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| Home > City Guide - Philadelphia - Getting There By Road | ||
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Getting There By Road Road travel in Pennsylvania is excellent, with good state roads connecting Philadelphia, Scranton, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, as well as outside destinations, such as Niagara Falls and Washington, DC. The general rule for numbering on US freeways and interstates is that the odd numbers go north–south and the even numbers go east–west over their whole length, although at any single, localised point this may seem different. Driving in the United States is on the right. For UK nationals, a full UK driving licence is sufficient. Other nationalities are required to have an International Driving Permit, accompanied by a full driving licence from their home country. Drivers are required to have third party liability insurance, however, collision damage insurance is advised, as costs can be very high in the USA. The minimum driving age is 16 years. Speed limits are generally 48kph (30mph) in town, 88kph (55mph) on highways and 105kph (65mph) on the interstate highways, unless otherwise posted. The wearing of seatbelts by persons in the front seat and children under 11 years of age is mandatory by law. Children under four years of age must be protected in car seats. Pennsylvania has strict drink driving laws and driving while intoxicated is cause for arrest and a criminal charge. The minimum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.10%. The local chapter of the American Automobile Association – AAA (tel: (800) 222 1333; website www.aaa.com) is AAA MidAtlantic (tel: (215) 864 5000), who provides information and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries. Another club is Keystone Automobile Club, 2040 Market Street (tel: (215) 864 5000). Emergency breakdown service: AAA (800) AAA HELP or 222 4357 Routes to the city: The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76) is a toll road providing swift and efficient travel across the state, from New Jersey to Ohio. It leads into Philadelphia from the east and the west. The interstate highway I-95, also known as the Delaware Expressway, connects Philadelphia to Baltimore, Maryland and Washington DC in the south and to New York City and Boston in the north. The I-95 connects with the I-87, which runs north to Montreal. Driving times to Philadelphia: From New York City – 2 hours; Baltimore – 2 hours; Washington, DC – 3 hours; Boston – 6 hours; Montreal – 9 hours. Coach services: Greyhound (tel: (800) 231 2222 or 229 9424; website: www.greyhound.com) provides bus services to and from Philadelphia. The main terminal, the Greyhound Terminal, is located 1001 Filbert Street (tel: (215) 931 4075). Facilities are basic – toilets and a snack bar. There are buses to and from all parts of the country, including transcontinental services via Chicago (Illinois) and St Louis (Missouri). |
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