King of Prussia

Understand

King of Prussia is a suburban community that is located 20 miles northwest of the city of Philadelphia in Montgomery County in southeastern Pennsylvania. The town developed around the King of Prussia Inn, a tavern that was built as a cottage in 1719 at what is now the intersection of U.S. Route 202 (Dekalb Pike) and Gulph Road. The cottage became an inn called Berry's Tavern in 1769 and was popular with travelers as it was a day's travel by horse from Philadelphia. General George Washington visited the inn on Thanksgiving Day in 1777. During the winter of 1777-78, General Washington and the Continental Army made their winter encampment nearby in Valley Forge while the British occupied the city of Philadelphia. By 1786, Berry's Tavern became known as the King of Prussia Inn, named after Frederick II, King of Prussia. King of Prussia would remain a rural area into the 20th century. In the middle of the 20th century, King of Prussia saw extensive suburban development. The town is now home to several office parks and retail space that developed around the convergence of the Schuylkill Expressway, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, U.S. Route 202, and U.S. Route 422. King of Prussia is considered an "edge city" of Philadelphia, an area with business and shopping outside the central business district of a city in what was once a rural area.

King of Prussia has a humid subtropical climate with four seasons. Summers are hot and humid, with highs averaging in the 80s and lows averaging in the 60s. Summer temperatures occasionally rise to the 90s or 100s. Winters are cool to cold, with highs averaging in the low 40s and lows averaging in the 20s. Winter temperatures can occasionally drop down to 0 degrees or lower. Spring and fall can be variable, usually with milder weather. King of Prussia averages 48.49 inches of precipitation a year, which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The area does see snow in the winter months, with some winters seeing only light snow and other winters bringing large snowstorms. In the warmer months, the area does experience thunderstorms, some of which can be severe. King of Prussia is prone to tropical storms and hurricanes from the Atlantic basin in the late summer and early fall, but typically only receives the remnants of such storms as they typically weaken by the time they reach this latitude.

Get in

By car

The Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) provides access to King of Prussia from Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76 to the west and I-276 to the east) toll road provides access to King of Prussia via the Valley Forge interchange from points west such as Harrisburg and Pittsburgh and points east such as the northern suburbs of Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York City. U.S. Route 202 provides access to King of Prussia from West Chester to the south and from Norristown to the north. U.S. Route 422 provides access to King of Prussia from Pottstown, Reading, and other communities along the Schuylkill River to the northwest.

If you are coming from Center City, Philadelphia, get on I-676 (Vine St Expressway), then go I-76 towards Valley Forge. Stay on I-76 for about 30 minutes. After proceeding on I-76 get off at the King of Prussia exit. If you want to go to the King of Prussia Mall follow the exit signs for Mall Boulevard. If you are coming from the suburbs of Philadelphia, take the Pennsylvania Turnpike towards Harrisburg, then proceed to the Valley Forge exit.

By plane

Fly into Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft or rent a car. The trip from there to King of Prussia takes 30 minutes. King of Prussia is 26 miles from Philadelphia International Airport.

By bus

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) provides bus service to King of Prussia. Many of the buses stop at the transit center adjacent to The Plaza at the King of Prussia Mall. There are two routes that connect King of Prussia with Center City Philadelphia. Bus 124 provides service to Center City Philadelphia and to Chesterbrook, with a stop at the King of Prussia Mall transit center. Bus 125 runs from Valley Forge National Historical Park and the King of Prussia directly into the Center City Philadelphia. You can catch it along Gulph Road and at the King of Prussia Mall transit center. You will arrive near the train station at 30th St and Market St; from there, you walk a few feet to the station itself and get on the eastbound subway towards the Old City and other attractions. The base fare for the 124 and 125 buses is $2.90. The buses run every 20 min during peak hours and every hour off-peak, during the weekdays, and the trip takes around 40 min. While taking a bus may seem inconvenient, you will save time and hassle by not driving into Philadelphia yourself. Relax and let the bus driver fight the traffic. You will save even more time and money since you don't have to find a place to park your car in the city. In the reverse direction, the last bus leaves Philly (again at 30th and Market) at about 10PM, on weekdays. The 124 and 125 buses also run on Saturday and Sunday.

There are several bus routes that connect King of Prussia with nearby suburbs. Bus 92 connects the King of Prussia Mall with West Chester in Chester County Monday through Saturday. Bus 99 connects the King of Prussia Mall transit center with Norristown and Phoenixville daily. Bus 123 connects the mall with the 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby daily. Bus 139 connects the King of Prussia Mall with Limerick Monday through Saturday. The base fare for all these bus routes is $2.90.

Check the SEPTA website for additional information.

By train

There is not a train station close to the King of Prussia Mall. The nearest train stations are in neighboring Conshohocken, at Washington Street and Harry Street, and Norristown Transportation Center, at Schuylkill Avenue and Dekalb Street. The Manayunk/Norristown Regional Rail Line will take you to the city center from these stations. The train ride takes about 30 min. The weekday fare is $6.00 in advance/$7.00 on board one-way and $12.00 in advance/$14.00 on board round trip. The evening/weekend fare is $5.25 in advance/$7.00 on board one-way and $10.50 in advance/$14.00 on board round trip. Check SEPTA's website for timetables. The stations have a park-and-ride lot, but spaces may not be available to tourists. SEPTA's Bus 99 provides service from the Norristown Transportation Center to the King of Prussia Mall.

SEPTA's Norristown High Speed Line, which runs between Norristown Transportation Center and 69th Street Terminal, also serves the King of Prussia area, with the Gulph Mills station located at Trinity Lane and Crest Way near Gulph Road southeast of the mall. However, it would be a long and dangerous walk from the mall area. Buses 124 and 125 connect the Gulph Mills station with the King of Prussia Mall.

By bicycle

The Schuylkill River Trail provides bicycle access from Philadelphia to King of Prussia and Valley Forge, following the Schuylkill River. Access from the trail to King of Prussia and Valley Forge is provided by a bicycle/pedestrian bridge called Sullivan's Bridge across the Schuylkill River at Valley Forge National Historical Park. The Schuylkill River Trail also provides bicycle access to the area from points along the river to the northwest. The Chester Valley Trail provides bicycle access to King of Prussia from points in Chester County as far west as Exton.

Get around

It is easiest to get around town by car. SEPTA buses can also be used to get around King of Prussia, with service to most major points of interest such as the King of Prussia Mall, Valley Forge Casino Resort, and Valley Forge National Historical Park.

There are three companies that provide taxicab and limousine service in King of Prussia:

Ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft can be used to get around King of Prussia.

Within Valley Forge National Historical Park, you may drive, hike, bike, or travel by shuttle to see the points of interest within the park.

Stay safe

Traffic in this area is thick and fast-moving, especially during rush hours (7-9AM and 4-6PM). Expect the interchanges to be backed up to the point where there are lines of cars winding around the nearby neighborhoods. Try to familiarize yourself with the traffic flow before you try driving in it, because if you are in the wrong lane trying to get onto one of the freeways, you will probably not be able to move over and will have to go the wrong direction and take a detour. Gulph Rd and Schuylkill River Rd are winding, steep, and have surprisingly high speed limits even though there are houses on them. Watch out for hidden driveways and sudden stops.

Be careful walking around the town. There are few crosswalks or pedestrian signals. Near the mall, you will be forced to jaywalk if you want to get anywhere on foot. It is not a pedestrian-friendly area by any means.

Go next

• Allentown, 55.4 mi
• Philadelphia, 20.9 mi