Question: Is is best to fly, drive or take the train? Family of five traveling from Chicago to Philadelphia and back. Trying to decide between airlines (quick, most expensive), Amtrak and driving (least expensive). The train is cool but the return route is mostly in darkness.  Driving or train is a good way for the kids to see the country up close (educational). We can't decide, what would you do?
Answer: For this situation/trip we recommend driving. Some thoughts:

Flying: Five tickets is a pretty big expense, adding the travel time to the airport, possible delays, security, baggage issues, etc., makes air travel less appealing for some.  Price tickets at AAA.com/travel.

Train: You might want to save the train for a shorter journey, this journey is between 20 and 26 hours (if you do, AAA members save 10% with Amtrak by choosing AAA under passenger type online). You really can’t get on and off the train to sightsee, though you do see some sights out the window and no one has to drive.

Drive: Click here to see the driving route recommended by AAA’s online TripTik Travel Planner. It’s about 12 hours, 780 miles, click here to calculate your fuel costs. If you zoom into the route, and drag the screen as you go, you will see green flags for attractions along the way, mouse over them to see popup window with more information. The route shown is the shortest way, but you could detour slightly to Cleveland or Pittsburgh, click on the names to see more information. You can customize the route with your address, destination address, and create stops along the way. If you want to just make stops to get a bite and not stay long, select ‘Restaurants’ under the Show tab, and zoom in to see AAA recommended local cafes and family restaurants.  Since there’s lots of educational opportunities for the kids in Philly, perhaps save it for then and bring games, etc., for the car ride?

Helpful blog: Philly With The Family

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