SEPTA will begin phasing out tokens in January

Riders who prefer using tokens over the new SEPTA Key electronic fare card will have other options for a little while.

A SEPTA token machine (left) will eventually be taken out of service as the electronic Key fare cards, sold at right, gain popularity. (Tom MacDonald/ WHYY)

A SEPTA token machine (left) will eventually be taken out of service as the electronic Key fare cards, sold at right, gain popularity. (Tom MacDonald/ WHYY)

SEPTA will begin phasing out token sales in the new year, with the initial step set for Jan. 22, said spokeswoman Carla Showell-Lee.

“The first part will be the elimination of token sales at cashier booths, and that will take about three weeks,” she said. “From there, we will remove the 40 token-vending machines that remain at the Market Frankford line and Broad Street Line stations.”

But riders who prefer using tokens over the new SEPTA Key electronic fare card will have other options for a little while.

“Even with this phaseout, tokens will be sold at major SEPTA sales offices and over 200 retailers,” Showell-Lee said. “Those will be phased out at a later date.”

  • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

Since the SEPTA Key was introduced, average weekly token sales declined from approximately 820,000 to 440,000, she said.

SEPTA has not announced when tokens will no longer be accepted.  There are currently about 15 million in circulation.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal