Commuting from Main Line suburbs to Center City (Philadelphia, Lancaster: house, buy)

[doglover29]

My hubby and I are considering moving to Philly, and we are interested in the Main Line suburbs. From, say, Ardmore, how long does it take to get to Center City in rush hour traffic? Is Lancaster Ave. the only way to go? We were in Philly recently to check out the area, and drove from the Main Line on Lancaster Ave. to Center City and passed through a very scary area. Is that the quickest way to go?

[Hobokenkitchen]

Originally Posted by doglover29

My hubby and I are considering moving to Philly, and we are interested in the Main Line suburbs. From, say, Ardmore, how long does it take to get to Center City in rush hour traffic? Is Lancaster Ave. the only way to go? We were in Philly recently to check out the area, and drove from the Main Line on Lancaster Ave. to Center City and passed through a very scary area. Is that the quickest way to go?

Ha, yes there is a bit of Lancaster that goes through a scary bit. You can also go on 76, but traffic can be really bad. Do you have the option of taking the train? I think that's what most people do.

Did you look at Chestnut Hill? I think it's nicer that the Mainline - and if I remember from your other posts, you don't have kids so maybe not so worried about school systems (Mainline has better schools)??

[rainrock]

Take Lancaster Ave to the Philadelphia city line.

Make a left on RT1 N(City Line Ave) past St.Joes Univ.

Make a right on Belmont Ave

Make left on Belmont Mansion Drive takes you past Belmont Plateau(incredible skyline view)

Left on Montgomery Drive

Right on West River Drive to center city.

This route will take a few minutes longer then your trek through Lancaster Ave but its a much more pleasant.

[newmarlig]

Is there any reason you can't take the train. Go to SEPTA and check the R5 train schedule. The center city stops are either Suburban Station (17th and Market) or Market East (10th and Market).

[doglover29]

Thanks for all the info. I don't think the train will be a possibility due to my hubby's crazy hours. He'd rather drive, so as not to have to take the train home very late at night, etc.

We also checked out Cherry Hill, NJ but didn't like that area very much. We thought the Main Line suburbs were really nice. No kids, so schools aren't that big of an issue right now.

[Hobokenkitchen]

Originally Posted by doglover29

Thanks for all the info. I don't think the train will be a possibility due to my hubby's crazy hours. He'd rather drive, so as not to have to take the train home very late at night, etc.

We also checked out Cherry Hill, NJ but didn't like that area very much. We thought the Main Line suburbs were really nice. No kids, so schools aren't that big of an issue right now.

Why

[newmarlig]

With no kids, why not live in center city?

[Sassygirl18]

Not everyone is into city living (myself included and we're childfree).

[newmarlig]

Originally Posted by Sassygirl18

Not everyone is into city living (myself included and we're childfree).

I know, I just didn't know if they had given thought to it.

[doglover29]

Originally Posted by newmarlig

With no kids, why not live in center city?

The reason we want to move to Philly (and leave DC where we currently are) is to get out of the city and buy a single family house with a yard. However, much to our dismay, prices aren't that much lower in the Mainline suburbs (such as Ardmore, etc.) than they are in the suburbs here, but you do get more house and yard for your money than you do in DC.