In an effort to improve conditions for essential travelers and employees during the COVID-19 crisis, and prepare for the region’s reopening, SEPTA will return to regular schedules on most Transit services starting the week of May 17. This includes resuming service on all bus and trolley routes with front-door boarding and fare payment, and restoring regular weekday and weekend frequencies on the Market-Frankford, Broad Street and Norristown High Speed Lines.
“The health and safety of employees and customers remains SEPTA’s top priority, and this return-toservice plan is focused on enhancing measures we have put in place to reduce crowding and promote social distancing,” said SEPTA General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “While we are preparing for an eventual increase in ridership, service will continue to be available for essential travel only until further notice. If you do not need to get to work or access life-sustaining services, please do your part to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by staying off the system.”
Below are highlights for customers about the return to regular Transit schedules starting the week of May 17. A Transit schedule preview is posted on SEPTA’s website at https://www.septa.org/media/transit-schedule-update.html. Please note that Regional Rail will continue to operate on reduced schedules until further notice.
Bus and Trolley
- Service will return to regular weekday and weekend levels on most routes. The Route 101 Trolley will operate as a bus, and the Route 102 Trolley will remain suspended, as will the Route 91, which serves Graterford Prison. Routes 204, 310, 311, and LUCY Gold and Green Routes will continue to operate on a reduced schedule.
- Front-door boarding and fare payment or validation will be required. This is aimed at helping operators keep track of the number of people on-board and discouraging non-essential travel.
- Rider limits of 20 per bus, 25 per trolley and 30 on the Norristown High Speed Line will continue to be enforced, and operators may pass stops if the vehicle exceeds those numbers.
- There will be new signage encouraging social distancing, and seats will be marked off to help demonstrate the distance that customers should keep between them.
- All vehicles in service have shields for operators. Customers will be required to stay six-feet away from operators once they board; a yellow line on the floor will mark off this space.
- Customers will exit vehicles from the rear doors, to maintain distance between operators and other riders who are boarding.
Market-Frankford Line and Broad Street Line/Broad-Ridge Spur Lines:
Service levels will increase, however, selected stations along both lines will remain closed until further notice. These closures allow SEPTA cleaning crews to concentrate their efforts at open stations, which provide access to critical services and connections to other Transit services. The following stations will remain open, and all others closed until further notice:
Market-Frankford Line
Frankford Transportation Center, Arrott Transportation Center, Erie-Torresdale, Allegheny, Huntingdon, Berks, Girard, Spring Garden, 8th Street, 11th Street, 15th Street, 30th Street, 34th Street, 40th Street, 46th Street, 56th Street, 60th Street and 69th Street Transportation Center.
Broad Street Line/Broad-Ridge Spur
Fern Rock Transportation Center, Olney Transportation Center, Hunting Park, Erie, Allegheny, North Philadelphia, Cecil B. Moore, Girard, 8th Street, Race-Vine, City Hall, Walnut/Locust, Ellsworth/Federal, Snyder, Oregon and NRG.
Night Owl Bus Service along both lines will resume on weekdays, and overnight train service will return on weekends.
While regular schedules will go into place, SEPTA’s workforce continues to feel the impact of COVID-19, and absenteeism remains at higher-than-normal levels. Service adjustments will be made as needed to operate as much service as possible with the personnel available. Please continue to check SEPTA’s website, Twitter and the Official SEPTA App for real-time updates.