Getting Around, Harrisburg Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - PA, USA)
Ever since Harrisburg was chosen to be Pennsylvania's state capital in the early 1800s, it has served as an important center for statewide travel options. A network of canals was followed by rail transport, and today, numerous highways encircle the city and radiate outwards, rather like the hands on a clock face.
Harrisburg does also boast its very own international airport, which serves close to 750,000 passengers each year and features various ground transport options, including a comprehensive choice of rental cars.
If you simply wish to travel around the city and its suburbs, then buses are a reliable and inexpensive choice. Rabbit Transit buses run to and from nearby York, providing a popular service for commuters, college students, shoppers and tourists alike. These particular buses run six times each day and stop off at the two park and ride facilities based on Interstate I-83. For longer journeys, air-conditioned coaches and trains will compete for your business.
Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) / Arriving by Air
Address: 1 Terminal Drive, Middletown, Pennsylvania (PA), 17057, USA
Tel: +1 888 235 9442
Harrisburg International Airport is conveniently located close to the city center, being found just 12 miles / 19 km to the southeast and in the suburb town of Middletown, right next to the Susquehanna River. From the downtown district, reaching the airport is as simple as following Interstate I-83 and joining the I-283 at exit 46B. Ground transport at Harrisburg's airport is available at the Multi-Modal Transportation Facility (MMTF), where you can organize taxis, buses, hotel shuttles, limos and car rental (Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National).
Car Rental
Although Harrisburg is far from being called a large city, its state capital status has ensured that it is well connected to the rest of Pennsylvania and nearby
Massachusetts,
Ohio and
West Virginia. A very extensive network of highways is available around the city, such as interstates I-76 (named the Pennsylvania Turnpike), I-81 and I-283, and the US-11, US-15, US-22, US-230 and US-322, amongst other busy roads. Therefore, if you are intending to travel outside of the city, a rental car is often the preferred mode of transport.
When it comes to parking in Harrisburg, garages can be found on roads such as 7th Street, Chestnut Street, Locust Street, Mulberry Street, River Street and Walnut Street, as well as around the City Island area, Market Square and Harrisburg University.
Buses
Daily buses depart from the Harrisburg Transportation Center, which is located on South 4th Street, next to Aberdeen Street and Chestnut Street. Various bus companies travel from this center, such as Bieber Tourways, Capitol Trailways, Fullington, Greyhound, Megabus, R and J Transportation, Rabbit Transit and also Susquehanna Trailways. Popular destinations connected by these bus companies include various towns and cities around the state of Pennsylvania, such as Allentown, Frackville, Minersville,
Philadelphia, Pine Grove,
Pittsburgh, Reading, Scranton, Williamsport and York, along with
Baltimore (
MD), Binghamton (NY),
Buffalo (NY),
New York City (
NY), Syracuse (NY),
Washington (
D.C.) and
Toronto,
Canada.
Trains
The city's Amtrak rail station is situated alongside the Harrisburg Transportation Center on South 4th Street. Rail transport provides the quickest way to travel to Philadelphia, located just over 100 miles / 161 km to the east-southeast. This train line is named the Amtrak Keystone Service and originates from New York, stopping along the route at the following towns and cities within Pennsylvania: Ardmore, Coatesville, Cornwells Heights, Downingtown, Elizabethtown, Exton, Lancaster, Middletown, Mount Joy, Paoli and Parkesburg. The Keystone train also reaches the following destinations in the state of
New Jersey: Iselin (Metropark), Newark (Airport and Penn Station), New Brunswick, Princeton Junction and
Trenton.
Taxis
If you need to be picked up at your hotel door, wish to travel between attractions or need to get home after a night on the tiles, then taxi transport in Harrisburg is worth considering. Local cab companies will accept advance bookings and many drivers are extremely friendly, being happy to point out places of interest en-route to your final destination. Local taxi firms operating in Harrisburg include:
- Aaaa Yellow Cab - tel: +1 717 238 8100
- American Taxi - tel: +1 717 901 8294
- Keystone Cab Company - tel: +1 717 234 4400
- Yellow Cab Company - tel: +1 717 238 7252
- Google+
