Um you guys what's with the hate ? This place has a transit gift store. Do you know how amazing this was for my transit obsessed son?? I mean he knows all the freaking trains and stops in Boston. When he knew we were traveling to a new city he had an agenda : ride the subway trains and buy the subway trains. AT THIS PLACE YOU CAN DO BOTH. There is even a trolley on the bottom floor that you can climb in and pretend to drive. At Christmas it was nicely decorated too. I don't think he will ever forget. We bought a bus , a girard green trolley and a subway (which happens to be the market line) We are enablers. If you are a train enthusiast , they sell $$$ model trains. And mugs that say I love trains ! And lots of other things. Oh and they have Thomas trains and a train table. I can't believe this place exists. MBTA get with the program. read more

Septa 5th Street Station - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

It's fine, just another train station. It's ascetically pleasing - very pretty and well done read more

Septa 5th Street Station - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Compare SEPTA to NYC's MTA, DC's Metro, or SF's BART and SEPTA will seem agonizingly slow, outdated, and expensive. Take a step back - compare SEPTA to Los Angeles's Metro - their infrastructure barely covers its service area, and the schedules are much worse than Philadelphia! When one considers cities that (sadly) don't even HAVE mass transit, SEPTA doesn't seem SO bad. I usually recommend to folks visiting from out of town on business to taxi or rent a car to avoid any hassle that SEPTA may cause. For those that have to - or choose to - use SEPTA, it's not all bad. I used to take SEPTA buses whenever I needed to travel to/from home and downtown Philadelphia (the buses are hit-or-miss, like anywhere else). I've also taken regional rail to go to/from the suburbs and downtown. Never had a problem with the staff, and the trains are pretty reliable. read more

Need to update and give credit when its due, as I do feel that Septa has significantly stepped up their game and have started to deliver in areas that I have been previously critical of. The first is the improvement in a lot of their vehicles and stations. While there are still plenty of blemishes in old dirty stations; you can see the significant improvement s that they add to stations like Broad & Spring Garden and Millbourne. And while there's still plenty of buses, trains, trolley cars, and subways that look and feel ancient; the new Silver Liner regional rails and some of the newer buses are an absolute godsend. Another strong improvement is their customer service. While there might still be issues at a lot of the stations, there use of social media to respond to issues immediately is something that's forward thinking and innovative for a transit agency. ask whats up with your late train on Twitter, have a question about their fare increases on Facebook, or other; and an actual person will get in touch with you with their best response possible. The future also looks potentially brighter as Septa plans to FINALLY introduce a more modernized fare system in 2014 that will allow you to pay online or on your phone; and make pesky things like tokens and Male/Female stickers on transpasses a thing of the past. The large fare increases that come with such an improvement might have me yearning for the past when I used to pay $5.50 for a round trip ride on the regional rail. But its an understandable hurdle that's in the name of progress. And when you factor in all of the above, I'm actually starting to look at things like their "Septa: We're Getting There" catchphrase in a new light! read more

While on the Philadelphia leg of our trip, we stayed with a friend in Media. In order to get to downtown Philadelphia, we took the Media/Elwyn Line. The trip was long, about 40 minutes (I always had a book with me), but fairly comfortable (thank goodness we didn't have to bus to Philadelphia). My big complaint is that the train ran only once an hour (with increased frequency during peak times), so we really had to plan our day to ensure that we didn't miss a train. (I really hate not having flexibility when commuting.) Despite the less than ideal train schedule, we were able to get around without any problems, the train was reliable, and it ran fairly late. If I lived in Media, the Media/Elwyn Line would not suit my needs, but for a three day stay, it was fine. As I only took the Media/Elwyn Line and a couple of short bus trips within downtown Philadelphia, I can't comment on the rest of the system. But from my brief experience with SEPTA, my conclusion is that it's not the best transit system, but not the worst. Better than WMATA. One thing to note: not all stations are accessible. As I am able bodied, this did not affect me, but how the hell do people in wheelchairs or with strollers get around? [Yelp collections: East Coast 2016; Planes, Trains, and Automobiles] read more

Always add an extra 15 minutes to your commute time if you're taking septa.... because this place will never fail to fail you -incompetent workers - machines that dont work - never (and I mean never) on time - dirty and smelly trains - rude employees - dumb employees - late employees - slow employees - curt employees And im sitting here writing this because I missed my (late) subway because of a machine that wouldn't work and when I asked for help I got the back of a useless employee. How dare they charge similar amounts to the NYC transit system? How dare they think of themselves comparable to such? read more

While Edgar Winter may have done a song about taking a free ride, apparently last Friday our fine friends at SEPTA decided to help me out while doing their version of that fine tune. So we get to the station in Lansdale and I ask the agent about buying the Family Independence Pass. She very gruffly informs me that she has none and that I would have to buy it onboard from the conductor. Alllllllllrighty then! So our train comes a few minutes later and at North Wales the conductor gets to us and I ask him about the Family Independence Pass. He asks me where we're headed and I said Fern Rock for the subway and tells me that's not possible as he doesn't have any passes so we would have to go into Center City to Jefferson and buy it there. (I've done the pass thing in the past several times and the conductor has never had a physical pass. Instead they've always collected the appropriate fare, then they gave me a ticket for a receipt and we had to go to Jefferson to exchange the receipt for the actual pass but whatever.) After redoing our route for the day along with some number crunching I figured out a way to make things work without the pass that actually saved us four dollars over what the pass would have cost. So I guess I should say thanks angry Lansdale ticket agent and lazy conductor for making me think a bit because by you guys not doing your jobs you helped me save a few dollars while cheating your employer out of money that I was more than willing to pay. Thanks guys, can't wait until next time! read more

Prior to arriving in Philly, my friend had found the train goes from the airport to downtown by our hotel. This was perfect and a cheap way to get there. From the airport, we didn't see any place to purchase train tickets or tokens. Luckily we found out you pay once on board. Like us, most of the people were airport passengers. Everyone had suitcases and bags. There are convenient luggage shelves above the seating. They do need to have a speaker announce which location you are pulling into. That would be very helpful. We had to ask another passenger about the station names. There are various stops throughout the city and this makes it convenient to get there. read more

Septa 5th Street Station - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I visited Philadelphia and got an opportunity to ride on their Septa Buses. My experience was horrible. First buses were never on time. The same buses would come together seconds apart (17). One bus I tried to get on (33), the bus driver drove pass the bus station because she thought her bus was packed it was not. Only a few people were standing up. As a result, the next bus (33) was packed with people. I am from new york city and our buses get frustating at times but nothing i experienced in Septa buses. I bought the $7 Septa One day convenience Pass (you can ride Septa bus or train up to eight times). Generally a ride is $2 depending on the zone area. They also sell coins for the Septa trains. read more

In the morning, I never have any problems with Septa. Getting on the MFL at the girard station, getting off at 5th street, its like there is heavenly music playing the whole time and everyone is smiling and people are offering you complimentary cookies and coffee while you are riding to work- so damn excited to start your day off right. Well, the morning SEEMS like that compared to the afternoon. Dont even THINK about taking the MFL between 5-6. Multiple trains will pass by, with commuters packed like sardines and sharing annoyed glares at every stop when new riders attempt to get on. Ride septa in the morning, save your $2 and walk home in the afternoon. Get that exercise in. Don't waste time being stressed about SEPTAs inability to hire more conductors/engineers and run more trains during rush hour, because that will get you nowhere. When you have a heart attack from all the stress of riding SEPTA every day, you will not win a lawsuit (at least i think you wont... i hope im not giving anyone dumb ideas). JUST WALK BACK TO FISHTOWN IN THE AFTERNOON, OKAY? SAVE 2 BUCKS AND A TON OF STRESS. 3 stars for the compllimentary cookies and coffee that SEPTA hands out every morning on the El. read more

Having lived around Philly for 8 years, I had every chance to use SEPTA. It worked, but just. From Upper Darby, the Market-Frankford El worked well enough. Even though there was a derailment one day between 34th and 30th Streets, they had shuttle buses available quickly. Getting around West Philly was often quicker using the route 10 trolley. From Audubon/Trooper, the route 98 bus was fairly reliable, and the route 100 "high speed" line, although it seemed a bicycle going backwards was faster. From Torresdale station, the R6 was always late. Every morning, they would announce that the train was approximately 10 minutes late, and wouldn't be able to arrive at Trenton station in time to meet the train to NYC. Could they have started 10 minutes early, and arrived when they should have, in order to not make riders wait 45 minutes for another NJT train? When I was last looked at Regional Rail monitors, only the R6 was late. As well, getting to Bucks County was expensive, and leaving in the evening turned a 45 minute trip into 4 hours on the return trip. The most frustrating thing about SEPTA was sitting on a bus listening to the driver talk about their plans to strike the next spring, no matter what was offered. It wasn't about what was offered but showing that they could disrupt everyone's lives. When they hired a new president from BART to take over, he left quickly after receiving death threats. It's sad that the workers weren't willing to make things better. It was rather lousy that the stations never seemed to be cleaned, anywhere. Having the homeless sleeping all over obviously didn't help. There are wore transportation systems but SEPTA should be looking to the future, not just the weekend. read more

I'd give this a bad review (barring their bus system), but the truth is: what other public transportation do we have? I hope one day we have a Subway system that people aren't scared of using and that buses would come on time, stay in their own lane and not be packed on rainy days. But for now, the bus system will do. Their site is very user-friendly and offers a "Plan My Trip" option where you just put in where you are going on they give you up to three ways to get there. Buy tokens, which are cheaper, instead of paying cash for buses. read more

Septa 5th Street Station - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Oh SEPTA. Where would I be without you? At my correct destination and on time, that's where!! I've always fascinated by mass transit for some reason, and observing the way that the system functions still interests me. Unfortunately, in this town most of my "interest" consists of rage. Between the blatant disregard for the schedules, strikes and fare hikes every 5 or so years, rude drivers, urine aroma, wild goose chases through stations, and overall inefficiency, I still continue my masochistic cycle by taking SEPTA anytime I need to go somewhere. Because well....their motto is (hilariously and ironically) "We're getting there". And I guess I do get there eventually, which is what's most important, right? Right? I would like to recognize the people in the ticket offices/booths though, who are usually pretty friendly, albeit a little slow sometimes. Still waiting on an explanation for why all of the Regional Rail ticket machines were removed. :[ read more

Septa 5th Street Station - Afternoon at SEPTA's Midvale District Yard, from the R7 line - Public Transportation Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This is more regarding the MFL in general. It certainly needs some upgrading in regards to the facilities/stations and the trains. SEPTA also needs to follow the NYC/MTA model of letting the key cards be used multiple times at the same station if an individual, say, has guests/visitors from outside of Philly who would never have any reason to use SEPTA ordinarily. Also, compared to the BSL, outside of the regular business day rush hours, there are some pretty sketchy characters. People strung out on heroin/drugs, busking, hustling, etc. The smell of urine and feces (and the appearance thereof) or quite common at the Spring Garden Station, which is wholly unacceptable. Understandably, this are larger social issues of addiction, poverty, etc. but it is still unnerving. Bottom line, if Philadelphia wants to become more world class, it needs to improve in its mass transit. read more

SEPTA gets a bad rap. Given the funding constraints and lack of support from lawmakers that SEPTA gets, and the total maze of streets with horrid traffic that IS Philadelphia, I think they do an outstanding job. Yes, there is a lot that I'd like to see change about SEPTA. Many of the outer regional rail trains don't run as late at night as they would need to in order to be truly safe / reliable for trips into the city without getting stranded at night (funding??). Some of the outlying regional rail routes do not run on weekends or outside of rush hour (i.e. Newark, DE). As for the bus service, yes it's unreliable, but I think it's doing the best they can. Have you ever tried driving in Philly? You're just as likely to get stuck or delayed in a car. The extent of the bus service, also, is something I can't complain about. The system may not be user-friendly but it goes just about everywhere in the urban areas. What do I like most about SEPTA? The regional rail is fairly reliable, and VERY affordable, outright cheap, especially compared to the awful prices of AMTRAK. The two subway lines run often and go to useful places, and the free interchange is great. I also think the Norristown high speed line (route 100) offers an outstanding deal...from the Main Line to downtown, for $2.55? Talk about a bargain...and it's almost as fast as the Regional Rail, not to mention it puts you on the Market Street Line so you have more options of where you get off, great if you're commuting to or from UPenn, Old City, or somewhere farther from the three regional rail stations. I've also found SEPTA operators to be consistently respectful, and I've seen some of them exhibit expert conflict-management skills, dealing with potential escalating arguments and irate passengers gracefully. And lastly, SEPTA is an infinite source of local flavor and amusing stories! Bottom line? I say five stars. Sorry folks, but SEPTA is pretty damn cool and I'm always happy to ride it. read more

Well, I've ridden the system here for more than ten years, and I have to say, it's bad, but it's not quite horrible. The building here has a small museum, interesting for the kids. Mostly administrative and a few places to get coffee or sit down in. Yes, certain lines are overcrowded, it can be dangerous depending on which line you're on, there's always construction, and timing can be very horrendous. The regional rail lines usually have the best of it, with plenty of service, a mix of several trains and while sometimes delayed, most stations have the clocks up that tell you about how long you'll be waiting (or will announce delays). The trolley/subways are a bit dirty, although they did replace many of the cars on the blue line this decade, and it's a simple, relatively smooth system. The trolleys themselves are dangerous to pedestrians and other traffic, but all people need to be more aware of their surroundings, too. The bus system varies - Center City service is generally pretty smooth, but as you get outwards into the areas of the city beyond the little rectangle of Center City, the service drops downwards... suburbia is serviced by a few lines, like any other large metropolis, split into zones and while payment can be a bit confusing, it's not horrible. I still think the entire system could do without tokens, though. It's time to go the plastic card route of the MTA or almost any other system. They already do it for monthly passes. Stop taking money at all at the tellers and just adjust the machines to accept change. Make sure stops have a working method to enter the transport, too. And while the underground walking corridor is nice from 15th to 11th, clean it out frequently (power wash the corridor with a lot of water is my suggestion), and keep a patrol or two around each side, it scares some people (although you can just as easily walk above ground). read more

All of Septa stops are alike. You have been warned. They are awfully poor at best. If you have another option to commute, please try it for your benefit. read more

Ah SEPTA, quite possibly the worst part of living in Philadelphia. It is overpriced, it is never on time, and I have been in multiple accidents on their buses and trolleys. The stations are so disgusting that I am actually embarrassed to take people from out of town on the subway. When you can find a token machine, it is usually broken. That's right, they still use token machines. I have used subways and buses extensively in Chicago, New York and Boston. Philadelphia is significantly dirtier and slower (including but not limited to public transit). In conclusion, I walk everywhere. read more

I've used SEPTA several times to get from 30th St. Station to Reading Terminal Market (subway) and from Jefferson Station to DE (regional rail). Although I don't usually use this format, I think a pro-con review is called for in this case: Pros: 1. Regional rail trains run more-or-less on time (within a 1-3 min. window) 2. I never have to wait long for the subway from 30th-11th 3. Accepts credit cards for regional rail tix, and usually has change for the subway 4. Goes where I need it to go Cons: 1. Dirty stations and cars (the 30th St. subway station smells like pee/garbage) 2. Pricey (subway tix: $2.25; rail tix: $6) 3. Cramped, outdated equipment (though there are some newer regional rail trains) 4. Unsmiling, sometimes surly employees I think Brian S. put it well in his review: It isn't pretty but it gets you there (usually). Although the subway-trolley-regional rail interface can be confusing, it's better than the laughable transit system we have in Pittsburgh, as well as some other major cities (e.g., Atlanta). On the other hand, it's no DC. read more

In Iambic Pentameter - Like Hell You Smell in Subways Day and Night Danger, Homeless Home And Noisome Restroom Crushed, Rushed, During Prime Time, Smashed And No Room Subsidized and Poorly Managed, You're Blight Rapid Hole Punch Terrorizes, Such Waste Steel Worms Course Through Hoods Not Fast Enough Litter Choking Paper Odor - Gross Stuff At Stop Nothing Stolen, Flee, Egress, Haste No Option Save Car, Not Green But Brown, Cheap Same Ride, Same Day, Repeat, Drones Dredge Deep, Deep Clean, Safe, Efficient, Hear Me Now! We Plea I, We, Below, Above, This Ain't For Free read more

This station is one of the nicest because it's more in a tourist section of the line which mean means it's cleanser that most SEPTA stops. I work closer to the 8th street stop but prefer this location to avoid all the children getting out of school at 8th street.. it's worth the extra block for a cleaner and less rambunctious environment. read more

Dear SEPTA, Thank you, 33, for running into my car (which was parked in a legal spot, mind you), leaving a monstrous dent that started to rust within days, and driving away as if nothing happened. I really needed a use for that lonely $500 in my savings account. Disdainfully yours, Meredith read more

I can never get use to SEPTA...maybe because i was spoiled with NYC's Metro and NJ's PATCO? Where to start...The subway stations are so outdated, even the main hubs!!! This is a major city where tourists "might" take the subway but will probably think twice after seeing how dingy they are. They are still using coins for subway rides!! WTF...you can literally drop the coin and it roll off and you lose $2.50 right there. Machines don't even take credit cards which is another negative. Did I mention that its dark and dingy??? Not a great place off-peak hours as you run the risk of getting mugged and tossed into the puddle of piss by the stairwells. Market L - Morning rush hour is annoying as they are late and trick you, "there is another car behind this car"....right behind means 5+ minutes. The commuters are sketchy as hell. People playing loud ass music, talking on phone loudly, just overly rude. One time, a guy started to roll a blunt with a packed train. He unwrapped a cigar or whatever and dumped all the tobacco on the floor. At least he was kind enough to ensure that the trains are consistent in decor---basically dirty as !@#! The stops don't have the best signs so you have to pay attention to the announcement as to which stop it is...OVER the loud ass patrons and music. I'm fortunate to not take the EL when school lets out. If you are unlucky enough to be on during these times, pray you don't get robbed or a flash mob forms. The Broad Street line. I took this a few times out of desperation. Again, dingy, dark, smells of urine, and almost zero security. It wouldn't be a problem if there were many other riders around, but the times i used it, there weren't that many. How does a main gate (Spring garden) not open until 11am? I dont' get that...it's a waste of time walking to 1 entrance across a busy ass street. I took the bus once as a teen, and that would be last time i'll take it for the rest of my life. I think the biggest grip, I never feel safe riding SEPTA (the trains are fairly safe i guess). There is an absence of security. read more

Dear Septa, Stop ruining my life. Your El "update" project is years behind schedule, and $$$ over budget. You shut down my service every goddamn inconvenient time you can, and your "new" subways stations look ugly and cheap, and the elevators still don't work. What's a person with disabilities supposed to do - walk a mile and half to find an accessible location? You dump your construction junk all up and down my road, attracting more trash. You've currently blocked off such a huge section of Market that it's difficult for me to find a way to get to work. Your 30 bus, which gets me from home to work in the rain, only runs every 40 minutes, is frequently late, or just doesn't show up at all (like this morning). My brother, who rode the El everyday for a week when he visited, noticed that it took Septa work 2 whole days, and countless men, to change one light on the construction project. You try to screw the poor by giving them the shittiest service and then trying to up the price for those who can least afford it. Your subway "workers" make more money than I do, yet refuse to make change. You just WON"T put a token machine near any of my stops (screwing the poor again) because you think your stupid machine needs too much "security." I've been on buses when they hit cars and just kept going. That said, I LOVE public transportation. And I LOVE that it's an option. But this whole West Philly reconstruction thing has really made me bitter and lowered my property value and destroyed a lot of neighborhood businesses. It's ass all around. One good thing: Last Friday afternoon I got off at the 13th St. stop and walked to 11th street, and the whole underground area was literally sparkling. SPARKLING! There was actually a guy in there, hanging out to clean in case anything got dirty. It was awesome. Thank you Michael Nutter. Now whip the rest of SEPTA"s ass into gear. read more

Ye gods, I hate this garbage dump of a public transportation system in Philly. The pros: -Eh... hmm... uh... umm... at least we HAVE a public transportation system? The cons: -It's DIRTY (litter everywhere, smells foul) -It's ghetto (obnoxious city-dwellers yacking on their cell phones about personal issues (like the woman my boyfriend and I heard talking about her babydaddy issues and numerous "bortions" - without the A), those who suck on chicken wings and sunflower seeds and throw their bones and shells all over, and don't get me started on the blunt shavings everywhere) -Other riders make it no better (see "It's ghetto") -It's expensive ($2.00 per ride? $84 for a Transpass?!) -Its fare system is an antiquated JOKE (You would have to see it to believe it!) -The bus drivers stop at green lights and blow through red ones (I kid you not.) But, I guess you can get away with that when you're the only game in town, right? read more

People only write about stuff when it doesn't work how they expect it to. And expectations about what SEPTA is and is not are huge here. Not every transit system is the same. Every city, state, and region is different. And yet, everyone seems to find a reason to hate their local system. People complain about the MTA in New York. People complain about the Underground in London. People complain about the MBTA in Boston. Here's the Yelp page for the MBTA, a system that SEPTA should definitely take pointers from: http://www.yelp.com/biz/mbta-boston Everyone has something bad to say about their transportation system. SEPTA moves people around a region of over 6 million every single day. It operates in a state that seems to hate the idea of funding public transportation. It operates a subway system built in the early 1900s. It's had to deal with an employment base moving to jobs in office parks in the suburbs, and yet Philadelphia is still a place with a very high number of daily rail commuters. Could they do better? Everyone can always do better. And they're apparently trying to. They're working on a contactless payment card system. They're buying hybrid busses. They're trying to improve bus routes, like what they're doing to the 47. You can get SEPTA routes on Google Maps. None of this is a given. It takes work to modernize and do good things. Nothing takes zero time and zero money in the world. Personally, SEPTA's always gotten me where I needed to go when I've taken it. If you take a few minutes to understand something like a sprawling mass transit system, you'll be far better off for it when something "unexpected" happens. read more

Oh.... you! Got me again, SEPTA. I guess my last review of your services rubbed you the wrong way, so maybe tonight was payback? Well, hats off to you, you got me good. Letting me stand there in the cold from about quarter to 7 until 8:30 was well played, but recruiting your boys over at the sanitation department to cruise by in a trash truck and spray us with a drenching wave of murky slush was pure evil genius (They must have seen how obviously jealous my white coat wearing GF was over my black coat). No dry clothes, no trip downtown, and no elite party; I got served. Moral of the story: Nice weather or you aren't in a rush = the buses will be on time. Inclement weather or you've somewhere to be = you better start hoofin' it. read more

I never thought I would say that I actually missed the MTA, but finding myself having to taxi around everywhere in Philadelphia the other day did. When we arrived to 30th Street Station, we were told that since 7AM (it was 10AM), no trains had been running because a man attempted to kill himself on one of the tracks. I thought to myself, hmm, happens everyday in NY, and in 15 minutes, those delays are done. So the station attendant told us the R7 might be running within the next half hour. We were ahead of schedule so we waited. The "10:05" did not appear. The "10:40" did not appear. So we left and went down to the taxi stand. It was inexpensive compared to NYC and during the trip I found some buses that could theoretically get us around though in a roundabout way. Comes 7PM, and we are tired of walking, we were going to take the train back to where we were staying, but the trains, though running, were very much delayed and we were stuck waiting at Overbrook for almost an hour until one came and it was hot and packed. SEPTA is just as costly as MTA, there are no ticket machines, and perhaps it was on 'off-day' but, everything about SEPTA just belongs in the Stone Age. read more

Should I be upset that I'm not getting the full City of Brotherly Love experience, because I've never had any kind of ordeal with SEPTA like the rest of you? I think so. I mean, why is it that everyone else gets to live the drama that involves cops, or homeless people, or cars catching on fire, while I only get to read about it? When comparing SEPTA to DCMetro, NJTransit, or other similar transit systems, it's kind of obvious that SEPTA is lacking on various levels. But those systems has never provided me with the enjoyment of watching a homeless person get in a fight with a Blue line patron. Those more responsible transit systems have nothing but a bunch of businessmen, and quiet college students. Boring. Really, everything that SEPTA does wrong, they do so to teach you a lesson: 1. The vehicles are grimy and dirty. Lesson learned: Wear shoes, not flip flops, and don't rest your head on those windows. 2. But they're really dirty! Lesson learned: That my friend, is Philadelphia. Welcome. 3. The SEPTA employees are unfriendly. Lesson learned: Smile, and thank them. It totally messes with their heads. Also, not all of them are unfriendly. If you've never come across a single nice SEPTA employee to date, it might be time to reconsider your own personality. 4. The trains are late. Lesson learned: Get some new games on my iDevice, and always leave 30 minutes earlier than planned. 5. Everything smells like pee. Lesson learned: Pee smells bad. Also, please refer to the lesson for No. 2. 6. The people who use SEPTA are going to mug you. Lesson learned: They're not going to mug you, you idiot. Not unless you were being stupid and making it obvious that you were a tourist or something. SEPTA has worked well enough to get me to where I need to get (usually where I need to get being a station that has NJTransit trains). The only real annoyance that I associate with SEPTA is the R1 from the Airport to the city; I don't like how they don't even have so much as a sign warning you to have cash on hand since SEPTA doesn't think that it's important to have a ticket booth or something for the thousands of oblivious non-Philadelphians flying in. That's some shady business dealings. However, if you're some poor schmuck who is flying into the CoBL, and you paid with cash ($7), take your ticket to one of the the ticket counters and tell them that you're flying back out soon (even if you're not) and you can get a Peak Zone 5 ticket for $4.75. You're welcome. read more

SEPTA is like every bad boyfriend you've ever had. When we first met, there was chemistry (so many lines! so inexpensive!). After our initial interaction, I thought: "we'll you're better than the alternative". (SK Expressway and certain death). Maybe I'll change, maybe you'll change. Maybe we'll grow together. (After a promise of enhanced service for my bailout bucks.) You even got a new look (Silverliner?) Now I just find myself wondering when something better will come along. In a world full of transportation options... ours is a relationship of necessity; a marriage of convenience. Frankly, you're the only game in town. SEPTA gets 2 stars: One for my conductors, who are genuinely nice guys. One star is simply because they do meet the most basic criteria for transportation: I get where I'm going. Not always on time, and it certainly isn't glamorous (Jerk Armpit with a side of Mildewed diaper anyone? ) ; the prices continue to rise, and the service continues to fall (a memorable winter left my line at a less than 60% on-time rate) . SEPTA, I can't wait for the day when you're a distant memory; only good for giggling over with my girlfriends and too much cheap wine. read more

SEPTA took a quantum leap in the last month or so on the R6 regional rail. They got these snazzy new train cars with automated announcer voices, TV screens to play a loop of silent tourism advertisements, and a surprisingly silent set of wheels. The catch? Ah yes, there's a catch. This sleek, futuristic train tends to arrive about 5-10 minutes after the listed time. Except that one time about two weeks ago, when it was a full half hour late. Then there's that thing where the lights and A/C in the train car just turn off for no reason. And even better, these new cars have notably less seating space than the older ones. However, quick shout out to the new love of my life, the train attendant during my afternoon ride who enforces the quiet car with an iron fucking fist. I'm thinking about inviting her to Thanksgiving. read more

Having never been to Philly in my life, I was able to navigate SEPTA (apparently named by someone who ditched Marketing class in college) with ease and get myself from downtown to the airport. Coming from a city that has a terrible public transportation infrastructure (Phoenix, Arizona), I appreciate the value of a system like SEPTA even as smelly, scary, and accurately-named it may be (this according to the Philadelphians I spoke to, not me). The trip cost me some 6 bucks, compared to the $30+ a cab would have cost. Pretty nice. Plus, I got an entertaining Philly story out of my experience. While seated on the bench waiting for my train, a lady who was either very ill or very high began acting erratically on the platform. A SEPTA employee grabbed her and started calling out, "Joe! Joe come here! Joe? Joe!!!" A really old, wrinkled black dude sitting next to me playfully swatted my shoulder and said, "Joe's slow as Heinz ketchup!" Never a boring moment in your fine city, folks. read more

I have lived in philadelphia on and off, mostly on, since 2001 and I avoid the train like the plague. After riding public trans in other cities like Portland and DC whos public trans systems are pristine and beautiful I feel bad giving philly even one star - its too much! On the few and far between times I ride the train when it rains, snows or I'm traveling places with my friends who don't bike, it has been pretty lame. It smells, its dirty, people are rude, 50% of the time the trains are late and don't seem to run on any sort of schedule. Once I got on the train and the seats were covered in blood...then newspaper was covering the blood and the blood was seeping through the newspaper Mmm... Do they ever clean the trains, ever? Additionally you can't buy tokens at most subway stops, you have to have exact change if you don't have a token because people working at the windows don't give change - also the people that work at the windows at the subway and el are the rudest most unhelpful people I've ever dealt with. Don't bother going to them if you have a question because its hard to find one that will actually help you even if you are nice...though I know there are diamonds in the rough, maybe you'll get lucky. The only good thing I can say about the trains is the local flavor that gives me entertainment...its annoying entertainment, but entertainment none the less. I know that its a lot of the local people making the train rides hellish but seriously, Septa....you're doing a really poor job...not to mention your strike sucks. read more

Wow septa, I don't even know what to say. You are quite possibly the slowest, most odorous, unreliable and disorganized public transportation system I have ever encountered. Scene 1, act 1. Sunday night returning from a long celebratory graduation weekend. After driving for 4 hours, I am dropped off in the PA suburbs to catch the last 22 miles into the city via SEPTA. I can handle that. Well I could. Until I found out that half of the trains had been cancelled. So instead of coming at an inconvenient once per hour, they have now been demoted to one every two hours. awesome. Scene 1, act 2. 45 minutes pass and it is that "time," you know the time the train is scheduled to arrive. I will refer to as the "estimated arrival time" as it is a very fluid timeframe in septa world. ANYWAY, said time comes and goes with no train in sight. I try to ask the 3 wanderers also waiting for the train about its status and am met with blank stares, shrugs and an all around sense of indifference. Guess they go through this a lot. Scene 1, act 3. Long story short, the would-be 35 minute drive turns into a 2.5 hour epic journey to Philadelphia. And we wonder why many US public transit companies are bankrupt. What a joke. Intermission While I'm venting, I might as well communicate my disenchantment with some other septa "perks": - Cash only at most locations. Oh and don't forget those stations without any sort of ticket booths. But don't worry you can pay the inflated on-board prices! - Tokens that look like they were lost and abandoned in 1982. - Bus routes which include stops at EVERY SINGLE block. You should probably just get a bike. Dénouement: And the moral of the story is...(drumroll please) Septa goes to a lot of philly suburbs and when you absolutely have no other way to get to these places, fall back on their shoddy rail system. IF, however you can avoid it, I would. I would also advise against any sort of suburb-philly commuting situation which will undoubtedly force you to: a. work from home b. quit your job c. stab your eyes out with your monthly trail pass while you WAIT for any and all maintenance/electrical/staff problems SEPTA can come up with. Where's the standing ovation, people? read more

Fuck SEPTA, seriously. Now that I no longer have a car, I've had no choice but to utilize SEPTA. I've been late for work every single day, because regardless of the time I get to my bus stop, the buses will be late/ non existent until approximately 8:10, when several buses will show up all at once. Today was the last straw. Detour listed at my usual stop, so I go to the corner posted on the sign. THE BUS NEVER COMES. I walk to 8th street to catch a different bus. 15 minutes later, that bus also NEVER COMES. I decide to start walking and searching for a cab. Noticing the buses are now coming down the street, I stop at the corner, and not one, but TWO buses drive by and refuse to stop. I ended up walking from Spring Garden to Chestnut until I could finally find a cab, and I was 30 minutes late for work. I better learn to bike/skate/jog/ski/apparate to work because SEPTA, you are truly the worst. read more

Why do I always get off the train feeling like I've been punched in the face? SEPTA's got us all in a corner, because there simply is no other option. In fact, a lot of the time, there is NO option (i.e. Going from South Philly to Northern Liberties? You'll need at least 2 buses). SEPTA may be the reason I am an alleged "militant walker." I prefer walking the 2.5 miles to and from work every day to giving SEPTA $2.90 and STILL having to walk 10 blocks. Just last week I was taking the R6 from Norristown to Suburban and was transporting my bike with me. As circumstances had it, I had an appointment in which I had to wear a business suit (high heels and all!), and the SEPTA workers unapologetically informed me that they are not allowed to touch my bike, not even to help me lift it up the three steps on the train. "Uh-uh, I can't touch your bike. Not allowed. I don't touch no one's bike." ...whatever that was about. On top of that, the Norristown train station ticket office closes at 1pm. COME ON! So when I accidentally asked the girl at the Information Counter if I could buy a 1-way Zone 3, she just said, "No." How's that for customer service? "Um, why?" I asked. "I don't sell tickets." "I'm sorry, where's the ticket counter." "Closed at 1." (No eye contact made on her part). So that brings me to tickets/MONEY. Why is it that SEPTA has no money, when every G.D. bus is a mobile advertisement for high rolling companies (T.H.P, CCP, The Phillies... you know they paid up to cover those buses in ads). But, no, SEPTA is so broke, that they went and changed the Regional Rail ticket buying policies so that it's extra on the train, even if there is no ticket office at the station. And then they changed their ticket hours to close at 1. Brilliant! Oh, one last thing, thanks for all the strikes, SEPTA workers. It's really a great annual tradition. I move for a SEPTA commuters strike. read more

When I first moved to Philly, having lived in Boston and NYC beforehand, I woulda given SEPTA a two star rating, there are a lot of problems which I will detail below, but first you gotta understand the three main problems SEPTA faces and why I give it 3 stars despite the shortcomings: 1. Lack of dedicated funding from the state. This, BY FAR, the main reason SEPTA sucks. Although Rendell was a former Philly mayor, for years the PA state house was controlled by rural and suburban right-wingers who probably woulda preferred Katrina had hit "Filthadelphia" rather than New Orleans. Those bums starved SEPTA for years. 2. Philly is a relatively poor city and cannot make up the funding gap. Sure there's the horrible city wage tax, but that's pissed away by corrupt and inept bureaucrats and politicians. Hardly enough left over for city services, much less SEPTA. 3. Inefficient SEPTA management. Much like the city services/administration, petty corruption, bureaucracy, inefficiency, and cronyism permeate the management of Philly's public and quasi-public authorities, including SEPTA. Okay, now for SEPTA's problems, in order of most important to least important (most of these criticisms apply specifically to the city's subway and trolley system): 1. Price. Due to lack of dedicated funding, SEPTA is way overpriced when you balance it against service. The premium for a single fare is a particular problem-- even the Transit Workers Union (which presumably benefits indirectly from higher fares) has denounced the single-fare premium as a rip-off for SEPTA riders. 2. Lack of subway routes. There needs to be a route out towards the Art Museum, as well as "loops" in South and North Philly. A huge investment to be sure, which would require tough choices and big commitments from the state, city and SEPTA alike-- but totally worth it in the long-run. 3. Booth attendants don't give change. When I first moved to Philly, my first thought at this was "What the Fuck?" What is the point of having toll booths if the cashiers cannot give change? Either have them give change or completely automate the system. 4. Airport service. When I lived in Philly I lived a few minutes from the airport, but I had to take the subway or trolley to the commuter rail, then to the airport. Cost at the time for a one-way ride was 7 bucks. Ridiculous. PHL is in city limits, you should not have to take a commuter rail and pay another fare even more than what you pay for city service. Either have a direct city SEPTA line to the airport or free transfer. 5. The subway closes too early. Not an issue unique to Philly by any means (subways from Boston to Caracas often close too soon), but if we're serious about reducing drunk driving it seems like a good investment-- not to mention people who work the swing shift and get out late from work, have no cars and have to spring extra cash on a cab some nights. I remember a few nights working late in Boston, before the NIght Owl service, when I had to spring for a cab and I was barely earning enough to pay rent (and the last subway in Philly runs even earlier). 6. Wait times and unfriendly service. There's a reason this is only #6 on my list-- although many have complained of this here, I got news for ya people, it ain't much different in Boston and New York and in most places on the East Coast it's worse. A subway or a bus ain't a limo, or even a cab, you gotta wait and sometimes it'll be late cause shit happens. And you try sitting in a little booth or driving a bus all day and see how friendly you are. I drive for my job on a regular basis, and I gotta tell ya, it doesn't help your attitude one bit. Y'all know how frustrated, angry and mean you can get in Philly traffic? Now imagine doing that 8 to 12 hours a day, 5 days a week for 10, 20 years. 7. Cleanliness. Okay so a lot of people here have complained about how SEPTA is "dirty" and "scary". Well if you're some suburban hipster that moved to the city for action then deal with it, it's by no means SEPTA's biggest probelm. SEPTA could definitely be cleaner, but it's a luxury the authority should focus on once it has resolved the problems above. read more

My lovely interaction with a SEPTA RR employee: Speaker: The 8:03 R6 local to Norristown next to arrive on track 1A. (train pulls in & has center city signs on it - I know from experience the signs aren't always right) Me: Excuse me is this the train to Norristown? SEPTA worker: (rolls eyes, sarcastically mutters) Can you read? What a fantastic way to start the day! read more

Philadelphia's public transit system is sadly lacking, when compared to other cities' transit systems. Some of this mess is not entirely SEPTA's fault. It inherited a hodgepodge of different transit systems when it was founded in the 60s, and it's still stuck with over half a dozen noninterchangeable types of rail. It's fashionable to complain when buses and trolleys are late, forgetting that they have to wait in the same traffic everybody else does. However there are things that most decidedly are within SEPTA's control, such as the customer service problems, disgusting state of stations, and infrequent service. The fundamental problem, however is that SEPTA has failed to invest in their infrastructure. For years RR stations have been decaying, populations have been growing, and the subways have been getting smellier. New fare collection technologies have been adopted by every major metropolitan city transit agency _except_ for SEPTA. The King of Prussia area to which I commute is a great example: When they were founded this area was almost all farmland, but now it's a bustling suburb with a glut of office buildings and conventions centers, and a very nice mall. But SEPTA has failed to match any of this expansion with growth of their own! What SEPTA needs to do, and has needed to do for at least a decade, is spend the money to expand the Norristown High Speed Line into the area, but instead they just send more buses up the delay-prone Schuylkill Expressway. For a city the size of Philadelphia, buses do not a public transit system make! Nor does a scant two real mass transit lines (the El and the BSL) combined with a lot of trolleys. I see bus lines that have a full double-bus go by every ten minutes and I think to myself "why isn't that a subway line?" Unfortunately SEPTA seems to be incapable of spending real money to improve their coverage, instead relying on the same old fare system, the same old two subway lines, and the same old stations that quite frankly stink like hell. There are signs of change within the agency, but I think if SEPTA is to become the transit system of the future, it will have to be dragged into it kicking and screaming. read more

As someone that just moved here from Atl I'm going to tell you guys to buck up and get over it. Septa isn't that bad of a transportation systems. It just stands in between two of the best in the country: New York(where I'm from) and D.C. If you copared it to Atlantas systems everyone would give it four stars. Atlanta MARTA only goes NORTH,SOUTH, EAST, and West. Buses are less dependable and less frequent than anything you have ever seen, hence the reason everyone in Atl has a car. Just be happy they actually go to where you live and I live in the suburbs. Why would you think that it should go to the suburbs every 10 minutes when its only really going to be me and 5 people on the train. Thats just a waste. It is a little overpriced but it gets you everywhere you want to go. read more