Fall 2025 T Trolley Tunnel Closure Information

Update as of January 30, 2026: Planned tunnel maintenance work for this weekend has been canceled due to the impact extreme temperatures have on the overhead wires that were scheduled to be replaced. The trolleys will run in the tunnel as normal this weekend, limiting riders exposure to frigid temperatures.

Update as of January 27, 2026: The weeklong closure previously scheduled from 10 pm on February 13 through 5 am February 23 has been shortened to a weekend only closure from 10 pm on February 13 until 5 am February 16.

Continued Overnight Trolley Tunnel Closures

To allow time for additional inspections and maintenance, the tunnel will be closed and all trolleys will run on diversion each night between 10 pm and 5 am.

We thank you for your patience during this extended outage and sincerely apologize for the disruption that it has caused. We look forward to seeing our riders and our trolleys safely back in the tunnel.

Update as of December 16, 2025:

SEPTA is running a T Bus Shuttle as the Center City Trolley Tunnel Closure is expected to continue through the end of December. On weekdays, the shuttle runs every 10 minutes or better from 6 am to 10 pm, and every 15 minutes from 10 pm to midnight. On Saturdays and Sundays, the shuttle runs every 10 minutes from 6 am to 10 pm, and every 15 minutes from 10 pm to midnight. Refer to the T Bus PDF Schedule for exact stop times.

SEPTA made these changes after determining that more testing is needed before the tunnel can be opened for regular trolley service. 

We understand the frustration this extended closure is causing to our riders. To mitigate the impact of this closure, SEPTA is doing the following: 

Implementing a T Bus Shuttle between 40^th-Market and 15^th St/City Hall 

To better meet the needs of riders traveling to/from points between 40^th St and 15^th St not served by the L, SEPTA implemented a T Bus Shuttle, which runs between 6 am and midnight, seven days a week.

The map below illustrates the route followed by the shuttle (click to enlarge).

This bus option runs approximately every 10 minutes between 40^th-Market and 15^th St/City Hall, stopping near each T station along the way: 

T Bus Shuttle stops: 

• 40^th and Market 
• 36^th and Market 
• 22^nd and Market 
• 19^th and Market (Eastbound) / 19^th and JFK (Westbound) 
• 15^th and Market  

Note: This shuttle bus information is now incorporated into the data that feeds our website, app and third-party apps.

Working with partners at the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Police Department, and Philadelphia Parking Authority to implement on-street interventions to speed up the flow of diverted trolleys. So far:  

• SEPTA Transit Police and PPD Traffic have been stationed at 38^th and Spruce to prioritize trolleys turning from Spruce onto 38^th St. 
• Parking restrictions have been put in place along the left side of 40^th St to minimize the impacts of illegally stopped or double-parked cars blocking T service. 
• 40^th Street between Powelton and Market Streets has been closed to private vehicle traffic during peak hours. 
• Some traffic lights along 40^th Street have been granted extended green time to keep traffic flowing smoothly. 

We thank our partners at the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Police Department, and Philadelphia Parking Authority for their proactive collaboration on these efforts, and continue to actively work with them to implement additional interventions.  

Travel Tips to/from Center City Philadelphia

• Using the 46, 63, 52, or 64 bus to connect to the [L] 
• Using the 21, 42, or 12 bus to travel to and from Center City
• Using Indego, Philadelphia’s bike share system, to connect to a SEPTA stop or station that may be too far to walk. Indego has stations near many [L] and [T] stations, and now offers single-trip ride options. See Indego map here. 

We have also prepared updated [T] PDF schedules to provide a better idea of travel times to/from 40th St & Market St. You can view them below.

• T1
• T2
• T3
• T4
• T5

Background Information

Results from continued test trains have determined that additional testing must be completed before the trolley tunnel can reopen.

All T trolleys will remain on diversion to 40th and Market streets for connection to the L to and from Center City. We will continue to provide updates as they are available. 

We recognize that this ongoing closure poses a significant inconvenience for our customers. We are acting out of an abundance of caution to ensure the tunnel is safe to reopen for service. This closure is unrelated to planned preventative maintenance work that took place this summer during the annual trolley tunnel blitz.

Unfortunately, soon after the old sliders were replaced, there were two major incidents in the tunnel that led to evacuations: On Oct. 14, 150 passengers were evacuated after four trains were stranded in the tunnel, and a second incident on Oct. 22 led to the evacuation of 300 passengers.

Upon our investigation of the incidents, it became apparent that the sliders caused damage to the overhead infrastructure. We re-installed the 3-inch sliders on all vehicles. As we further assessed the damage, we closed the tunnel from Nov. 7 to 13, and made repairs to the overhead infrastructure. However, after reopening on Nov. 13, additional issues were identified related to the damage caused by the sliders, which caused us to close the tunnel again.

As we work through these matters, we are working closely with the Federal Transit Administration, which on Oct. 31 ordered SEPTA to inspect the entire overhead catenary system that powers our D, G, and T trolleys. This order followed an unrelated Sept. 25 pantograph incident on the D.

SEPTA will continue to provide updates as more information is available about the projected reopening of the tunnel.

Again, we sincerely apologize for this disruption and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to deliver the safe service our riders deserve.