SEPTA: How to Take Philly's Public Transit System

The Basics

SEPTA’s thousands of bus and trolley stops — and nearly 300 subway and train stations — provide easy access for millions of travelers throughout Greater Philadelphia each year. Here’s what you need to know to ride:

• Routes: SEPTA offers 150 different routes via its fleet of trains, subways, trolleys and buses.

• Payment information: Travelers can tap-to-pay per ride with credit and debit cards or payment apps from Apple, Google and Samsung. Standard fare for buses, trolleys and subways is $2.90 per one-way trip, while Regional Rail rides vary based on zones.

• Trip planning: Use SEPTA’s online trip planner, schedules and real-time map to plan your trip. Or, browse popular destinations and click for step-by-step directions.

• SEPTA mobile app: Download the SEPTA mobile app for trip planning and real-time tracking on the go.

• Accessibility: All of SEPTA’s buses and trolleys are wheelchair accessible. Look for the access symbol (♿) next to rail and subway stations offering wheelchair accessibility. Open strollers are always allowed on buses and trains.

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SEPTA provides public transportation to Greater Philadelphia and the Countryside seven days a week, with rides available as frequently as every few minutes, helping residents and visitors navigate their daily schedules and city adventures — like catching a game at the stadium complex or attending major performances and events.

SEPTA’s website is a great resource for schedules and maps where passengers can determine which lines and stops are best for them. Real-time alerts are available online and via the SEPTA mobile app (iOS and Android) so riders can stay on top of weather delays and route changes.

Regional Rail

SEPTA’s Regional Rail trains serve Greater Philadelphia and the Countryside, with stations throughout the city and in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, as well as parts of Delaware and New Jersey.

Three major stations in Center City make public transportation a great choice for exploring the city. Jefferson Station, Suburban Station and William H. Gray III 30th Street Station are all within walking distance of some of Philadelphia’s top attractions, including Philadelphia’s Historic District, Reading Terminal Market, City Hall and Dilworth Park, and so much more.

All three stations carry passengers to and from Philadelphia International Airport and offer Amtrak access.

  — Photo courtesy of SEPTA

Subway System

La L (Market-Frankford) and B (Broad Street) subway lines make up SEPTA’s Metro subway system, carrying hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors through Philadelphia every day.

The L — often referred to as “the blue line” due to its blue seats and signs — travels an east-west path through the city, with stops in popular neighborhoods like Fishtown, Old City and University City.

Elevated for parts of the ride, “the El” (as some locals refer to it) also gives passengers a bird’s-eye view of bustling business corridors, the city’s stunning skyline and West Philly’s beloved Love Letters murals.

The B, also known as the orange or BSL line, runs between North and South Philadelphia beneath Broad Street. NRG Station — the final stop at the southern end of the line — is just steps away from Citizens Bank Park, Lincoln Financial Field and Xfinity Mobile Arena, making the BSL a great way for fans to get to Phillies, Eagles, Sixers, and Flyers games as well as concerts and other events around the stadium complex.

The line also stops near South Philly dining and shopping destinations like East Passyunk; North Broad attractions like the historic Divine Lorraine Hotel and refurbished Met Philadelphia performing-arts venue; Olney’s North Fifth Street business corridor; and Center City neighborhoods like Chinatown, Logan Square, Rittenhouse Square and Midtown Village.

Trolley Lines

SEPTA’s eight trolley routes provide service at street level and underground, connecting passengers to other transit lines and making stops in Center City and along neighborhood commercial corridors.

Passengers can take T (Subway-Surface Trolleys) across five routes to visit leafy West Philadelphia, where they can shop and dine along Baltimore Avenue in Spruce Hill and Cedar Park. The G (Route 15 Trolley) travels east-west between the river wards and West Philly, passing through shopping and dining hotspots like Brewerytown, Fairmount and Fishtown. The D (Media-Sharon Hill Line) heads out to Delaware County and includes easy access to charming towns like Medya.

  — Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia

Buses

More than 100 bus routes provide ground transportation to SEPTA passengers, carrying riders throughout the city and surrounding region and providing service to Regional Rail stations. Some lines have numbers while others have letters.

Look for the owl image to find a handful of Night Owl routes, meaning they run 24 hours a day.

Norristown High-Speed Line

SEPTA’s M (Norristown High Speed Line) connects parts of Delaware and Montgomery Counties, with access to the L subway, trolley lines and more through the 69th Street terminal. 

The high-speed line stops in towns like Ardmore, where visitors can pop into small boutiques, sit down for a tasty meal and catch a concert or comedy show.

Tickets and Payment

There are multiple ways to pay for a trip on SEPTA. 

• Contactless payment: SEPTA accepts contactless payment methods (credit/debit card or Apple/Google/Samsung Pay) for travel on buses, trolleys and both subway lines. Fares are consistent across subway, trolley and bus lines. Conductors are available on Regional Rail trains to assist and can even process a cash or credit card payment onboard.

• SEPTA Key card: For the best value, visitors can use SEPTA’s smart fare system, SEPTA Key. Passengers can purchase and reload reusable Key cards with the debit card-style Travel Wallet function online and at SEPTA sales locations and station kiosks.

SEPTA Key   — Photo courtesy SEPTA

• Quick Trips: Quick Trip single rides can also be purchased at kiosks on subway lines and select trolley stations. Quick Trip tickets can only be used on the day of purchase and aren’t accepted on buses.

• FleX Pass: Riders can also explore the Philadelphia region with the One Day Anywhere FleX Pass, which allows up to 10 rides on SEPTA buses, trolleys, subways and trains, taking you everywhere from Bensalem to the Phillies, from Alden to the Art Museum or Springfield to South Street. Passes are $16.25 and can be loaded directly onto a SEPTA Key card. Also available: a One Day Neighborhood FleX pass, which allows up to 10 rides on buses, subways, trolleys and trains (up to any Zone 2 station) for just $12.50. Both FleX passes also come in 3-day bundles.

More information on fares, senior and student discounts, and transfers is available in detail on SEPTA’s website and Key webpage.

Accessibility

All of SEPTA’s buses and trolleys are wheelchair accessible. Look for the access symbol (♿) next to rail and subway stations offering wheelchair accessibility.

Trained service animals are welcome on all forms of transportation, and SEPTA’s website offers a text reader for those who are blind or visually impaired and need to access schedules and fare information. SEPTA Key fare kiosks have Braille and raised lettering, in addition to an audio function that converts on-screen text to spoken word.

SEPTA Access (formerly CCT) offers transit services to people with disabilities who are not able to use the other lines. Click here for more information on SEPTA’s accessibility services and here for our guide to Accessibility in Philly.

  — Photo courtesy SEPTA

FAQ

What’s the quickest and easiest way to figure out my route?

SEPTA offers several online and mobile tools to help with planning. Use the trip planner to enter your start and end locations to get a step-by-step guide on how to get there. 

Or, if you are headed to a popular destination like Independence Mall, Citizens Bank Park, Lincoln Financial Field or the Xfinity Mobile Arena, try clicking through the destinations page for quick info about navigating. 

What’s SEPTA’s stroller policy?

SEPTA has an Open Stroller policy, which means travelers with littles in tow can board and ride buses and trains without needing to fold up strollers. Some buses also have designated stroller areas. 

For more info, check out SEPTA’s tips for traveling with children. 

Can I bring my bicycle, e-bike or scooter on SEPTA?

SEPTA always allows collapsed personal vehicles such as bicycles and battery-powered e-bikes and scooters. If your vehicle doesn’t collapse, you can still ride SEPTA with some restrictions.   

Some lines have time restrictions, while others (like the B line) allow non-folded bicycles and other personal vehicles at all times, as long as there are only two per car. 

Check out the official site for more specifics. 

Where can I get SEPTA merch?

Train enthusiasts or visitors who want some SEPTA merch like vintage signs or a t-shirt with the map of the entire system can find all that and more at the SEPTA Store, located at the transit authority’s headquarters at 1234 Market Street or shop online. 

What’s the history behind SEPTA?

SEPTA has been keeping Philadelphians and visitors on the move for more than 60 years. The Pennsylvania General Assembly created SEPTA in 1963, with the transit authority opening for business the following year. 

In 1983, SEPTA went on to acquire all of the existing rail lines and then built and opened the Airport Line in 1985. 

These days, SEPTA manages about 800,000 trips per day across Greater Philadelphia. 

For more information about SEPTA and public transportation in Philadelphia, click the button below.

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