I am a budget traveler. When it comes to inflation, I look for alternative transportation. I usually rent a car from the airport. But not during car shortage. I chose train from the airport to Philadelphia Chinatown. This was a nice treat for me. I love how organized the signage and helpful employees to make sure I was not lost. The train arrival time on the display seem to be accurate to the minute. My first-time arriving Jefferson Station was trying to leave the platform after seeing so many exits. I used my GPS to direct me to the correct street for my final destination. Then, I asked a police officer on the street level to confirm my location. My second visit was me leaving town to the airport. I asked a gate person how to enter the terminal. She was super nice. No issues here. I just had to remember to lift my luggage so I don't get stuck in the turnstile to cause any embarrassing scene. read more

Jefferson Station - Choice but simple. I chose train from Jefferson Station to the airport - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This train station has a beautiful tile mural and ticket vending machines, one of the very few SEPTA Regional Rail stations with such an amenity. The restrooms and elevators are very clean, but it sucks that you have to pay to use them. However, the automated announcements are often inaccurate. Hence, they should have human announcers in the station at all times when trains are running, not just during rush hour. Also, there are always a bunch of lights that are always flickering or burned out, and SEPTA never bothers to fix them or replace them. read more

Because this station is very busy during the day you may have less of a chance to be in danger. But please be aware of your surroundings. For the most part the station is clean and it doesn't have any of the underground transportation smells. and it is generally safe. This is a Station where you can walk easily to several places such as Reading Terminal, Fashion mall Chinatown and so on, very convenient. My only concern is at night time they are very few people other than those who require shelter. This can make for a very dangerous situation without any type of security. read more

Sure, everyone in this city knows Septa sucks. Sure, it's better than it used to be... but in comparison to EVERY other large city transit system it lags. Sure, this station is ( relatively) clean. Sure, most Septa employees enjoy letting you know how little they care. Sure ... this is the " Fashion District" ... Man, I laugh every time I see that sign. #Primark read more

The trips between PHL & Center City were fairly easy to navigate, especially if you are a seasoned public transportation traveler. However, if you need assistance in any manner, it may not result in a pleasant experience. The staff at the station would rather watch videos on their phone than do the job for which they get paid & react with obvious indignation when asked for help. The announcements for the upcoming stations are not usually clearly enunciated & little to no signage is present to help. read more

[795] This station which used to be called Market East is a nice station to visit. It is attached to a mall which has a ton of cool stores such as 5 below, Century 21 and Burlington Coat Factory. It is also next to Reading Terminal Market which is always busy and a great place to pick up food and treats. The Sepata trains are usually on time and the tracks are always marked. There is a restroom and plenty of staff available. There are tons of renovations happening right now so I can't wait to see what's coming in the future to this station. I'll definitely be back. read more

Jefferson Station - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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As a native this has always been my favorite station to use getting around the city. I used to take the R7 home to North Philly train station from the Gallery Mall. As someone not having lived here for 13 years and not used to be construction it was hard navigating. When you are inside the mall the station is easy to find. If you are being dripped off its hard to find a door to the station. Its weird to explain. I got dropped off at Reading Terminal. I knew I had to use a certain entrance. Thank God I happened to look into a window and realized it was an entrance ti the station. Septa please put out something on the ztreet to direct folks to the station otherwise they will miss it. This is one of the most comfortable and clean stations Septa has to offer. Just wish their trains were the same albeit the Airport train was clean and I appreciated the side doors they have now. The kiosks on the platform did not wirk so I had to pay on the train. $8 instead of $6.75. I was bummed about that. Also the esclator didn't work so I couldn't go upstairs to use the restroom with a big suitcase. Septa please address these issues. read more

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Great location, friendly staff, multiple bathrooms available, nice waiting area when you get to the station a bit early and don't want to wait along the tracks! Also have coffee and food options available! read more

Pretty clean and the staff at ticketing were nice, so were the law enforcement. It's convenient to have the stop right under the convention center. It's also convenient to have a variety of shops above the rains also. On the first floor there are placards of the history of the building. I adore a lil history. read more

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Centrally located station to take back to Doylestown. Plenty of seating, not crowded and clearly laid out . It's across the street from the Reading Market and a short walk to Little Italy. Bathrooms are clean and the people at the station are helpful and friendly. They have charging stations for your phone. read more

Market East has put in some effort to improve itself. The bathrooms are being cleaned more frequently, staffing at the ticket window seems more consistent, and well let's just give them credit for that. What else do we have... easy access to the Gallery and Convention Center, a mosaic everyone comments on (at least on Yelp!), and entrances from the outside which confuse the hell out of me (like which one will be open, especially when I am in a hurry to catch the last train of the night). So yea, back to the rating. Three-stars seems about right! read more

Jefferson Station - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I loathe this station. I can't wait for the future kiosk to open because dealing with the ticket sales office employees are the worst! There had been numerous times I have missed the train because of their lack of care! Slow and poor customer service skills. This woman this morning dropped down her blinds at the counter before I could even ask her a question. Shady shade! Urgh! Needless to say, I was not amused!!!! read more

Jefferson Station - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

How did this station fall so far? In my early days in Philly, this station was almost new and great but then, The Gallery was booming, and I didn't have to walk around the homeless to go somewhere. The walls were artistic and gave you something interesting to watch while waiting on the platform. I think I remember more waiting in line for a TransPass, listening to the rude person behind the window over and over. Of course, that could have been any major station. The last time I was here, I was amused that almost all of the suburban trains were on-time, except the R6 (Trenton?), which almost always missed the NJT train to NYC by 5 or 10 minutes the years I rode it. For SEPTA's fanciest terminal, why is it so nasty? It looks good from a distance. I would expect the Concourse to be poorly cleaned because walking through there, you'd see all manner of people, but out in the bright lights of Market East, things should be clean. I suppose it's just Gallery Grime, since The Gallery has fallen so far from the 1980s. It makes me sad that Philly gets up and falls again, far too often. Still, SEPTA is going and moving people. When will it be pleasant again? read more

Jefferson Station - Market East station is as clean as any station in Washington DC, but it's sad that more here aren't like it. - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Editing this for a few reasons: 1. You can now use a key card which means you don't have to worry about potentially missing a train (assuming you preload it or get there in time) 2. Workers seem generally happier and are a lot more friendly 3. It's attached to the new fashion district which is nice and a lot cleaner (so far) than the gallery ever was It's still annoying that I have to scan my key card twice - once to get past the gates and once while on the train? Trains are still always late and the times are infrequent if you're a commuter. Maybe eliminate one of the 27 trains to temple every morning? read more

My thoughts on a train station are keep it simple and make it a relaxing environment for the commuter. Market East accomplishes neither. My biggest annoyance is that during rush hour there is someone on the loudspeaker which is turned up to 120 decibels shouting out the trains that are arriving. Why this is annoying is because we have a monitor displaying the arrival times and an automated voice announcing arrivals. We don't need two city employees doing the same thing on each ramp (not to mention the two workers sitting at information). The one feature that is nice is that if you are hungry, you can jump over and get some food - although I would only do this in the most dire circumstances. The bathrooms are a mess. Although, with the number of people going through that can't be avoided without rebuilding the bathrooms. So it's loud, busy, and confusing. Lets just say, if the zombie apocalypse were to happen, you would not want to be at Market East. read more

Jefferson Station - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Oh man. It had been a long time since I had last been here. Nothing ever changes! Tons of extremely, uhh, interesting people that kind of take over the inside of J-Stat. There's currently something burning upstairs and no one knows what is. Oh well! I do like that it's easy to navigate. It's absolutely impossible to get lost trying to find your track. It's surprisingly pretty quiet as well. Reading Terminal Market is also right outside. Always a fun time. I used to choose this station as my layover point when I lived in Roxborough and commuted to Warminster for work so I could wander around a bit before catching my next train....so it's not that bad. I do have one found memory of eating a breakfast sandwich and having a homeless dude curse me out. It was all good though. I just kept rocking out with my headphones in my ears. Wear headphones and keep to yourself...especially if you're female. read more

Jefferson Station - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Market East Station, similar to Suburban Station, is an awful disgrace to our city. Right in the heart of the tourist destinations at Hard Rock, Convention Center, Reading Terminal, etc. you have this smelly old terminal that is more of a homeless haven than a welcoming sight as soon as you'd hop off a plane from PHL or an Amtrak train! Most areas around Market East consistently smell of urine, and you'd be hard pressed to find a single person in there with a genuine smile. Don't get me wrong, I do love our "City of Brotherly Love" for many reasons, but our SEPTA stations and public transportation interchanges are definitely not one of them! read more

The location is convenient and it is a cheap and fast way to get the airport (6.50) each way. However, the station is old and dirty and the entire Philly rail system is stuck in the 1970s. Who uses paper tickets anymore? And which major city still has conductors go around "stamping" your paper tickets? Also, do not come here if you have an early morning flight alone. The moment you open the doors at 5am, you will first get a strong whiff of urine soaked clothes and nasty BO smells. Then you will look down and be amazed that there literally a CITY of homeless people sprawled out throughout the station. Careful not to wake any of them or roll over them with your suitcase! Reminds me of a scene from lord of the rings where the hobbits have to navigate around the sleeping ogres. Lastly the stations are incredibly confusing and shows how dates the system is. Of you get on the incorrect train by accident, don't expect to find out until you are outside of the city because...there are ZERO signs inside the train card which train you are actually on. dont expect any signs of what stop is next or where you are in the system either. The conductors YELLS out the station coming up, so if you can't understand his mumbling or miss the one time he yells out your stop, your screwed. Hopefully Philly will update its metro system to be equivalent to that of NYC/SF/DC but I have a feeling this will never happen with the poor state of the city's finances. read more

Jefferson Station - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

One of those stations that I've been in over a million times by now, so I'm kind of surprised that I haven't thought to review it until I saw Vinny's review this afternoon. When it comes down to it its one of those stations that has the good, the bad, and the weird resonating within it on a daily basis. Since it's interconnected to The Gallery, The Convention Center, and The Reading Terminal Market while being the most central regional rail station of Center City; Its one of those spots that always seems to have plenty of people watching opportunities for better and worse. Alas since its close to the shady Greyhound Bus station (http://www.yelp.com/biz/greyhound-trailways-lines-philadelphia#hrid:SIK1algF_n4lXtYNSN_dUA), and is connected to The Gallery; you also see the dregs of humanity walking within it on a frequent basis to. The craziness that seen can't be summarized with words! As far as Septa stations go Market East is about as average to awful as Suburban and 30th Street Stations to can be. Although in a lot of ways it can be a little more worse for wear; and its especially the case when you look at their horrible attempt at a tree mural for their wall, and their horrendous bathrooms (http://youtu.be/GUfS_2UGftg). read more

As expected, Septa misses it mark. The train to the airport was scheduled for a specific time and Septa did not hit it's Target. Overall, it is somewhat reliable since it is not the Market Frankford Line (MFL), so I would imagine it being more dependable. Again, do not get your hopes up. Try to get to the Airport around 30 mins before your normal departure time. I recorded the time to be 15 minutes late compared to its original time. Watch out for yourself cause Septa apparently doesn't. Overall, I'll take it cause I have a pass from the MFL but if I didn't probably would try and find another option to get to the airport. I.E Uber read more

Out of the three SEPTA regional rail stations in Center City (Jefferson, Suburban, and 30th) - Jefferson Station (formerly known as Market Street Station) is definitely the most tourist oriented. It has an open welcome feeling to it with mosaic artwork down on the train platforms and a short escalator ride up to the station has a handful of vendors. Once you step out of Jefferson Station, you are right next to the Convention Center, Reading Terminal Market, Chinatown. Town Hall & Love Park (under renovation), the Liberty Bell, Constitution Center, Jeweler's Row, and Old City are just a short walk away. If your'e good for a 1 mile walk, you can easily reach the Delaware River Waterfront, Spruce Street Harbor Park, Seaport Museum, and Franklin Fountain for ice cream. If you head south from Jefferson Station, South Street and the Italian Market are also within a one mile walk. There are so many cool things to do in Philly for locals and tourists alike - I love it! It is easy to walk around and way more affordable than NYC or Washington DC. I am often asked where to switch trains to go to the airport and if they should switch at 30th Street Station. IF you are coming from the north / east and your train reaches Jefferson Station before 30th Street Station, I recommend switching to the airport line at Jefferson Station. Why? 30th Street Station is outdoors (can be cold or hot), has 6 train tracks, and if you need to switch train tracks you must go up/down stairs. Jefferson Station is indoors, has 4 train tracks, and the airport train is likely going to be coming on the same track/platform. IF you are coming from the west, you will reach 30th Street Station first and you will probably have to switch tracks regardless. read more

There's some bright art on the wall to wake the sleepy commuters up. It smells like piss, but what subway or train station doesn't. There's this pretty cool underground crossover between the BSL and Jefferson station where is feels like you're walking through old subway carts. read more

Jefferson Station - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Really nice decorative tiles on the walls. If you look at them closely and blur your eyes you will be transported to a calm, serene, outdoor scene. Do this. Often. Because if not, you will be subject to dreadfully dirty (or sometimes locked) bathrooms, harried commuters, and the homeless asking for change. While there is enough of a police presence to feel relatively safe, it's hard to feel all that relaxed with all of the goings on around you...unless you stare at the tiles. Just don't miss your train! FYI- Market East Station is conveniently located adjacent to Reading Terminal Market, the Convention Center, The Gallery (scenic in it's own special way), Chinatown, and the Greyhound Bus Station (Lord knows what awaits there). read more

Jefferson Station - Nice tiles! - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

While not as pretty as some train stations in major US/European cities - it's streamlined, urban, and feels spacious. I like the colorful tiles on both sides of the tracks. It's Market East in my heart! Good: Busy train station connected to a lot: - Convention Center - Reading Terminal Market - Field House - Hard Rock - The Gallery (closed for renovation) The cxn to Gallery was a nice indoor route during cold/hot/inclement weather. Beats driving! Nothing express about the Vine or Schuylkill. Relatively clean for such a busy location that caters to a large demographic (note, I haven't used the restrooms here ... ) Would be nice: - Free Wifi on trains - Cupholders in trains (I wish) - Both ticket booths open during regular hours (sometimes only one is open) The usual city warning: always be aware of your surroundings and please don't stand too close to the platform edge! read more

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Jefferson Station, formerly referred to as Market East (still listed under that name on some maps), is served by all of the major SEPTA commuter rail lines. Tickets can be purchased at the window, and credit cards are accepted. Employees are generally businesslike, and make very little small talk, as expected for transit agency workers. Train arrival times can be viewed on monitors, and are announced over the loudspeaker prior to arrival. Maybe I'm oblivious, but I don't find this station as God awful as some other reviewers. Sure, it's no 30th St. Station, and I'm sure it's seen better days, but it could be worse. As others have mentioned, the decorative tiles on the platform walls are a nice touch, though the waiting area is pretty minimalist, and can be somewhat grungy. While I'm sure there are homeless people who hang around this station, none of them have ever bothered me inside or outside of it. I've never seen anyone sleeping on the chairs, and I've never been asked for change. FWIW, I've only used this station in the late afternoon, and always enter via the 11th St. entrance across from Reading Terminal Market. Perhaps I'd feel differently if I used this station in the evening. For a station serving several of Philly's major tourist attractions, including the convention center, Center City, and Old City, it could certainly be a lot nicer. Then again, Philly doesn't seem to be very good at putting its best foot forward to visitors, in general. I suppose this station is right in line in that regard. 2.5 stars. read more

Who paid who to rename this station, Jefferson Station? I guess if I had an extra $4 Million lying around I would want something named after me as well, if I give you $40 will you name a bench after me? Supposedly, the $4 Million Septa received from Jefferson University Hospital will be used to update the entrances, bathrooms and to make other customer improvements to the station. Has anyone seen any updates? I find the station to be clean and well laid out. What draws me to this station again and again is the convenience of it, it connects you to The Gallery, The Convention Center and Reading Terminal Market (my favorite). I have never used the bathrooms here so I can't speak to the cleanliness, however I find it hilarious that so many other Yelpers have used the public bathrooms at this station. It's a public restroom inside a train station y'all, you should lower your expectations or learn how to hold it a bit longer. Philadelphia Septa is stuck in the past being the last Public Transit system using tokens and a paper ticketing system. There are a multitude of articles talking about ticketing updates, however the dates and deadlines have come and gone and still no updates - one day maybe (I'll hold my breath). Who would want to give up those little paper tickets and joy of watching the Septa person use a hole punch to punch your ticket every time you ride? Say what you will about Jefferson Station/Market East, I've never had any issues, cleanliness is good, the ticketing system is functional for now and I can get from suburbia to downtown Philadelphia in 30 minutes - works for me. read more

Everything smells like urine. The only safe entrance is between 11 and 12 on Market. This is probably due to the fact that it's not actually a SEPTA entrance, it's more for the convention center and the PNC in the lobby. And by 'safe' entrance I mean the only entrance I feel safe walking through at daylight. You never know what kind of people you're going to find snoozing, begging and doing whatever else in other entrances. Taking the train alone late at night can prove to be a somewhat terrifying experience at Market East. I don't recommend it. Everyone that works here is miserable. I don't blame them, I would be too, but their misery really just makes mine exponentially worse. The lines are brutally long and often have signs for people buying 'tokens and passes only' which is usually for 1 out of the 20 people in line. Most of the trains I take go north bound so another minus is that once the train finally arrives (it will be late every single time, without fail), it's already full so you get the pleasure of standing. The mix of people in here ranges from families from the burbs (Market East is why people are afraid of the city) to hoodrats. Why 2 stars? Its location is unbelievably convenient- Reading Terminal, Convention Center, Center City, Italian Market, Chinatown, the el, trolleys, Greyhound, Old City, etc. is within walking distance. The Gallery can be a fun people watching experience. Also a star for just existing for carless people. The walls down on the platforms are pretty and there's nice natural light (BUT, no climate control so it'll be 100 degrees and stinky all summer). All that being said, nothing is better motivation to buy a car and take a shower than a visit to Market East Station. read more

This used to be my train station everyday when I worked out in Surburbia. I've had some delays here but it's a functioning station that's got just as many weirdos as Suburban. My main gripe is the ticket window staff. Sometimes, there is a huge line of people and only one person working the desk. Other times, only one side is open and not the other effectively forcing a 2 block walk on you to go to the other office. I guess it's not awful but it could be better. The food options are slim and well the Gallery is The Gallery. Take from that what you will. I'm sure I'll be back. read more

Well I can't say that this was the best train experience but I guess it got me to my destination. Somehow I just feel that taking the train should be cheaper and faster than driving my car (and I am factoring gas and insurance here)....come to find out, this is not the case - cost more and took longer. The ticket agents were seemingly less than thrilled about having to answer any question that I had...being a first timer I admit I had a few. I was directed to the wall o pamphlet horror for the schedule. This wall contains so many train schedules for so many locations that two of us stood there for 10 minutes just to get our brain jump started enough to read the massive amounts of text in front of us...but no fear, we found the Conshy one. So finally got on the train and I guess the car that we got onto wasn't a good as the car right in front of it, so the train agent made us move, again don't think that she really likes her job. But hey we got to cram into that front car with some really cool people. In the end...we made it. read more

Love this transportation. I use a lot of public transportations throughout the US. What I love about this particular station and train is that everyone is so so helpful! Half the time I never know where I am going. They have helpers all throughout the station that are cheery and more than willing to help me!! This station is particularly cool because it is the stop for Reading Terminal Market which I absolutely love. I can go here from the airport without ever going into the weather elements. I can't say their conductors of the regional trains are the nicest, but the station is great. Lots of seating and food options. read more

It's a train station folks. Centrally located. Super helpful station agents for visitors, like me. It has all the typical things you see in train stations. Homeless folks hanging out, trying to stay warm. Not the cleanest place in town, yep, that's urine you smell. Wouldn't consider using the rest room. Pay attention as you pass through. You're in. You're out. read more

It's a double edged sword. While super convenient for its location, accessibility, and plentiful food court, it's home to most of the homeless population in the city. Constant harassment from vagrants to rude people pushing others, it can be the proverbial bottom of the barrel when t comes to inhabitants. It's usually fairly clean though the rest rooms leave one to wonder if they pay the cleaning staff to do more than take out the trash. It's also a blessing and a curse to have a philly pretzel factory stand in there. It's only a curse because it's hard to resist! All in all, if you use this place enough, the oddities around you kind of blur out and you just make sure you have a seat on the train. read more

It's convenient - and the Gallery Mall is right above it. Pretty dirty, though - the bathrooms are awful. read more

So here's the thing. SEPTA didn't take over the regional rails until the 80s. Market East station was designed to be the centerpiece of a renewal scheme. New trains were going to be brought in to run the system more like the Paris RER or a German S-Bahn system. Nearby lots were going to get new office towers, and the Gallery mall was designed to add office floors above. Then Reagan happened, and a combination of recession and slashed funding ground those plans to a halt. SEPTA had to spend all of their money correcting decades of deferred maintenance from the Reading railroad, and developers looked west of city hall instead of east. No new trains, no new buildings and a new focus on west market made this area pretty blighted, and the convention center has only made a small dent in that. In the end, we did get a pretty excellent train station out of it. Wide platforms and stairwells handle rush hour crowds with ease, and clear signage and announcements tell you where to go. With direct connections to both the Gallery food court and the Hard Rock Cafe and Fieldhouse Sportsbar above, this station has some of the best food amenities in the US. It's no Grand Central Terminal, but we should be thankful for what we have. Since I started taking the train to work, the Gallery has been the easiest part of my commute, and I'd much rather wait on the platform there than fight my way through traffic to park my car in the daily Schuylkill Expressway traffic jam. I'm curious to see how the turnstiles will be installed when SEPTA rolls out their electronic ticket system later this year, and hoping their new budgets quickly replaces the 40 year old trains they've kept in remarkably good shape. read more

Jefferson Station is definitely in the middle of the pack for the SEPTA train stations in the city. It's got a great location and is very convenient for all Old City attractions, the Gayborhood, and the Convention Center (as it's directly below the latter). Be sure to check your track number BEFORE you go down the steps/escalator to the terminal, because they are grouped two to a staircase and they do not connect at track level. My least favorite thing about this terminal is that even though there are about a thousand entrances, nearly all of them get locked around 9 or 10 PM. You need to use the direct entrances to get into the station at late hours. However, the station is nearly always filled with people and is fairly clean for a train station. My favorite thing is when the train conductor forgets himself for a moment and calls it Market East (allowing me a taste of nostalgia for the pre-branded name of the station). read more

Located in the basement of The Gallery,Market East Station provides SEPTA with an outlet for suburban communities to get into the city. In fact, this is my perferred method of travel while in the city. read more

Jefferson Station - Train Stations Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

There's no vending machine to buy tickets - bizarre! You actually have to go to a window and talk to a real person! Otherwise, clean and functional. There's Philly Pretzel Factory and Cinnabon here. read more

As far as major urban train stations go Jefferson (formerly Market East) isn't that impressive, especially if you compare it to majestic stations like 30th St or Grand Central in NYC. But Jefferson has a lot going for it. First it is relatively spacious and never feels overly crowded. There are beautifully tiled rainbow walls, a mall right inside the station, and reading terminal market right across the street. It is also kept clean and is well signed. Way better than Suburban Station. read more

The mosaic along the trains is the only thing saving this stop from one star. The bathrooms are kinda dirty, the lines can be long and prices are high. But if you want to know the saddest part, SEPTA was rated the best public transit system in America... WOW. Sad. read more

This is one of the three major train stations in the city and pretty disappointing. Yea, it's conveniently located to a lot of things, but as others have commented, it's in need of a facelift. I find signage to generally be poor and finding anyone to help you is not very easy. Yes, I have run into homeless people here from time to time and the place does smell. Pretty pathetic for a major city like Philly. read more