LeBus James? LeBron Trains?: Other options for LeBron James to go from New York City to Philadelphia

After weeks of anticipation, news broke late last week that future NBA Hall of Famer LeBron James would be taking his talents to South Philly and signing with the Philadelphia 76ers. But an added wrinkle reported by ESPN this week caught our attention: The league’s all-time leading scorer allegedly will not be moving to Philadelphia, but will instead reside in New York City and commute to work via helicopter (a Blade from 34th Street to Penn’s Landing would take 45 to 55 minutes and cost anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000 one way). Clearly, money is no object to James: Not only did he sign with the Sixers for an absurdly low $8 million, but he’s willing to pay the pied-à-terre tax to avoid living in Philly. But the chopper news got us thinking: How else could LeBron commute to the City of Brotherly Love? How long would it take him to get to Xfinity Mobile Arena? And how much would it cost? City & State is on the case.

Amtrak

Route: Amtrak Northeast Regional train to SEPTA (Take any subway or trolley to the 15th St./City Hall Station and hop on the B1 to NRG Station)

Estimated travel time: 1 hour 30 minutes on Amtrak, plus about 30 minutes to the stadium

Cost: Amtrak uses variable pricing, so book early for cheaper rates!

If he’s not looking to take the chopper, this is probably the most logical option. So don’t be shocked if you see James in the lounge at Moynihan Train Hall. Or, as Eric Goldwyn noted, he could outfit a private rail car (Kim Jong Un-style) and hook onto a Northeast Regional train to avoid the crowds.

Commuter train

Route: New Jersey Transit from Penn Station to Trenton, transfer to SEPTA before taking the trolley/subway as described above to the arena

Estimated travel time: 2 hours 30 minutes from Penn Station to the 30th Street Station in Philly, plus about 30 minutes to the stadium

Cost: Approximately $25 one way, plus $2.90 for the subway

It’s an option when Amtrak is too expensive, and a nice ride! The only question for James is: Given the option, would he ride on the top or the bottom of a double-decker New Jersey Transit car?

Plane

Route: LaGuardia Airport to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Philadelphia International Airport

Estimated travel time: 8 hours

Cost: $250 (coach); $600+ (first class)

It turns out, there are no direct flights between New York and Philadelphia! Who knew? (That explains the helicopter!) So James would have to fly from LaGuardia to Fort Lauderdale (or Atlanta or Washington, D.C., among other options) and then fly to Philly. Of course, he could probably afford to take a private plane, which could cost anywhere from $6,000 to $25,000 one way from Teterboro Airport to Philly, according to estimates from evoJets.

Uber

Route: Interstate 95

Estimated travel time: 2+ hours

Cost: $475 (Uber Comfort)

If he’s willing to brave the traffic and doesn’t mind the tolls, James could call an Uber with the tap of a few buttons. Or he could just hop in any one of his luxury cars and make the trip. He’s probably good to cover the gas and tolls – even congestion pricing.

Bike

Route: Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail

Estimated travel time: 9+ hours

Cost: Blood, sweat and tears

It seems safe to assume James spends more time on a Peloton than on a CitiBike, and probably doesn’t have a membership. And the price without one would be outrageous, but he probably has a bike he can use. Quite the workout before an evening tip though.

Banana boat

Route: Float out of New York Harbor, around New Jersey and up the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River and Philadelphia Navy Yard

Estimated travel time: ???

Cost: Your dignity, and possibly life (this may be very dangerous, do not attempt)

If James wanted to relive the magic of the summer of 2015 in the Bahamas with Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade, navigating the Delaware River in the dark trying to make it in time for tipoff could be a close second.