commute from Unionville/Chadds Ford to 30th and Marekt St. (Middletown: condo, schools)

[kmistry1]

How long the commute is from Unionville or Chadds Ford?

How about the schools systems and housing ?

Thanks in advance.

[Tone509]

The same map site I used for your Collegeville question says 45 minutes and 1 hour for Chadds Ford and Unionville, respectively. As much of that will be on I-95, it will definitely be longer during normal rush hour time.

Alternately you could drive up to Thorndale and get on the beginning of the R5 train. The train ride itself is an hour to 30th St but you're a lot less likely to face delays than on the road.

[newmarlig]

Tone - wouldn't the R2 train from Delaware be a closer drive to Chadds Ford? The ride itself would be about the same length. Or for a much faster (but much more expensive ride), Amtrak - Delaware to 30th Street Station.

[Tone509]

Hmmm... I didn't look south to Delaware, but you may be right, newmarlig. Good point!

[Nouvelle Villa]

I've seen people complain about traffic from Pennsylvania into Wilmington DE. That would be something to consider if you plan on coming to DE to take the train to Philly. I'm not sure what traffic would be like to Thorndale.

[orrmobl]

Driving Route 1 for the morning/evening commute is hellish. I have relatives down in West Grove and hated visiting them as that drive from southeast Delco was such a grind. Look into living close to the train, or move somewhere further north...

[rainrock]

That is a brutal commute, with gas probably forever staying at $3 + a gallon they really need to extend the R-3 that currently ends in Elwyn/Middletown. That rail line needs to end up in Chadds Ford/Kennett Square eventually. As of right now your best bet perhaps is driving to the Elwyn Station which is a 20-25 minute eastward drive from Chadds Ford. From there the train is another 35 minutes into the city.

Driving the entire distance would be an excercise in futility unless you dont mind spending 2 1/2-3 hours per day driving on heavily congested 2 lane antiquated roads.

[abbmac]

It'll be about an hour. The schools are great, top rated district. Housing is very, very expensive in Chadds Ford. The commute will be bad because of traffic, but it's pretty straight forward: rt. 1 to 322 to 95. Rt 322 gets backed up, but they are supposedly adding a second lane. Of course 95 is a crawl.

Thorndale is going to be 40 mins in the opposite direction you want to go. Have no idea why you'd get a train there.

[Bwads31]

I used to live in Chadds Ford in a condo complex. It is a beautiful area but the traffic around there is getting real bad as they can't stop putting up shopping centers in Concordville. The ride to center city is tough and like others said there is no train servicve in that immediate area. It is great there but I wouldn't want to live there if I worked in center city.