SEPTA/Philadelphia Questions

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brianpmcdonnell17

Conductor
Joined
Mar 5, 2016
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Location
Chicago, Illinois
I will be in Philadelphia from December 17-21 and have a few questions about SEPTA and related transit.

1. My hotel is right next to Jefferson station. Would it be easier to take Regional Rail or the Market-Frankford Line from 30th Street station with 2 suitcases and a small bag? Is there any cost difference? If it matters, I will be arriving about 5 PM on a Saturday and leaving at 12 PM on a Wednesday.

2. What type of ticket would be best to get? I want to ride all the systems at least once, although we will probably be using mostly the subway. We will also probably need the trolleys and the Regional Rail a couple times.

3. Which Regional Rail line has the best scenery? I was thinking about riding Regional Rail to Norristown and then the High Speed Line back. Is that a good choice?

4. How much do SEPTA/NJT tickets cost for a trip to NYP? Would it be cheaper to take PATCO/River Line to Trenton?

5. Is there any bag storage available at 30th Street station?
 
I think I can help with a few of your questions:

1. I have taken Regional Rail many times from 30th Street station to Jefferson (I also stay at a hotel about half a block from that station when I stay over in Philly). Jefferson is right under the Marriott, there's an elevator that goes up to street level at the 12th Street/convention center exit and also up to the Marriott. If you are staying at a different hotel nearby, you would need to walk down the corridor next to the Field House sports bar to get outside, because the other exits will likely be closed after business on Saturday. If you are coming in on Amtrak, your ticket allows you a free trip from 30th Street to Jefferson. There are frequent trains, because just about everything is going through Jefferson to get somewhere else. You will stop at Suburban first, then Jefferson. I always ask the conductor if the train stops at Jefferson, just to be safe, because there are a couple of trains that end at Suburban.

2. Look into the SEPTA one-day independence day pass (I tried to link it but couldn't--just google SEPTA independence day pass, and the site should come up). I don't know if that would be the best deal, but it allows you to ride a lot of the SEPTA system, and there is both a one-person pass and a family pass.

4. SEPTA is $9 to Trenton, and Trenton to New York is astronomical--I don't know how much, except before I was able to get the senior fare on NJT, my 10-minute train ride from Trenton to Princeton Junction was almost $5 one-way, and to New York is at least an hour. (There may be a combination fare that I am not familiar with, though.) It would be cheaper to take PATCO and the RiverLine to Trenton. The scenery along the RiverLine is actually quite nice--it goes along the river (obviously) and through some nice towns, including down the middle of the street in Riverside and Burlington City. However, there are many trade-offs: it takes a very long time, you may have to wait up to half an hour on a bench outside in Camden, where there may be some very questionable characters, for the next RiverLine, and if you are going outside of rush hour, there can be some other very questionable characters on the train. If you do decide to take the RiverLine, remember to validate your ticket in the validation stamp machine--there's a fine of, I think, about $100 dollars if it's not validated (for a ticket that costs $1.50), and most of the fare checkers will have no mercy.

5. There is a ClubAcela at 30th Street, which you can use to store your bags if you are in a sleeper or Acela First Class. Also, there are redcaps who can hold your bags and take you down to the train.

I hope this is helpful--others on here may have better advice and will also correct me if I am wrong with some of mine. :p I hope you have a lovely trip! :)
 
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My answer pertains only to question 4, and in reverse. My notes for a trip from Newark Penn Station to Philadelphia say it's $13.40 from Newark to Trenton on NJ Transit and $18.00 from Trenton to Philadelphia on SEPTA. (For comparison, my notes also say it's $78.00 on Amtrak.) I understand that the train from Trenton stops at Jefferson.

[Edit: see correction in a later post. These fares are probably for two passengers.]

Well, I also have a comment on question 1. If I recall correctly, your Amtrak ticket is valid for travel on the Market-Frankford line on the day you arrive. I do not recall ever hearing that your Amtrak ticket is valid for continuation on regional rail. Corrections to my recollections and understandings are welcome.

[Edit: see correction in a later post. The Amtrak ticket is valid on regional rail but not on the Market-Frankford line.]

As I recall, it was somewhat difficult to glean information from the NJ Transit and SEPTA web sites. For example NJ Transit says the senior fare is $6.70 from Exchange Place to Trenton, but doesn't say if that includes PATH from Exchange Place to Newark Penn. This was part of a query about travel from Exchange Place to Philadelphia, and it was explicit that the SEPTA portion was not included. SEPTA says that seniors travel for $1 on regional rail, but that is perhaps only in Pennsylvania, so it doesn't apply to a journey from Trenton to Philadelphia. Again, it is not clear.

After your trip, please post the answers that you find to your questions in this thread.
 
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Does SEPTA still use payment tokens?

I recall there were plans to abolish these but I don't remember ever hearing this was followed up on.

I still have a small stash of them.
 
willem--

I must respectfully disagree with you on a couple of points, and only because I travel this route quite a bit.

$18 sounds a bit steep for SEPTA Trenton to Philly. Could your notes have been for two people? Or a round trip? It's always been $9 one way for me.

Also, unless they've changed things, an Amtrak ticket is good from 30th Street to the two Center City stations: Suburban and Jefferson. It's in tiny print at the bottom of one of the Northeast Corridor pages in the printed timetable book (sorry, can't tell you the page number because the printed book is at home, where I currently am not, and the PDF is too cumbersome to find anything in easily). They rarely even check, but of course there's always that one time. I actually had to explain this to a brand-new young conductor once, because they didn't tell him about it in his SEPTA training classes.
 
Mystic is correct, your same-day Amtrak ticket is valid for any Regional Rail train between 30th St and Jefferson. The policy is explicitly stated on SEPTA's website.

Amtrak Tickets | Both Amtrak paper tickets and e-Tickets, purchased for the same date of travel and presented for inspection, will be accepted as a fare to ride on Regional Rail trains between 30th Street Station and Jefferson Station. Customers with e-Ticket confirmations should present their personal device (iPad, laptop computer, smart phone, etc.) to the SEPTA Conductor for visual confirmation of the Amtrak fare.
From a practical standpoint, fares are rarely, if ever checked between those stations. In theory one could purchase an unreserved Keystone ticket from PHL to Ardmore for $7.50 and ride for free for an entire year. Obviously this would be dishonest but it's such an easy "cheat" that SEPTA must surely not care that much about fare-checking between 30th Street and Jefferson. If you try to use your Amtrak ticket to get on the Market-Frankford line, you'll be turned away.

To the OP: From a convenience standpoint, you'd be much better off using the Regional Rail connection over to Jefferson. At the time of day you'd be traveling, the Regional Rail trains won't be that crowded.

As far as taking the Regional Rail train out to Norristown and returning on the High Speed Line, that's an excellent choice IMO. If you have the full-meal-deal pass, and want to make a longer day of it, once you get down to the 69th Street terminal, I'd suggest taking the Rt 101 trolley. That will take you out to Media, where (with a 10-minute walk) you can easily connect to the Media station on the Media/Elwyn line. From there you can ride back into Center City.

Another rail loop that isn't perhaps so scenic but is notable for winding through some old neighborhoods would be taking the Chestnut Hill West line to the end, and then from there it's an easy block or two walk to the end station on the Chestnut Hill East line. (or vice-versa)
 
$18 sounds a bit steep for SEPTA Trenton to Philly. Could your notes have been for two people? Or a round trip? It's always been $9 one way for me.

Also, unless they've changed things, an Amtrak ticket is good from 30th Street to the two Center City stations: Suburban and Jefferson.
Yes, my notes are probably for two people. I should have thought of that. (I expect the Amtrak fare that I mentioned is for two people if the SEPTA fare was for two people. I'm usually consistent.)

Mystic is correct, your same-day Amtrak ticket is valid for any Regional Rail train between 30th St and Jefferson. The policy is explicitly stated on SEPTA's website.

[...]

If you try to use your Amtrak ticket to get on the Market-Frankford line, you'll be turned away.
That's what I get for trying to trying to work from memory. I thought I had taken the Market-Frankford line, but apparently I took the regional rail. (The Amtrak System Timetable dated October 3, 2016, page 43, agrees with the quotation from SEPTA's website.)

Thanks to both of you for the corrections.
 
You're very welcome, willem. :) It's so rare on here that I know something absolutely for sure, but this time I knew I did! :)
 
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I will be on coach on 92/91, so I will not have access to the lounge but should be able to get on the regional rail. I had heard about that before on the Regionals, Keystones, and Acelas but did not know it applied to the LD trains. Now that I looked, there is actually a small note about it on the back of the Atlantic Coast Service timetable. I have one more question I forgot about. Is there a good chance of snow that time of the year? I am coming from Florida so it would be a nice treat to see some snow. I know there are the ski areas a few hours away, but I am without a car so I am pretty much limited to where the train can take me.
 
According to the Farmer's Almanac, not much chance of snow this December, although it will be very cold. :( However, we are supposed to get hit with a major snowstorm in mid-February (anywhere from the 10th to the 16th), so if you really want snow, you could come up then. (I will most likely be passing you in the other direction as I escape to Florida! :p )
 
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I will be in Philadelphia from December 17-21 and have a few questions about SEPTA and related transit.

1. My hotel is right next to Jefferson station. Would it be easier to take Regional Rail or the Market-Frankford Line from 30th Street station with 2 suitcases and a small bag? Is there any cost difference? If it matters, I will be arriving about 5 PM on a Saturday and leaving at 12 PM on a Wednesday.

2. What type of ticket would be best to get? I want to ride all the systems at least once, although we will probably be using mostly the subway. We will also probably need the trolleys and the Regional Rail a couple times.

3. Which Regional Rail line has the best scenery? I was thinking about riding Regional Rail to Norristown and then the High Speed Line back. Is that a good choice?

4. How much do SEPTA/NJT tickets cost for a trip to NYP? Would it be cheaper to take PATCO/River Line to Trenton?

5. Is there any bag storage available at 30th Street station?
Question 1. Hop on Regional rail.. It's free between the two with your Amtrak ticket.

Question 2. Get an Independence Pass. $12 vaild on all transit. Extra $5 for travel to NJ.

Question 3. Your choice on riding between the city and Norristown is a good one. Matter of fact at the Wissahickon Station you'll be a 5 minute walk from me.

Question 4. Not really up to date of that.

Question 5. Day check at baggage. Not sure on fees.

Does SEPTA still use payment tokens?

I recall there were plans to abolish these but I don't remember ever hearing this was followed up on.

I still have a small stash of them.
Yes we do. Not much longer it seems though.. They officially have started the NPT or "Septa Key". Monthly and weekly passes and as of last Monday they started a reloadable fare card for those who use single fares.
 
I will be in Philadelphia from December 17-21 and have a few questions about SEPTA and related transit.

1. My hotel is right next to Jefferson station. Would it be easier to take Regional Rail or the Market-Frankford Line from 30th Street station with 2 suitcases and a small bag? Is there any cost difference? If it matters, I will be arriving about 5 PM on a Saturday and leaving at 12 PM on a Wednesday.

2. What type of ticket would be best to get? I want to ride all the systems at least once, although we will probably be using mostly the subway. We will also probably need the trolleys and the Regional Rail a couple times.

3. Which Regional Rail line has the best scenery? I was thinking about riding Regional Rail to Norristown and then the High Speed Line back. Is that a good choice?

4. How much do SEPTA/NJT tickets cost for a trip to NYP? Would it be cheaper to take PATCO/River Line to Trenton?

5. Is there any bag storage available at 30th Street station?
1. Take Regional rail, it's free with your Amtrak ticket. Plus no need to go outside (the Market-Frankford station is across the street, no enclosed passageway)

2. The $12 independence pass is a 1 day thing, not valid on Regional Rail in the AM rush hour (before 9:30am). If you're planning to ride the Regional Rail primarily on one or two days, it would be cheaper to buy the pass for those day(s) and then use tokens for your subway/trolley trips.

3. Norristown is a good choice. Other Regional Rail-subway loops that are easy to make include Sharon Hill (though it's just the NEC), Media, and Chestnut Hill.

4. The NJT fare Trenton-NYP is $16.75. To get to Trenton, it's $9 one way on Regional Rail (if you plan to just go to NYC for a day and not take any other SEPTA rides, do not get the Independence Pass, the extra $5 for NJ travel is per trip, not per pass) PATCO/RiverLine is considerably cheaper ($1.40 PATCO + $1.60 RiverLine), and much more unique than just riding up the NEC. Takes longer though.

5. Yes, since you're holding Amtrak tickets. $10 per bag per 24 hours, ask at the baggage counter.
 
It appears that the joint SEPTA/NJT tickets are only sold at 30th Street and Suburban Sttaion in Philadelphia. Since we would be departing from Jefferson, how should we go about this? Could I buy the tickets when we arrive in PHL days before the trip to NYP, or would they expire? Am I correct in saying a PHL-NYP ticket bought at 30th street would work boarding at Jefferson since they are the same fare zone?

Also, the prelimary forecast shows snow from RVR north so I am hopeful. I always thought that it would be fun to ride up the NEC in a snowstorm.
 
NJT tickets do not expire. At least not within a day, a week or even a month.

You can always buy a SEPTA ticket from wherever to Trenton from SEPTA, and at PHL buy an NJT ticket from Trenton to wherever at the NJT TVM. You don't have to buy the SEPTA segment between Philly and Trenton from an NJT TVM. Or, if you have a smartphone, you can get the MyTix App of NJT and buy the NJT ticket from wherever using a credit card on your smartphone.
 
The forecast is for snow?

It will be a contest between the weather channel and the farmers almanac, then, because i just checked my farmers almanac and it says some rain, then sunny and warm for your travel dates.

May the best forecast win! :p

In the best of all worlds, you will get snow to look at on the way up, then it will melt before you have to go trekking around the city in it! :)
 
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The forecast is for snow?

It will be a contest between the weather channel and the farmers almanac, then, because i just checked my farmers almanac and it says some rain, then sunny and warm for your travel dates.

May the best forecast win! :p

In the best of all worlds, you will get snow to look at on the way up, then it will melt before you have to go trekking around the city in it! :)
Almost all of the weather stations have precipitation forecast for the 17th-19th, but they are divided over whether it will fall as snow, rain, or a mix. It looks like snow could also fall this Wednesday night, so with temperatures staying below freezing Thursday and Friday it is possible some could remain on Saturday. Yet another possibility is all rain in the city, but snow in the outer suburbs such as Lansdale or Thorndale in which case I would just take a ride on the Regional Rail.
 
NJT tickets do not expire. At least not within a day, a week or even a month.

You can always buy a SEPTA ticket from wherever to Trenton from SEPTA, and at PHL buy an NJT ticket from Trenton to wherever at the NJT TVM. You don't have to buy the SEPTA segment between Philly and Trenton from an NJT TVM. Or, if you have a smartphone, you can get the MyTix App of NJT and buy the NJT ticket from wherever using a credit card on your smartphone.
NJT one ways never expire. SEPTA's expire in 6 months.

There is no discount on the joint ticket. You can buy the NJT portion when you get to Trenton, though I advise against this since if the connection is tight you don't want to be waiting to buy tickets. Either use the mobile app or buy the joint ticket at 30th St (they're valid from Jefferson)

Note that SEPTA has no ticket vending machines - if you don't buy the SEPTA portion from an NJT TVM, you need to buy it from the ticket agent (or else pay more onboard).
 
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Note that SEPTA has no ticket vending machines - if you don't buy the SEPTA portion from an NJT TVM, you need to buy it from the ticket agent (or else pay more onboard).
Thanks for that bit of information. Are SEPTA tickets available from all NJT ticket vending machines? Are SEPTA tickets available from NJT TVMs in Newark? I plan to travel from Newark to Philadelphia on NJT and SEPTA. I expect to have a long enough layover in Trenton that I could by the SEPTA ticket there, but wonder if I could buy it in Newark.

By the way, I will have luggage, which I can handle. Would you expect me to have any problems storing luggage on either the Newark to Trenton or Trenton to Philadelphia legs?
 
Note that SEPTA has no ticket vending machines - if you don't buy the SEPTA portion from an NJT TVM, you need to buy it from the ticket agent (or else pay more onboard).
Thanks for that bit of information. Are SEPTA tickets available from all NJT ticket vending machines? Are SEPTA tickets available from NJT TVMs in Newark? I plan to travel from Newark to Philadelphia on NJT and SEPTA. I expect to have a long enough layover in Trenton that I could by the SEPTA ticket there, but wonder if I could buy it in Newark.

By the way, I will have luggage, which I can handle. Would you expect me to have any problems storing luggage on either the Newark to Trenton or Trenton to Philadelphia legs?
Not sure about *all* NJT TVM's and definitely not to all SEPTA stations, but you can definitely buy tickets for both legs of your trip from the TVM in Newark, if you are going to Center City Philadelphia. On the TVM, there's no special option, just buy it as if you were buying an NJT one way and choose Philly as your destination, both tickets will print.

Luggage space on NJT Multilevels is limited. Sit on the "middle" level at the car ends, rather than going up/down the stairs, for more space. SEPTA is a little roomier.
 
Note that SEPTA has no ticket vending machines - if you don't buy the SEPTA portion from an NJT TVM, you need to buy it from the ticket agent (or else pay more onboard).
Thanks for that bit of information. Are SEPTA tickets available from all NJT ticket vending machines? Are SEPTA tickets available from NJT TVMs in Newark? I plan to travel from Newark to Philadelphia on NJT and SEPTA. I expect to have a long enough layover in Trenton that I could by the SEPTA ticket there, but wonder if I could buy it in Newark.

By the way, I will have luggage, which I can handle. Would you expect me to have any problems storing luggage on either the Newark to Trenton or Trenton to Philadelphia legs?
Not sure about *all* NJT TVM's and definitely not to all SEPTA stations, but you can definitely buy tickets for both legs of your trip from the TVM in Newark, if you are going to Center City Philadelphia. On the TVM, there's no special option, just buy it as if you were buying an NJT one way and choose Philly as your destination, both tickets will print.

Luggage space on NJT Multilevels is limited. Sit on the "middle" level at the car ends, rather than going up/down the stairs, for more space. SEPTA is a little roomier.
I didn't know about that option coming back from Newark yesterday. Then again, I got off at a suburban stop in Bucks County and not Philly so it might not have worked anyway.
 
If there is snow overnight one night when you're here, another possibility is to take a short ride on the Keystone from Philadelphia to Lancaster, then get another Keystone back. You would get a taste of the farmland in the snow, in addition to the snow in the city. (You could go all the way to Harrisburg, but that is a couple of hours each way, and to Lancaster is just over an hour and does have some nice farmland before you get to it.) Just like Amtrak, however, the only consistent thing about the weather around here is its inconsistency, so no guarantees. Hope you get a nice variety of snow to look at and then comfortable temperatures afterward! :)
 
I am arriving on 92 today around 5. It looks as though some snow fell overnight but none is forecasted for the next week. Before I get there, the forecast calls for 1-2 hours of rain with temperatures in the low to mid 30s. What are the odds that some snow will still be on the ground when I arrive? Are there certain suburbs served by SEPTA that have better chances, and if so which ones?
 
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