What you need to know about SEPTA’s overnight subway service
Even as SEPTA braces for a regional rail strike, it’s also preparing to launch overnight subway service this weekend.
Since 1991 subway service has gone dark from midnight to 5am. SEPTA will begin a pilot program offering 24-hour service on the Market-Frankford El and Broad Street Line effective Sunday, June 15 at 12:01am – aka midnight Saturday night. Here’s what you’ll need to know:
How long will it last?
Saturday and Sunday mornings (aka after midnight Friday and Saturday nights) from 12:01am on June 15 through Labor Day.
If ridership responds and the experience is safe, and it’s cost-effective the service will continue
Will SEPTA subways run 24/7?
Not exactly: The Market-Frankford El and Broad Street Line will be running 24 hour weekend service. Night Owl Bus service will continue to operate Sundays through Thursdays. Night Owl Bus service will not run when the trains are operating.
Will I have to wait long?
Trains will run at 20-minute intervals, with 10-minute waits planned for transfers at City Hall. Check the new MFL and BSL schedules, effective June 15,
Will it be safe?
Transit police – uniformed and plainclothes – will be at many stations and on all trains. Security cameras will also be monitored.
How will payment work?
At some heavily-used stations there will be cashiers in the booth. If there is no cashier, go through the gate or turnstile and wait on the platform where the front train car will stop. The train operator will take exact change fares ($2.25), transfers, fare cards or tokens, and sell transfers ($1) –no change.
These stations will have cashiers in the booth:
Market-Frankford Line
- Frankford Transportation Center
- Girard
- Second Street
- 13th Street
- 15th Street
- 30th Street
- 52d Street
- 69th Street
Broad Street Line
- Fern Rock Transportation Center
- Olney Transportation Center
- Erie
- Cecil B. Moore
- City Hall
- Walnut-Locust
- Lombard-South
- AT&T
If you test out overnight service soon, let us know how it goes. Drop us a line or tweet @EOTSPhilly with your experience.
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