Line of the Week: Manayunk/Norristown
May 31, 2021
For this week's Line of the Week, we decided to take a look at another Regional Rail Line: the Manayunk/Norristown Line.
The Manayunk/Norristown Line was founded by the Reading Company and was originally known as the Norristown Branch. It ran from Philadelphia to Reading, Pennsylvania. Electrified service to Norristown and Chestnut Hill East began on February 5, 1933. Steam (and later diesel)-operated intercity services continued to operate beyond Norristown. By the 1960s Budd Rail Diesel Cars handled most of the Reading's diesel services, although the Reading's EMD FP7 locomotives, displaced from the Crusader, saw regular use on the Philadelphia–Reading run. SEPTA discontinued services beyond Norristown on July 26, 1981.
Between 1984 and 2010, the line was designated R6 Norristown as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines. The R-number naming system was dropped on July 25, 2010 and the line then became known at the Manayunk/Norristown Line.
The Manayunk/Norristown Line is how thousands of passengers get to the city every day. It travels straight through the heart of Center City Philadelphia, so it’s vital for so many people coming into the city for work. In 2019, the Manayunk/Norristown Line served an average of close to 10,000 riders every day! It connects to the Norristown Transportation Center, where you can catch Bus Routes 90, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, and 131 (and Route 91, but only on Saturdays). You can also connect to the Norristown High Speed Line, which you can take to many places, including 69th Street Transportation Center.
The Manayunk Norristown Line is one of 13 Regional Rail Lines and is 19 and a half miles long. It stops at 16 stations along the way and serves a number of neighborhoods including Manayunk, Conshohocken, and East Falls:
· 30th Street Station
· Suburban Station
· Jefferson Station
· Temple University Station
· North Broad Station
· Allegheny Station
· East Falls Station
· Wissahickon Transportation Center
· Manayunk Station
· Ivy Ridge Station
· Miquon Station
· Spring Mill Station
· Conshohocken Station
· Norristown Transportation Center
· Main Street Station
· Elm Street Station
The Manayunk/Norristown Line also occasionally goes to Penn Medicine Station in University City after 30th Street Station.
Every Thursday thru the end of September - you can hop the Manayunk/Norristown Line to Manayunk Station and check out Stroll the Street - where Manayunk will host local food trucks, vendors, and live music as visitors and residents walk, shop, and eat. Bring your entire family, your masks, and your appetites! And while in Manayunk, don't forget - you've got Perks! Save 10% on your order from Tubby Ice Cream Factory on Main Street when you flash your SEPTA Key card!
Now that Travel Wallet is available on Regional Rail, riding couldn't be easier! All you have to do is tap your SEPTA Key on the platform or turnstile validator at your boarding station. This opens your trip. Then sit back and enjoy your ride! When you exit, tap off at the platform or turnstile validator before you leave the station. This closes out the trip. Again, all you have to do is Tap, Ride, Tap! You can read about the most up-to-date fare information here! Not only that, but children under the age of 12 ride free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult! And if you've never ridden the Media/Elwyn Line, check out this informative video here!
Before you leave the house, there are a few things you'll want to remember. Check to make sure you have your SEPTA Key card before you leave. Masks are still required on all SEPTA vehicles. This isn't just to keep you safe, it's to keep everyone who rides SEPTA safe! Ensure your mask is covering both your mouth and your nose. Effective 6/1 - vehicle capacity limits on SEPTA vehicles will be lifted.
So whether you're headed to Center City, Manayunk, or anywhere in between - hop the Manayunk/Norristown Line and let SEPTA get you where you need to be!
