Philadelphia to Atlantic City is about 62 mi (100 km) from Center City to the Boardwalk casinos, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes on a clear road over the Walt Whitman Bridge and down the Atlantic City Expressway. From Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) it is about 64 mi (103 km) and 1 hour 25 minutes, and Elly8.net publishes a fixed fare: US$375 in a Business Sedan, US$490 in a Business SUV and US$975 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle and all-in.
For one person with a small bag, NJ Transit's train or bus is the cheapest way to make the trip, and this guide says so. For couples on a weekend, families, groups and anyone arriving on a late flight, a chauffeured car turns the journey into one step, door to door. Below are the route, the timing, the stops worth making and an honest comparison.
How long does it take to drive from Philadelphia to Atlantic City?
About 1 hour 20 minutes on a clear road for the 62 mi (100 km) from Center City to the Boardwalk casinos, via I-76, the Walt Whitman Bridge, NJ-42 and the Atlantic City Expressway. From PHL it is about 64 mi (103 km) and 1 hour 25 minutes. Summer Friday evenings can add 30 to 60 minutes.
The clear-road times come from routing estimates; real trips vary with the day. Leaving Center City before about 2 p.m. on a Friday, or after 7 p.m., avoids most of the shore and casino traffic. On Sunday afternoons in summer the return is the slower direction.
See Atlantic City prices and reserve
The route, mile by mile
From Center City, the car takes I-676 and I-76 to the Walt Whitman Bridge over the Delaware, then NJ-42 south into New Jersey, where it joins the Atlantic City Expressway for the last 26 mi (43 km) or so to the city. From PHL the start is different, via I-95 or the airport roads to the same bridge, and the rest is identical.
| Start | Distance to the Boardwalk | Clear-road time | Elly8.net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia International (PHL) | 64 mi (103 km) | about 1 h 25 min | US$375 to US$975, fixed |
| PHL round trip | 64 mi each way | about 1 h 25 min each way | US$715 to US$1,855, fixed |
| Center City Philadelphia | 62 mi (100 km) | about 1 h 20 min | Web booker, fixed per vehicle |
| 30th Street Station | 63 mi (101 km) | about 1 h 22 min | Web booker, fixed per vehicle |
Bridge tolls run one way. The Delaware River Port Authority collects tolls only westbound, from New Jersey into Pennsylvania, according to its toll schedule, which lists US$6 for cars and SUVs. So the trip to Atlantic City crosses the bridge without a bridge toll, and the return pays it. The Expressway is also tolled. On Elly8.net, tolls are billed at cost on the final invoice.
Marina or Boardwalk. The Marina District casinos, Borgata, Harrah's and Golden Nugget, sit close to the end of the Expressway, so they are reached a few minutes sooner than the Boardwalk properties further south.
What it costs: fixed fares and how to read them
From PHL, every vehicle class has a published fare, the same in either direction:
- Business Sedan US$375, Business SUV US$490, First Class SUV US$600, First Class Sedan US$660, Executive Sprinter US$975.
- Round trip booked together: US$715, US$935, US$1,140, US$1,255 and US$1,855 respectively.
Each price includes the chauffeur, vehicle, taxes, standard gratuity and airport meet and greet; tolls, parking and extra waiting are billed at cost.
From a Center City hotel, home or office, enter the addresses in the web booker for a fixed quote per vehicle in every class. For reference, Elly8.net's Philadelphia car service lists a full-day chauffeur from US$700 in a Business Sedan; for a same-day casino trip with the car waiting, the desk can compare that with a round-trip quote and tell you which is cheaper for your plan.
Arithmetic for comparison only: an Executive Sprinter from PHL at US$975, shared by ten people, is about US$98 each. The price is always per vehicle.
Train, bus or private car: an honest comparison
| Option | Price | Door to door | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| NJ Transit Atlantic City Rail Line from 30th Street | NJ Transit rail fare | Train time plus free casino shuttle | Solo travellers, light bags |
| NJ Transit bus 551 from Center City | US$23.65 excursion round trip | Scheduled, traffic dependent | Budget day trips |
| Driving yourself | Fuel, tolls, casino parking | About 1 h 20 min clear road | People who need their car there |
| Elly8.net Business Sedan from PHL | US$375, fixed and all-in | Baggage claim to hotel entrance | Couples, late arrivals |
| Elly8.net Executive Sprinter from PHL | US$975 for the vehicle | Baggage claim to hotel entrance | Groups of up to 12 with bags |
The train. According to NJ Transit's Atlantic City page, the Atlantic City Rail Line runs daily from Philadelphia 30th Street Station to the Atlantic City Rail Terminal next to the Convention Center, stopping at Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Lindenwold, Atco, Hammonton, Egg Harbor City and Absecon. The AC Jitney Association runs a free shuttle from the terminal to every casino, timed to the trains. From PHL, NJ Transit's advice is to take SEPTA to 30th Street first. The last train back leaves Atlantic City around 10:51 p.m.
The bus. Route 551 runs from stops on Race, Market, Broad and Vine Streets in Philadelphia to the Atlantic City Bus Terminal, with a US$23.65 excursion round trip valid for 10 days and bought in advance.
Our verdict. One person, a day trip, a carry-on: take the train or the bus. Two or more people flying into PHL with suitcases, a family with child seats, a group, or anyone staying for a late show: the car is simpler, and with the round trip fixed in advance there is no last-train deadline. Our Atlantic City taxi and rideshare comparison goes deeper into the in-town options, and chauffeur vs car rental covers driving yourself.
Stops worth making on the way
The drive is short enough to do in one go, but a stop can turn a transfer into part of the trip. Tell the desk when you book, so the timing and any waiting are planned in.
Egg Harbor City and Renault Winery. Just off the corridor, Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City traces its roots to vines planted by Louis Nicholas Renault in the 19th century and now has a resort and golf course. It suits a couple or a small group with time for a tasting or lunch before check-in. The chauffeur follows New Jersey's rules on passengers and alcohol.
Hammonton. A South Jersey town and a stop on the rail line, a short detour from the Expressway, handy for a coffee or a short break if you are travelling with children.
Absecon Lighthouse. In Atlantic City itself, a few minutes from the casinos, and an easy first stop on arrival. The lighthouse is New Jersey's tallest and is open for climbs.
The shore towns. If you are staying in Ventnor, Margate or Longport, or meeting friends at a rental, add the stop and the chauffeur continues to your hotel afterwards.
Timing: when to leave Philadelphia
- Friday, summer. Leave Center City by about 2 p.m. or after 7 p.m. If you are landing at PHL between those hours, budget an extra half hour to an hour.
- Saturday morning. Usually an easy run.
- Sunday return. In summer, the afternoon is busiest heading back toward the Walt Whitman Bridge; a late-morning or evening return is calmer.
- Show days. If you are going straight to a concert, aim to arrive at least an hour before doors. Big nights at Boardwalk Hall and the casino theatres bunch traffic on the approach roads.
- Flights home. For a PHL departure, the desk works back from your flight time, allowing for the drive, the bridge and check-in.
A sample day: Center City to the casinos and back
Here is how a typical Saturday trip for four friends runs with a car that stays with them. The times are planning estimates, not promises; traffic decides the rest.
- 11:00 a.m. Pickup at a Center City hotel in a Business SUV with room for four and a change of clothes each.
- 12:20 p.m. Arrival at a Marina District casino after the bridge and the Expressway, a little over the clear-road time.
- Afternoon. The group is on foot or on the US$3 jitney between properties; the car is not needed.
- 6:30 p.m. The chauffeur collects the group for dinner at a Boardwalk hotel, then a 9 p.m. show.
- 11:30 p.m. Pickup at the agreed point after the show, an hour after the last train has gone.
- About 1:00 a.m. Back in Center City, paying the US$6 westbound bridge toll at cost.
The two ways to price this are a round trip with waiting, quoted in the web booker, or a day booking; the desk compares them for your exact times. Once you are in Atlantic City, the local evening out and event night package, from US$600 in a Business SUV, is another option if you arrive by train and only need the car for the night. Either way, nobody has to drive the Expressway home at midnight, and the price is set before the day starts.
Who books this route, and how
Weekenders and couples. A Business or First Class Sedan, booked as a round trip.
Families. A Business SUV with child seats, fitted before pickup. Six seats and six bags.
Bachelor and bachelorette parties. An Executive Sprinter, often with the evening out package once in town. Our limo to Atlantic City guide compares the vehicle choices.
Convention teams. A Sprinter from PHL to the Convention Center with the cases, then a corporate account for the rest of the show. See conference transportation.
Travellers coming from New York. If your trip starts in Manhattan instead, see the NYC to Atlantic City guide.
Booking takes three steps: enter the pickup and drop-off with your flight number for PHL, choose the vehicle on the fleet page, then press Reserve now or use the web booker. 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. See city to city car service for how long-distance rides are planned.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a car service from Philadelphia airport to Atlantic City?
From PHL to the Boardwalk casinos, Elly8.net fares are US$375 in a Business Sedan, US$490 in a Business SUV, US$600 in a First Class SUV, US$660 in a First Class Sedan and US$975 in an Executive Sprinter, fixed per vehicle. A round trip booked together starts at US$715.
Is the train from Philadelphia to Atlantic City a good option?
For one person with light luggage, yes. The Atlantic City Rail Line runs daily from 30th Street Station to the rail terminal by the Convention Center, with a free casino shuttle timed to trains. The last train back leaves around 10:51 p.m., so late shows need another plan.
Are there tolls between Philadelphia and Atlantic City?
Yes. The Delaware River Port Authority bridges toll only westbound, US$6 for cars and SUVs, so the return trip pays it. The Atlantic City Expressway is also tolled. On Elly8.net, tolls are billed at cost on the invoice rather than built into the fixed fare.
Can we stop on the way?
Yes. Add the stop when you book, such as a winery lunch in Egg Harbor City or a pickup in the suburbs, and the desk plans the timing. Stops and waiting are priced into the quote or billed as waiting time, so you know the arrangement before you travel.
Is a chauffeured day trip from Philadelphia to Atlantic City possible?
Yes. Enter the outbound and return in the web booker, or ask the desk to compare a round trip with the Philadelphia full-day chauffeur, which starts at US$700 in a Business Sedan. Either way the price is fixed per vehicle before you go.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation more than 72 hours before pickup. At 72 hours or less the charge is 10%, at 48 hours or less 50%, and at 24 hours or less or for a no-show 100%. Refunds go back to the original card.
