couple of questions...like travel from philadelphia aiport to wilmington (apartments, to rent)

[aparker813]

Hey all I'm most likely going to be moving up to Wilmington for law school at Widener this fall and I'm flying up this coming Wednesday into the Philadelphia airport. I'm staying in a hotel near the school (which is next door to the concord mall on naamans and concord pike), so what is the best way to get there from the airport? If taxis go that far it seems like it would be just as cheap as trying to get to the amtrak station and such.

Also how is the area right around the school there? I'm looking at some apartments right around the corner on Naamans called Korman at Stratford, anyone know anything about the place?

Thanks all!

[SXMGirl]

You might want to contact Delaware Express and you can make reservations online. If you rent a car, it is an easy commute: From PHL, I-95 South to Naamans Road (Route 92). Make a right onto 92 and stay on it until you get to Route 202 Concord Pike. Make a left and Widener is probably less than 2 miles (maybe 3 miles) on the left. Check out Mapquest. As you will see, there is plenty to do in that area.

[gea12345]

area right around the school there? The area is fine! You will have no problem finding a decent, safe place to live.

getting there: If you have money, than a cab from the Airport would not be a problem. It is about 30 minutes away. But much longer if you hit traffic, meaning it could take an hour to get there. Try to get a fat fee.

If you are like me, and dont' have a lot of money or baggage, then take the regional rail from the airport to 30th street or suburban station or reading terminal, then take the R? to Wilmington train station. Then take a cab to the school. The bus to the school is a PAIN, because it doesn't run often enough.

Or you could take Amtrak from 30th street to Wilminton, which is much more expensive than the Regional Rail!!

So you have taxi from Airport or Regional Rail from 30th,etc; or rent a car, not a good idea unless you have done it before, but feasible; or Amtrak!

good luck!!

Originally Posted by aparker813

Hey all I'm most likely going to be moving up to Wilmington for law school at Widener this fall and I'm flying up this coming Wednesday into the Philadelphia airport. I'm staying in a hotel near the school (which is next door to the concord mall on naamans and concord pike), so what is the best way to get there from the airport? If taxis go that far it seems like it would be just as cheap as trying to get to the amtrak station and such.

Also how is the area right around the school there? I'm looking at some apartments right around the corner on Naamans called Korman at Stratford, anyone know anything about the place?

Thanks all!

[aparker813]

Originally Posted by gea12345

area right around the school there? The area is fine! You will have no problem finding a decent, safe place to live.

getting there: If you have money, than a cab from the Airport would not be a problem. It is about 30 minutes away. But much longer if you hit traffic, meaning it could take an hour to get there. Try to get a fat fee.

If you are like me, and dont' have a lot of money or baggage, then take the regional rail from the airport to 30th street or suburban station or reading terminal, then take the R? to Wilmington train station. Then take a cab to the school. The bus to the school is a PAIN, because it doesn't run often enough.

Or you could take Amtrak from 30th street to Wilminton, which is much more expensive than the Regional Rail!!

So you have taxi from Airport or Regional Rail from 30th,etc; or rent a car, not a good idea unless you have done it before, but feasible; or Amtrak!

good luck!!

Amtrak would be around $40 each way and I would still have to get from the airport to the train station and same thing with the septa, have to get from the wilmingstation to the hotel I'm staying at by the school. I found some taxi estimator that said it would be around $55 with 15% tip so if thats close to being correct it seems like for the ~20 or so more it would cost me the convenience of the direct route would be worthwhile.

Much thanks for the quick answers...and another question. How bad it would be to live there without a car? I won't be working and as a first year law student probably won't have loads of free time. I currently own a car but I'm hoping to drop that expense if possible.

[SXMGirl]

I know that buses run in that area, but I cannot imagine living in DE without a car. As a Philly person, that is the one thing that I dislike about DE. You will probably be at the law library late into the evening and I would not walk back to your apartment late at night. No place is that safe. Widener might have a shuttle and so check into that while you are here.

[gea12345]

No, you dont' have to get to the train station. The train come to the airport!

If you are playing a flat rate, there is no tip! Tip is included for getting such a high price ride. It is 28 from the airport to downtown phila. So calculate from that. I would say 60 flat rate. Doesn't mean they will go for it, but you can call and ask!

So again you have train, taxi, rent a car. Once you get to 30th street,then you can switch to Amtack or Regional Rail. Your choice! One is faster and more expensive than the other!

Lastly, when the train lets you off, there are plenty of taxi's waiting there at the station, you will take you to widener. ( i was a law student there for a year. And took public transpo every day!)

Lastly, if I were you, I would bring your car! But that depends on your tastes! If you want to explore philadelphia and the surrounding hip suburbs, then you will want a car!! It makes life easier for shopping, etc...especially in these days of the demise of the small business and the rise of wallmart! If you are happy rumbling around campus and wilmington, then you won't need a car.

Also, in Phila we have car share and zip car and for 50 dollars per months you get to rent a car to do your shopping and things like that!


p.s. I just came back from Candada last week and I took the Shuttle bus, downtown, they charged me 12 dollars!! That was liberty travel! So that is from the airport to 15th street!

Originally Posted by aparker813

Amtrak would be around $40 each way and I would still have to get from the airport to the train station and same thing with the septa, have to get from the wilmingstation to the hotel I'm staying at by the school. I found some taxi estimator that said it would be around $55 with 15% tip so if thats close to being correct it seems like for the ~20 or so more it would cost me the convenience of the direct route would be worthwhile.

Much thanks for the quick answers...and another question. How bad it would be to live there without a car? I won't be working and as a first year law student probably won't have loads of free time. I currently own a car but I'm hoping to drop that expense if possible.

[LuckyMann]

I have always used the Airport Shuttle Service (door-to-door) and never missed a flight. It's relatively inexpensive and you can book transportation with them, or other services, in the baggage claim area at the airport. Widener's campus fronts on Rt. 202, a major corridor. You'll have to check to see where the bus stop is, but you should be able to take the bus to the Wilmington Amtrak station and the SEPTA regional rail (book on line) easily to popular areas in Philly. It's relatively inexpensive and very easy. Parking a car in Philly is a real hassle. Besides, you will be socializing with your new friends at school and some of them will have cars. Have fun!

[gea12345]

The bus is a real hassel in the winter!! I took it for a year going to widener! and regional rail is also a hassel!! and it is better to budget in a parking lot when you visit Phila. My sister does when she visits me from N.J.!

anyway we all live all our lives differently and tolerate waiting for a train or bus with different tolerances of stress.

But it used to take me 2.5 hours to get home from widener law school back to phila every night!!

[aparker813]

About the car thing...I plan on living within a mile of the school so the walking home at night thing isnt really an issue and I planned on buying a nice bicycle (for use at least in the warmer months). I'm also pretty low maintenance but I guess once I visit for a couple days I'll have a much better idea about the need for a car.

[doctorjef]

I wouldn't want to ride a bike on Concord Pike where Widener Law School is located! I don't think you will save money in Wilmo by not having a car. Distances here aren't easily walkable and public transport isn't great, but the distances are short enough that you don't pay much to operate your car -- you don't have to get the tank filled very often and you don't put a lot of miles or wear on the car. You are going to be very restricted here without one.