Getting in
- Philadelphia International Airport: The actually sensible transfer is a taxi or rideshare direct to Swarthmore/Swarthmore College: roughly 20 minutes without bad traffic. Budget about $35–45; one college transport page still quotes about $20, but that is not a safe current expectation. The cheap alternative is SEPTA Airport Line to 30th Street or Suburban Station, then the Media/Wawa Regional Rail line to Swarthmore—usually 60–90 minutes once the connection and wait are included, roughly $10–12 total. Do not take a costly airport transfer service for this short suburban run.
- William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, Philadelphia: Take SEPTA Regional Rail’s Media/Wawa line (formerly Media/Elwyn) directly to Swarthmore Station, in the village center beside campus. Allow about 30–40 minutes from 30th Street and a few dollars for the regional-rail fare; check the live timetable, especially evenings and weekends. Amtrak is useful for arriving in Philadelphia, not for the final leg.
- Swarthmore Station: This is the right rail arrival point for the borough: it is steps from the compact business district, Swarthmore College, and the Scott Arboretum. The Media/Wawa line is a direct 25–30-minute ride from Center City Philadelphia; use it rather than driving in for a Philadelphia day.