citizen diplomacy" organization whose network of volunteers was nominated for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. We administer the U. S. State Department's leadership exchange programs (since 1954), and the City of Philadelphia's Sister Cities Program (since 1997). IVC arranges the local itineraries and 'American experiences' for hundreds of delegations annually. We identify experts in various fields to meet with the guests; we develop relationships for academic, cultural, civic and business institutions; and help prevent future wars by making friends with the world's new leaders.
Who We Work With:
We work in partnership with the foreign affairs agencies in Washington: State Department and the United States Agency for International Development. We also arrange for guests of foreign governments, companies and organizations to meet their American counterparts. We work with the Philadelphia Department of Commerce and administer Philadelphia's Sister Cities Program, and provide free export assistance to Philadelphia's companies through a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
What We Do:
We are matchmakers, using Philadelphia as a "classroom" for democracy and free market development. IVC's staff designs carefully crafted programs and professional itineraries for high-level guests from abroad to meet their Philadelphia-area counterparts and gain an understanding of the U.S. We identify experts in the Greater Philadelphia region and match them with visitors and with IVC members who create "American cultural experiences" for them. Annually, the staff of IVC arrange thousands of meetings with area experts, our 'citizen diplomats.'
Why We Exist:
We work to make friends with the world's new leaders, make contacts for business and prevent future wars by putting Americans and guests from abroad "face to face." We help strengthen democratic institutions abroad and foster cultural understanding among nations. We promote Philadelphia's economy and historic contributions to the world. We were formed in 1954 when the State Department asked the City of Philadelphia to participate in high level leadership exchange programs. Over the years a network of councils have developed across the U.S. and we are now part of a network of tens of thousands of Americans, 'citizen diplomats' who open their offices, courtrooms, classrooms and homes to visitors from outside the United States. This network of volunteer citizen diplomats is what makes our work unique.
Citizen Diplomacy Program:
IVC's Citizen Diplomacy Program engages area residents and institutions with distinguished guests from abroad for professional exchanges. These volunteers are experts in their fields, from law, art, government, education, free markets and journalism, to that of simply being an American. They meet with members of parliament, presidential advisors, economists, business leaders, mayors, arts, library and university administrators, journalists and others who can affect positive change in their countries. Our Citizen Diplomats are generous with their time and expertise.
Our Mission:
Our mission is to promote mutual understanding among nations and prevent wars by bringing people 'face to face' and creating a dialogue between Americans and guests from abroad. We promote democracy, free enterprise, international trade and educational exchanges.
Our Vision:
Our vision is to create the strongest international network in the United States for the Philadelphia region.
IVC President & CEO:
Nancy J. Gilboy
IVC Chairman:
John Goldschmidt, Esq., Dilworth Paxson, LLC
IVC Vice Chairman:
Richard Atkins, International Recoveries, LLC
IVC Treasurer:
William Spang, Mitchell & Titus, LLP
IVC Secretary:
Warwick Wheeler, Philadelphia Museum of Art
click here to see more about The Greater Philadelphia area