Philadelphia to Valley Forge 2026: Car, Bus, Tours | Valley Forge National Historical Park

Booking choice: The Valley Forge half-day tour, from $149 per person. Check dates Tour details

Most people visiting Valley Forge stay in Philadelphia, where the Revolution's other big sights are: Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Museum of the American Revolution. The park is in King of Prussia, on the Schuylkill River upstream from the city.

This guide compares every way out there, from the cheapest to the easiest, and how to fit the trip round a day in Old City.

The quick answer

Driving is about 20 miles: I-76 west (the Schuylkill Expressway), then Route 422 West and Route 23 West to the main entrance, with free parking. SEPTA bus 125 runs from 13th and Market Streets toward King of Prussia and Valley Forge in over an hour. Without a car, the easiest choice is the guided half-day tour from 48 N 12th Street, from $149 with the round trip included, or the private tour with pickup anywhere in the city, from $745 per group.

How far is Valley Forge from Philadelphia?

About 20 miles from Center City, according to the National Park Service. Without traffic the drive takes 30 to 45 minutes.

The park's address is 1400 North Outer Line Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406. The Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) is the direct road and is often slow at rush hour, so leave the city mid-morning and come back before the afternoon peak.

A park road through autumn meadows toward a low visitor center — The main entrance is at Route 23 and North Gulph Road, by the Visitor Center.

How do you get from Philadelphia to Valley Forge without a car?

Book a guided tour with transport, or take SEPTA bus 125. The tour is far easier; the bus is far cheaper.

Half-day guided tour: meet at 48 N 12th Street, ride out in a small van with a guide, and return 4 hours 30 minutes later. From $149.
Private driving tour: pickup and drop-off anywhere in the city, about 4 hours, parking included. From $745 per group of up to six.
SEPTA bus 125: see below. Once at the Visitor Center you are on foot, and the loop is 10 miles.
Taxi or rideshare: door to door to the Visitor Center; you will need a ride back when the grounds close.

A guided tour solves the problem the bus leaves you with. The sights are spread over a 10-mile loop, and the tour drives you from stop to stop.

Valley Forge Half-Day Tour from Philadelphia

The van, the guide and the round trip from Center City in one booking, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

★ 5.0 · 4 hours 30 minutes · from $149

Explore the Valley Forge half-day tour Tour details

Which SEPTA bus goes to Valley Forge?

Route 125, which starts at 13th and Market Streets in Center City. The National Park Service lists a stop at the Visitor Center, and Route 139 stops along Route 23.

The 125 runs out through the suburbs to King of Prussia, and the ride to Valley Forge takes over an hour. Route 139 stops near the Visitor Center at Route 23 and Outer Line Drive and at Washington Memorial Chapel. Check times in SEPTA's app or on its website the day before, because weekend service is thinner.

By train, the nearest Regional Rail stations are Paoli on the Paoli/Thorndale Line and the Norristown Transportation Center, each a taxi ride from the park.

How do you drive from Philadelphia to Valley Forge?

Take I-76 west, then Route 422 West and Route 23 West. From the Pennsylvania Turnpike, use exit 326.

The main entrance is at the junction of Route 23 and North Gulph Road, next to the Visitor Center at Valley Forge. Parking is free at the Visitor Center and at every Encampment Tour stop. Under the park's no-idling rule, engines go off once you are parked for more than 30 seconds.

A car lets you drive the 10-mile loop at your own pace. The park grounds, roads and trails open every day of the year from 7 AM until 30 minutes after sunset. The Visitor Center at Valley Forge opens daily from 9 AM to 5 PM and closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Prefer not to drive? Your own guide collects you anywhere in Philadelphia.

Check dates for the private Valley Forge tour

Can you bike from Philadelphia to Valley Forge?

Yes. The paved Schuylkill River Trail follows the river from the city and enters the park over Sullivan's Bridge at Betzwood.

It is a long day in the saddle, so many riders go one way and bring the bike back on SEPTA; check SEPTA's bicycle rules first. Inside the park, 18.2 miles of trails are open to bikes, including the paved Joseph Plumb Martin Trail.

A red covered bridge over a creek — The Knox Covered Bridge crosses Valley Creek near Knox's Quarters.

What is the best guided tour from Philadelphia to Valley Forge?

The half-day tour, rated 5.0 from 64 reviews, for most visitors. The private tour for families and groups who want their own pace.

The half-day tour is the one most people book. On the ride out the guide covers the early war and the road to Valley Forge, then the stops include the Visitor Center, Washington's Headquarters, the recreated huts and the National Memorial Arch. Guests name Tom, Jason and James as their guides, and the van is small. Victoria wrote: "I liked the small van, too" (Oct 2026).

The private tour is run by the same company as the city's private driving tour. It is built around your group: Bill wrote that his guide Dale "went out of his way to assist us during the heavy rain storm to try and keep us dry" (Jul 2026). Both tours cancel free up to 24 hours before.

Pickup at your hotel, your own guide and a route built round your group, for up to six people.

★ 5.0 · 4 hours · from $745

Explore the private Valley Forge tour Tour details

Can you do Valley Forge and Philadelphia's historic sites in one day?

Yes, with a half-day tour in the morning and Old City in the afternoon, or the other way round.

The half-day tour leaves you most of the day in the city. Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell are close to the Museum of the American Revolution at 101 South Third Street, which opens daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. The museum's $27 adult ticket is good for two days in a row and shows Washington's war tent, which ties the two halves of the day together.

Guided walks such as the history and Revolution walking tour stay in the city and do not go to Valley Forge. Pair one with the drive out for the full story.