For short hops between casinos, an Atlantic City taxi, an app ride or the AC Jitney is usually all you need, and the jitney is the cheapest at US$3 one way. Where a pre-booked car pays off is the longer and harder trips: the airport run with luggage, a group of eight after a show, a late arrival from Philadelphia or the drive home on Sunday. On Elly8.net those are fixed before you travel, from US$175 from Atlantic City International (ACY) and from US$375 from Philadelphia International (PHL) in a Business Sedan.
This guide puts the options side by side with the numbers that are actually published, says plainly when the taxi, jitney, bus or train is the better call, and explains the situations where waiting for a ride costs more than booking one.
Is a taxi or rideshare cheaper than a car service in Atlantic City?
For short trips inside Atlantic City, yes: a taxi, app ride or the US$3 AC Jitney costs far less than a booked chauffeur. A pre-booked car wins on longer runs with luggage, for groups, late at night and after big shows, when waits grow. Elly8.net fares are fixed per vehicle, from US$175 from ACY.
Taxi meters and app prices both move with distance, time and demand; the jitney and NJ Transit fares are published. Elly8.net prices are published too, fixed per vehicle and all-in with taxes and standard gratuity; tolls and parking are billed at cost. The full list is on the Atlantic City fares panel.
See Atlantic City prices and reserve
The options side by side
| Option | Published price | Wait and timing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AC Jitney city routes | US$3 one way | 24/7 on three of four routes | Casino to casino, Atlantic Avenue |
| Free casino shuttle from the rail terminal | Free for NJ Transit rail customers | Timed to train arrivals and departures only | Train arrivals to any casino |
| Taxi in town | Metered | Hotel stands, varies by hour | Two or three people, short hops |
| Rideshare app | Set by the app, varies with demand | Longer after shows and late at night | Flexible plans, light bags |
| NJ Transit bus 551 from Philadelphia | US$23.65 excursion round trip | Scheduled | Solo day trips |
| NJ Transit bus 319 from New York | US$49.75 excursion round trip | Scheduled | Solo trips from Manhattan |
| Elly8.net Business Sedan from ACY | US$175, fixed and all-in | Chauffeur waiting in arrivals | Couples, late flights |
| Elly8.net Executive Sprinter from PHL | US$975 for the vehicle | Chauffeur waiting at baggage claim | Groups of up to 12 with bags |
The jitney, shuttle and bus figures come from NJ Transit's Atlantic City travel page, which notes that fares are subject to change.
The AC Jitney: the honest first choice for short hops
The AC Jitney Association runs four fixed city routes, Downtown, Midtown, Uptown and Marina, covering Atlantic Avenue and the main casino corridors. The fare is US$3 one way, payable in cash or through the Jitney Surfer app, and three of the routes run 24 hours a day, according to NJ Transit. If you are moving between a Boardwalk casino and a Marina District property with nothing more than a jacket, it is hard to beat.
Train passengers also get a separate free shuttle from the Atlantic City Rail Terminal to every casino, timed to NJ Transit arrivals. Heading back, shuttles pick up at the casinos 25 minutes before the train departs. NJ Transit is clear that this shuttle is for rail customers only and does not run between trains.
Where the jitney falls short: heavy bags, several stops, a group that wants to stay together, a child seat, or a destination outside the routes, such as a shore-town rental.
Taxis: metered, simple, fine for short trips
Atlantic City taxis work from hotel stands and on call, and charge by the meter. For two or three people with light bags going a few blocks or across to the Marina District, they are a perfectly good choice. Ask the driver about the fare before you set off if you are going somewhere unusual, and check that the car can take everyone's bags.
The airport question. From ACY, a taxi is a sensible solo option. From Philadelphia, it is a long metered ride. PHL publishes its taxi rates: US$2.70 for the first tenth of a mile, US$0.25 for each additional tenth, US$0.25 for each 37.6 seconds of waiting and a US$1.50 egress fee from the airport, with tips not included. As arithmetic only, 64 mi (103 km) on that meter comes to roughly US$164 before waiting time in traffic, tolls and the tip, and the airport advises checking with the cab company about destinations served. Elly8.net's PHL to the Boardwalk is US$375 in a Business Sedan, all-in with gratuity and meet and greet. The taxi is cheaper on paper; the chauffeur gives you a fixed total, a reserved car at baggage claim and room for the bags.
Rideshare: convenient, priced by demand
App rides are widely used in Atlantic City, and for a couple going to dinner they are often the easiest answer. The price is set by the app at the moment you request and changes with demand. Rideshare companies do not publish a fixed Atlantic City fare, so the only honest guidance is about when prices and waits rise:
- After big shows. When a concert lets out at Hard Rock Live, the Borgata Event Center or Boardwalk Hall, thousands of people request rides at once. Waits lengthen and prices rise.
- Late on Friday and Saturday nights. Demand peaks as casinos and clubs close.
- Summer weekends and holidays. More visitors, more requests, the same drivers.
- Bad weather. Rain on a show night is the classic surge.
Pickups at large casino hotels happen at designated spots, so follow the property's signs or ask the bell desk where app rides collect. For a group of eight, that means two or three cars arriving at different times. See chauffeur vs Uber and Lyft and Uber Black vs a pre-booked chauffeur for the general comparison.
Trains and buses: excellent for one, harder for many
NJ Transit's Atlantic City Rail Line runs daily from Philadelphia's 30th Street Station to the Atlantic City Rail Terminal, next to the Convention Center, with stops at Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Lindenwold, Atco, Hammonton, Egg Harbor City and Absecon. Bus 551 runs from Philadelphia with a US$23.65 excursion round trip, and bus 319 runs express from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan, via Newark Penn Station and Journal Square, for US$49.75 round trip bought in advance.
For a solo traveller with a carry-on, these are the best value by a distance, and we say so. Two limits matter: NJ Transit notes the last train from the Atlantic City Rail Terminal leaves around 10:51 p.m., so a late show means a hotel night or another ride home; and from PHL, the rail route is SEPTA to 30th Street first, then the Atlantic City train, then the shuttle.
When to book a car instead
A pre-booked chauffeur is not the cheapest way around Atlantic City. It is the most predictable, and it wins in specific situations:
- Arriving by air with luggage. A chauffeur inside arrivals with a name board, flight tracked, complimentary waiting after a tracked landing. See the Atlantic City airport car service guide.
- Groups of six to twelve. One Executive Sprinter instead of three taxis: from ACY it is US$455 for the vehicle.
- After the last train. If the show ends after 10:51 p.m., a car to Philadelphia avoids an unplanned hotel night.
- Show nights and closing time. A car waiting at an agreed pickup point means no queue for an app ride. The evening out and event night package starts at US$475 in a Business Sedan and covers the wait.
- Fixed budgets and expense reports. One all-in number, gratuity included.
- Families. Child seats on request, fitted before pickup.
| Situation | Cheapest sensible option | When a booked car is worth it |
|---|---|---|
| Casino to casino, two people | Jitney at US$3 each | Rarely |
| ACY to hotel, solo, daytime | Taxi or app ride | If the flight is late or bags are heavy |
| PHL to Atlantic City, solo | SEPTA plus the train, or bus 551 | Late arrivals, heavy bags |
| PHL to Atlantic City, eight people | Taxis would need several cars | Executive Sprinter, US$975 for the vehicle |
| After a sold-out concert, four people | App ride, if you can wait | Hourly car or evening package |
| Sunday return to Philadelphia, family | Train for light travellers | SUV with child seats |
Wait times: what actually causes them
Nobody publishes reliable wait times for taxis or app rides, and any number would be a guess. What we can say is what creates waits, so you can plan around them:
- Event release. Thousands of people leaving an arena at the same moment overwhelms every option except the jitney and pre-booked cars.
- Shift changes and late nights. Fewer cars on the road in the early hours.
- Weather. Rain sends walkers to taxis.
- Distance. Drivers are less keen on very long runs, such as a late ride to Philadelphia.
A pre-booked car does not make the traffic disappear, but it removes the wait for a ride. The chauffeur is already there, at the time and place you agreed.
How booking an Elly8.net car works
- Enter the pickup and drop-off, with a flight number for ACY or PHL.
- Choose the vehicle: Business Sedan, Business SUV, First Class Sedan, First Class SUV or Executive Sprinter, all on the fleet page.
- Press Reserve now on a published fare, or use the web booker for any other address. Confirmation arrives by email.
Rides in Atlantic City are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show.
Coming from further afield? Our Philadelphia to Atlantic City guide and limo to Atlantic City guide compare the routes, and the Philadelphia car service page has fixed fares from PHL to Center City.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the AC Jitney?
US$3 one way on the four city routes, Downtown, Midtown, Uptown and Marina, according to NJ Transit's Atlantic City page. Three routes run 24 hours a day. A separate free shuttle runs from the rail terminal to every casino, but only for NJ Transit train passengers and only around train times.
Can you take a taxi from Philadelphia airport to Atlantic City?
You can ask; PHL advises checking with the cab company about fares and destinations served. At PHL's published meter rates, 64 mi (103 km) works out to roughly US$164 before traffic waiting time, tolls and tip. Elly8.net's fixed fare is US$375 in a Business Sedan, all-in with gratuity and a chauffeur meeting you at baggage claim.
Is Uber or Lyft cheaper than a car service in Atlantic City?
For short in-town trips, usually yes. App prices change with demand, so after a big show or late on a weekend night they rise and waits get longer. A pre-booked car has a fixed price per vehicle and is already waiting, which matters most for groups, late nights and airport runs.
What time is the last train from Atlantic City?
NJ Transit says the last train from the Atlantic City Rail Terminal departs around 10:51 p.m. on weekdays and weekends. Check the timetable for your date. If your show or dinner runs later, plan a hotel night or book a car back to Philadelphia in advance.
Is it worth booking a car for a group of eight?
Usually, for the airport run and the big night. Eight people with bags would need two or three taxis or app rides arriving at different times. One Executive Sprinter seats up to 12 with luggage, from US$455 from ACY or US$975 from PHL for the vehicle, fixed in advance.
Are tolls and tips included in Elly8.net fares?
Standard gratuity and taxes are included, along with the chauffeur, vehicle and airport meet and greet. Tolls, parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost. Taxi and app fares, by contrast, usually add the tip on top.
