SEPTA is increasing its regional rail service and updating schedules next month.
On Monday, Aug. 26, the transit agency announced they will add 99 weekend trains and 24 weekday trains to the regional rail schedule with a new timetable for all lines going into effect on Sunday, Sept. 8.
A SEPTA spokesperson said the additions will restore 80 percent of SEPTA’s pre-COVID service on weekdays (up from 77 percent) and 84 percent on weekends (up from 63 percent). SEPTA’s regional rail ridership is currently at 67 percent of pre-pandemic levels, according to the spokesperson.
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“As we continue to rebuild ridership, SEPTA is still facing a $240 million annual budget deficit, and the need for a permanent solution grows more urgent by the day,” SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards said. “Despite this funding crisis, we can not put critical investments in our system on hold. We must move forward with efforts to make our service more reliable for our riders who depend on us to get where they need to go.”
The spokesperson said SEPTA will add additional crews to address personnel shortages and provide more consistent service. The spokesperson also said SEPTA currently has 189 engineers and is on track to meet its budgeted headcount of 213 by the spring of next year.
The upcoming service changes will feature the following, according to SEPTA:
- Full restoration of 30-minute weekend service to the Philadelphia International Airport
- Full restoration of hourly weekend service on most lines
- Additional off-peak (late-night and mid-day) and reverse peak service on most lines
- Additional railcars on select trains to mitigate overcrowding, particularly mid-week when ridership is highest
- Connection of Airport Line service to the Manayunk/Norristown Line for a one-seat ride between the airport and Norristown on weekends
- Schedule adjustments to help improve on-time performance
- State of good repair project on the Warminster Line will require shuttle bus substitution from September 7 through November 3. Weekends between Warminster and Glenside station. Weekdays (mid-day only) between Warminster and Roslyn stations
New SEPTA fall schedules for subway lines, buses
Transportation and Transit
SEPTA also released new fall schedules for their bus and Metro services, including trolleys, the Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line and Norristown High Speed Line, that began Sunday, Aug. 25, and continued Monday, Aug. 26. Several bus lines will also change between Sept. 8 and Sept. 9 to align with the new regional rail schedules.
New SEPTA safety plan
SEPTA also recently announced a new safety plan to protect students going to and from school.
SEPTA reinstating parking fees
SEPTA also announced they will reinstate parking fees at stations starting Sept. 23 after four years of free parking. The daily parking rates at SEPTA-owned surface lots will increase from $1 to $2 and from $2 to $4 at three garages for the Frankford Transportation Center, Norristown and Lansdale.
Parking at SEPTA’s surface lots will remain free on weekends and major holidays.
