SEPTA to Launch Express Supplemental Bus Service
August 25, 2016
In an effort to accommodate increased Regional Rail ridership as customers return from summer vacations and students head back to school, SEPTA will offer supplemental Express Bus service during morning and evening rush hours along some of the most heavily traveled portions of the Regional Rail system starting Tuesday, 9/6. This service is designed to enhance travel options for customers while work progresses on the Silverliner V fleet repairs by offering convenient connections from outlying Regional Rail station to transit hubs. Combined with the Interim Weekday Regional Rail Schedule, the AM/PM Express Bus service provides customers travel flexibility and more frequent service.
Regular transit fares will apply for the Express Bus service. SEPTA urges customers to pre-purchase weekly or monthly passes, or other fare instruments. Express Bus fares can be paid using Weekly or Monthly TransPasses, tokens, cash or transfers. Customers who want to use a combination of Express Bus service and Regional Rail trains for their daily commute can also use a Weekly or Monthly TrailPass or Regional Rail ticket on both modes. (TransPasses, tokens and transfers cannot be used to pay for Regional Rail fares.) Express Buses will operate from limited stations with hourly departures between 6:30-8:30AM for the morning commute, and from 4-6PM. for the evening rush. Specific departure times will be posted at Regional Rail stations and online at http://www.septa.org/service/contingency.html. The routings are designed to provide comparable trip times to those using Regional Rail service.
Chestnut Hill East and West Lines: Express Bus Service will run to-and-from the Fern Rock Transportation Center to connect with the Broad Street Line and Broad Ridge Spur. AM Express Buses depart between 6:30-8:30AM from Chestnut Hill East Station, with stops at Chestnut Hill West Station, Wyndmoor/St. Martins Station and Sedgwick Station. PM Express Buses depart Fern Rock between 4-6PM with stops to the same stations. Click here for timetable.
Fox Chase Line: Express Bus Service will run to-and-from the Fern Rock Transportation Center for connections with the Broad Street Line and Broad Ridge Spur. AM Express Buses depart Fox Chase Station between 6:30-8:30AM. PM Express Buses depart Fern Rock between 4-6PM to Fox Chase Station. Click here for timetable.
Airport, Warminster, West Trenton and Lansdale/Doylestown Lines: Express Bus Service will run to-and-from the Fern Rock Transportation Center for connections with the Broad Street Line and Broad Ridge Spur. AM Express Buses depart between 6:30-8:30AM from Jenkintown-Wyncote Station and stop at Elkins Park Station. PM Express Buses depart Fern Rock between 4-6PM to Jenkintown-Wyncote and Elkins Park. Click here for timetable.
Manayunk/Norristown Line: Express Bus Service will run to-and-from Suburban Station in Center City. AM Express Buses depart between 6:30-8:30AM from Ivy Ridge Station, then stop at Manayunk Station and Wissahickon Station en route to Suburban Station. PM Express Buses depart 17th Street and JFK Boulevard between 4-6PM to the same outlying stations. Click here for timetable.
Media/Elwyn Line: Express Bus Service will run to-and-from AT&T Station for connections with the Broad Street Line. AM Express Buses depart between 6:30-8:30AM from Swarthmore Station for travel to AT&T Station. PM Express Buses depart AT&T Station between 4-6PM to Swarthmore. Click here for timetable.
In addition to the Express Bus service, SEPTA continues to lease five (5) rail cars from Amtrak, eight (8) from NJ Transit and nineteen (19) from Maryland Area Commuter Service (MARC). An additional sixteen (16) leased MARC cars will be put into service on SEPTA's Regional Rail system shortly after September 1, bringing the total of leased rail cars in passenger service to forty-eight (48). Where possible, SEPTA also encourages Regional Rail riders to use transit modes, including buses, trolleys, the Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line and Norristown High Speed Line. A press event will be held the week of 8/29 to update the public on the status of the Silverliner V repairs and their return to service.
As always, for more information on Regional Rail Schedules, alternative modes of travel, parking and the latest service updates related to the rail car shortage, go to http://www.septa.org/service/contingency.html.
