How To Get To Citizens Bank Park (Transit Guide)

Greetings baseball fans and ballpark nerds, and here is your complete guide for how to get to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. That is, if you’re looking for an alternative to driving and parking.

Your Faithful Correspondent will tell you that going by car is usually the optimal way to get to a Phillies game. You can check out my complete guide to Phillies parking here. But if you’d prefer not to sit in traffic, pay parking fees, or even get some exercise going to the ballpark, I’m here to help.

Covering a lot here, so I’ve broken this down for you by the various ways to get to a Phillies game or other event without a car:

From The City: SEPTA Broad Street Line (B1 + B2)
Also From The City: SEPTA Market-Frankford + Trolley Lines (L and T)
Also From The City: SEPTA Buses
From PA Suburbs: SEPTA Regional Rail
From New Jersey: PATCO + NJ Transit
From Other Cities: Amtrak + Bus Lines
More Expensive: Taxicabs + Rideshares
Your Own Power: Bicycles + Bikeshares

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“Gangway! Philly sports fans coming!”

How To Get To Citizens Bank Park, Tip #1) SEPTA Broad Street Subway.

SEPTA stands for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority; it’s Philly’s big ol’ city transit system. They operate subway, elevated and light rail trains and buses in the city, as well as commuter rail lines from the suburbs.

They have recently rebranded their format, giving letters to the various in-city services that now have the revolutionary name of “SEPTA Metro”. The Broad Street subway that goes to Citizens Bank Park is now called the “B” line.

B1 is local trains; B2 is express trains that skip multiple stops. Don’t use the B3; that’s the Broad-Ridge Spur that veers off towards 8th Street. There are four tracks at most stations; B1 trains run on the outside and B2 runs on the inside.

Pronounce it like “en-er-gee”, not “nerg”.

B1 and B2 subway trains drop riders off at the ballpark at NRG station, the southern end of the line. Easy enough; wherever you’re getting on the B, just head south. The B connects with multiple trains and buses in the city. Here’s the map to see where the connections are.

SEPTA runs Sports Express (B2) trains on game days that skip a bunch of stations. Use the Express if you can, but well before the game some B2 trains stop at Walnut-Locust station. You can get on a B1 there for the rest of the way.

Citizens Bank Park isn’t quite at the station, but you’ll see it when you exit. It’s about a five minute walk. There’s no shade along the way, so I’d advise using sunscreen on hot days. NRG Station is accessible, with an elevator at the station.

The fare is cheap; it’s just a few bucks each way with free transfers to multiple trains and buses. They have contactless card readers, so you can just scan your credit card at the turnstile.

Having your fare paid in advance is the key to a smooth ride.

SEPTA also offers a loaded value “Key card”; you buy one of these at locations throughout the city. With the Key card you have options that can save you a few bucks (check those out here), say if you’re staying in the city for a few days or coming from the airport.

I would recommend having the SEPTA app on your phone. It has a valuable trip planner and shows train statuses.

You can usually park near B stations downtown for a cheaper rate than the Phillies charge. Use my friends at SpotHero to book a spot in advance. Fern Rock Transit Center at the north end has inexpensive all day parking, and by most accounts it’s safe.

Currently B trains run till shortly after midnight. If for whatever reason you miss the last train, you can use the Nite Owl bus service.

If you’re the type to ignore a warning like this, yes, you probably think the train is unsafe.

The B isn’t the most pleasant train you’ll ever ride. It probably won’t even make your top 10. But it’s not unsafe enough to avoid, especially with a crowd of Phillies fans around, although some folks do advise against going north of City Hall late in the evening.

I’ve talked with SEPTA folk, too. They’ve told me there’s video cameras everywhere, and the crime rate on the subway has dropped significantly of late. Just keep an eye on your belongings, and expect to smell urine and encounter aggressive panhandlers.

If you can deal with all of this, B1 and especially B2 are great for avoiding pre- and post-game traffic, which can be very slow especially for high attendance games. I especially recommend the B if there’s another event happening in the sports complex.

Know where you’re headed. It will make life much easier.

Trains do get crowded after games, but nowhere near the level of Yankees or Mets game trains. One trick for getting on after the game is to enter the station on the west side to get downstairs easier. Could be the difference for getting on a Sports Express.

If you’re looking for a subway entrance in the city, Broad Street is the equivalent of 14th Street in Philly. Numbered streets go north-south.

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Nice day for an elevated train ride. Unfortunately it’s not elevated at this point.

How To Get To Citizens Bank Park, Tip #2) Market-Frankford + Trolley Lines.

The B subway connects with multiple other train routes in Center City (downtown for you non-Philadelphians), most notably the L, T, and G lines.

The “L” is the Market-Frankford Line (because it’s mostly an “el” train, see). The L runs mostly east-west through the heart of Philadelphia. (Here’s the map.) Riders can take the L to the 15th Street/City Hall Station, where it is a free transfer to the B if you stay within the turnstiles. Look for orange signs when you get off the L train.

Just FYI, the L is geared to commuters. You need to be quick getting off the train. Coming back, get off at City Hall Station and follow the blue signs to the Market-Frankford Line.

Note the absence of parking signs.

Both ends of the L (69th Street and Frankford Transit Centers) have parking complexes that are cheap or free, but neither of them are in great areas. Your car will likely be okay if you don’t display valuables, but I wouldn’t leave a Mercedes there.

The L also has a Nite Owl bus, but it only goes westbound to 30th Street Station (You likely won’t be going further than that).

If you’re already antsy about what I said about riding the B, you should probably avoid the L. It runs through rough neighborhoods on both ends, and add the intense smell of reefer to the rest of what I’ve described. It also gets very crowded at rush hour.

These aren’t prison bars. Relax.

Again, the train itself is safe enough (it was plenty useful to get to the Tower Theater years ago), but you may feel uneasy at some stations. If you’re coming from 30th Street, you can use a Regional Rail train instead (or walk it, it’s about a mile). More on that in a bit.

Important note about the City Hall station – there’s no elevator. If you or someone you’re with has mobility struggles, you could use the 4 bus vice the B.

If you time it right, you can get on one of the racing trolleys!

The “T” of Philly’s Metro system refers to the five trolleys, which are mostly above ground light rail trains generally coming from southwest and west Philly. When they are underground, they follow the L path to the City Hall station, and again it’s a free transfer to the B.

The trolley routes have little to no designated parking, and you probably wouldn’t want to leave your car on the street at most stops. Many of the trolley lines run all night, but check the schedule just in case.

The “G” is for the Route 15 trolley that mostly runs along Girard Avenue. It connects with the B at…wait for it…Broad Street/Girard station. The G is also a bus in the evening from what I’ve read, so there’s that.

There’s other ones. They just haven’t finished the sign yet.

How To Get To Citizens Bank Park, Tip #3) SEPTA Buses.

I have never personally met anyone who’s used a bus to a Phillies game, but going by forums there are a few folks who do. So I’m including a bit about that.

SEPTA’s 4, 17 and 68 bus routes all stop at or near NRG Station. The 4 basically follows the Broad Street subway route. In addition to those, there’s numerous buses with stops near B stations, and the first two transfers are free.

If you’re looking for an alternative to the L, the 21 and 42 buses generally follow a similar path. I’ve never ridden them, but I expect they aren’t much more pleasant.

Remember the Nite Owl buses, because these don’t run all night.

There’s plenty of these you can use.

How To Get To Citizens Bank Park, Tip #4) SEPTA Regional Rail.

SEPTA also operates Regional Rail commuter lines from the Philly suburbs and airport. Regional Rail reaches as far as Trenton, Wilmington and Newark (Delaware). They have a web over most of southeastern PA (here’s the map).

All of the Regional Rail train lines stop at Suburban Station, about a 5-10 minute underground walk to the B. Nice and convenient for you.

Several Regional Rail lines also stop at Fern Rock Transportation Center and at the North Philadelphia B station, but forum dwellers recommend avoiding the North Philly station especially. You’ll want the B ride to be shorter anyway; I would just use Suburban.

With Regional Rail, you can eat pretty good on the way to a game. Just saying.

Or if it’s a nice day, you can stop at Jefferson Station, a ten minute walk from City Hall. Jefferson is a fair bit nicer, and the Reading Terminal Market is a superb destination for grub for a pre-game meal or for your goody bag.

Want to try Philly food classics like Campo’s cheesesteaks, Center City soft pretzels, or Bassett’s ice cream?

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They don’t play baseball in the snow in Philly, but you could still get there if they did.

Regional Rail fares are based on time of day and distance from the center of Philadelphia. Buy your tickets in advance if you can. Many stations don’t have machines or salespeople past a certain time of day. You can buy a ticket on the train, but it’s more expensive.

The SEPTA app is helpful for trip planning and train status on the Regional Rail, but as I write this you need to get the Key card to buy tickets on the app. So having both is wise.

SEPTA’s website lists the available parking spaces at each Regional Rail station (and Metro stations, for that matter). Parking at most stations is free on weekends, and is usually cheap otherwise, and often there is free parking nearby.

Regional Rail trains are more popular with regulars than the subway lines. They’re smoother, less sketchy (although I’ve met some characters for sure) and the first car on each train is a Quiet Ride.

Unlike people driving on the Schuylkill, you’ll probably be on time.

I highly recommend Regional Rail for Friday night games in the summer if your other choice is the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76). The Schuylkill is bad in the best of times, but it’s especially slow as everyone heads to the Jersey Shore for the weekend. Don’t miss innings sitting in traffic.

All that said, definitely check the schedule if you use Regional Rail, and know when that last train leaves. For big games there might be extra late-night service. Remember you will also need time to get to Suburban Station (and to walk to the NRG Station). I’d add at least 20-30 minutes for that.

Regional Rail isn’t the cheapest way for a group of adults to get to a game, but kids and seniors over 65 ride for free which is nice. If you’re making a day of Philadelphia, you can get a day pass that covers rides on any SEPTA vehicle.

Because sometimes, where you really want to be is Lindenwold.

How To Get To Citizens Bank Park, Tip #5) PATCO + NJ Transit.

One thing I love about living in New Jersey is how easy it is to get out of New Jersey. There’s two train lines you can use to get to a Phillies game (and some buses, we’ll get to that).

PATCO (Port Authority Transit Corporation) offers a high speed rail line to Philadelphia from the suburbs of South Jersey, with stops in Camden, Pennsauken, and Lindenwold, and the ever-convenient Woodcrest Station just off of I-295.

It’s geared to commuters but it’s perfectly viable for Phillies games. The 12-13th and Locust and 14th-15th and Locust stations are a short walk to the B Line at Walnut-Locust Station. If you jump on an express (B2) train to or from Walnut-Locust, it skips every stop to the ballpark.

The furthest stations charge slightly more for a round trip ticket. There is usually plenty of free parking at the PATCO stations outside of Camden.

It’s easy enough from the street, but the signs help.

The underground pathway from 12th-13th and Locust used to be a clearly marked way to get to Walnut-Locust Station, but it’s become a homeless encampment, so the city closed it off. Forum folks suggest using the northwest corner entrance at 13th and Walnut going back.

Not fun, but make the best of it; go upstairs and use Walnut Street to get to the subway. There’s a few eateries along the way to fill up a goody bag. Jean’s Café is a nice cheap spot.

Again, check the schedule for PATCO. Trains run all night on weekends but the last train leaves before midnight during the week. Consider the walk to the NRG station and the walk to the PATCO station. I’d say give yourself 45 minutes at least to get there.

Because Atlantic City people go to Phillies games too.

Then there’s the NJ Transit trains; the Northeast Corridor runs from Penn Station in NYC to the Trenton Transit Center, where you can get on a Regional Rail train for a cheaper alternative to Amtrak. It’s two transfers each way if you’re counting, though.

The aptly named Atlantic City Line departs from Atlantic City and ends at Amtrak 30th Street Station. From there you can use a Regional Rail train or the L to get to the B. I’ll talk more about this in the Amtrak section, stay tuned.

After the game it’s easier to get here than to 30th Street Station. Now you know.

Either of these could be somewhat convenient if you live near one of the stations. But if you’re in South Jersey and driving to a station, choose PATCO over the Atlantic City Line. With PATCO there’s one less transfer, more frequent service, and it’s cheaper.

There are three NJ Transit buses that go to Philadelphia – the 414 from Moorestown, the 417 from Mount Holly/Willingboro, and the new 555 from Winslow Township. All of them stop at 30th Street Station. Follow my Amtrak directions from there. Probably not the most convenient or pleasant, but it’s a cheap ride.

Mr. Ballpark E-Guides Jr. recommends the Acela train for getting to the game fast!

How To Get To Citizens Bank Park, Tip #6) Amtrak/Coach Buses.

If you’ve read this far, you know about 30th Street Station. It is the main Amtrak (and coach bus) hub in Philadelphia. If you’re coming from another city, say Baltimore, D.C., or Pittsburgh, 30th Street is likely where you’ll end up. Again, I would avoid North Philadelphia station.

From 30th Street Station you have a few options. There’s the Market-Frankford L and Trolley T lines just across the street to City Hall Station, or you can use Regional Rail to Suburban Station. Either is a short walk to the Broad Street subway. Both are one stop and frequent.

If you’re coming in on Amtrak, your Amtrak ticket is good for a free Regional Rail ride to Suburban or Jefferson Stations, and Regional Rail is considerably more pleasant. I believe you can scan your Amtrak ticket at a turnstile marked “Amtrak/NJ Transit”, but if it doesn’t work you can ask an attendant.

This is where that aforementioned app comes in very handy.

With all of the Regional Rail trains stopping at 30th and Suburban Stations, it can be confusing to know which way to go. Definitely use SEPTA’s Trip Planner on your app if you’re confused, and let that tell you what line to get on.

If you’re returning via Amtrak that day, I would give myself about an hour from the ballpark to get to 30th Street Station. That should be plenty, but you don’t know what kind of delays you’ll encounter.

Most major coach buses, including Megabus, Greyhound, and Flixbus, stop near 30th Street Station, from which you can follow the same directions. There is another stop for buses at 199 Spring Garden, from which you can use the L to City Hall. Honestly though, for any bus route from another city, I’d go for 30th Street.

“You went to Philly for a game? For how much?” “A dollar.”

I’m a big fan of Megabus, even if some people aren’t. They offer comfortable and safe rides for as low as $1 if you book it early enough. I once traveled from NYC to Boston and back for $2.50 on Megabus, which is an absolute steal. If you’re coming from another metropolis and can plan way ahead, it couldn’t hurt to have a look.

By the way, Wanderu is a nice little tool for finding bus fares from various cities. I’d give that a try if you can’t score the dollar deal on Megabus.

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Just because there’s branches growing out of the sign doesn’t mean people aren’t using taxis.

How To Get To Citizens Bank Park, Tip #7) Taxicabs + Rideshares.

If you’re looking for an Uber or Lyft after the game, the Phillies have a designated spot for pickups along Pattison Avenue in Lot T. All I’ll say about your likelihood of finding a ride that way, at least quickly, is “good luck”. As I write this many fans complain about the inability to find a ride there. And of course, forum dwellers are mystified at why people don’t use the B instead.

So if you’re planning to use a rideshare, you might have better luck heading to the Live! casino north of the ballpark and using their designated rideshare space. Or wait out the crowds at Stateside Live!, if you’re the type who has Uber cash.

Or heck, hop on the Taxi Crab to Chickie’s and Pete’s, and order your ride there.

Where some people see frustration, Ballpark E-Guides sees opportunity!

A few folks suggested walking north on 10th to Oregon Steaks to summon a ride. If you’re hungry for an authentic Philly cheesesteak, great…Oregon’s is open 24 hours…just know that it’s a good 15-minute walk. Skinny Joey’s is about the same length walk, but they’re not open all night, and that’s a trickier walk across Broad.

Still, any of these ideas is better than sitting in postgame traffic in an Uber car with the meter running. This applies when going to the game too by the way. Try using the Live! casino as your destination to save a couple of bucks.

Now featuring a spot to hail a taxi after a Phillies game!

There are taxi stands at the corner of Citizens Bank Way and Pattison Avenue, near the Stateside Live! complex. That’s a shorter walk than the rideshare area, and I hear it’s actually easier to hail a taxi. You can go to Guest Services inside the park before you leave and request that they call a cab for you.

That said, it’s still post-game traffic, which in Philadelphia can definitely add up. Unless you have the money and patience for it, you usually have better options. Nothing against cabs or rideshares, just be especially aware of how slow and expensive traffic can be.

I will say that coming from or heading to Philly airport, if you’re more than two people, you might be better off using an Uber over Regional Rail. The train from PHL is somewhat convoluted for getting to a ballgame, and coming to the ballpark at least, it won’t likely be quicker or cheaper.

A lot going on at this intersection. Best tighten that helmet.

How To Get To Citizens Bank Park, Tip #8) Bicycles + Bikeshares.

Bicycling to a Phillies game isn’t for the lesser skilled cyclists among us. There are multiple highway ramps in the area and lots of car traffic obviously. But there are bicycle paths leading to the ballpark. Packer Avenue has a bicycle path, as does 10th Street south of Packer. The sidewalks on Pattison are pretty wide on both sides.

Most cyclists recommend using 10th Street from the city; there are shoulders and sidewalks, and it’s a wide street that leads directly to the ballpark.

The Bank isn’t in an area that would be a short bike trek for most people, but the Phillies accommodate it anyway. There are eight bicycle racks total, mostly at the third base and left field gates.

I’m told the Phillies have security during the game watching the bicycles, which is nice of them, but I’d still have a strong lock obviously.

You get exercise, park for free, and you’re closer than everyone who drove a car.

If the racks are all used, which is a possibility (arrive early), you can try the right field gate, but you’ll have to walk to another gate to enter the ballpark. Live! casino also has bicycle racks, and I doubt there would be objections to using the fence on 10th Street.

You can carry your bike onto non-rush hour SEPTA trains or lock it up on a bus, and most SEPTA stations have bicycle racks. I wouldn’t try to take a bicycle onto a crowded train after the game, unless you’re willing to wait a few trains.

Making it easier to cycle off that cheesesteak.

Bikeshares are a thing in Philadelphia too; Indego is the Philadelphia shared bicycle service. You can find a ride using their app, and they’re all over Philadelphia proper these days, including near City Hall and 30th Street Station. They even have slightly more expensive e-bikes.

There are two stations near Citizens Bank Park; one is at the entrance to the Live! casino, and the other is on the southeast corner of Broad and Pattison (at the NRG station). The Live! station is closer, but has fewer bikes.

“Who’s ready to race? Loser pays for Federal Donuts!”

Indego is nice and cheap (although a B ride is cheaper); if I were a cycling sort in the city I’d probably use it over taking my own bicycle. I would check ahead that you’ll have space for it at your destination before going, though.

By the way, I don’t believe the Phillies allow bicycle helmets in the ballpark. If you can’t lock it to your bike, they usually have lockers outside you can use at the third base entrance.

Save this pic in case you need to know what to look for.

There you go my friends; hopefully 3,700 words of transit information helps! Seriously, that’s how to avoid parking at Citizens Bank Park for a Phillies game, and have fun doing it.

You can also read on this website about where to park at the ballpark, how to find a great seat at the game, save money on Phillies tickets, and choose from the amazing food menu at the Bank. And be sure to Follow Ballpark E-Guides on Facebook for updates!

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you at the Yard!