Reimagining Regional Rail Phase 2
May 17, 2022
Did you know SEPTA has one of the largest regional rail systems in North America - and is the only one with a downtown through-running tunnel?
This opens up so many possibilities for what kind of service we run.
Which is why we’re reimagining Regional Rail to do more than serve 9-5 commutes to Center City.
We’re planning more frequent, all-day, all-week service that connects to destinations across the region. And we have three (3) different options for providing this.
Option 1 focuses on Regional Coverage: providing 30-minute service everywhere across the system. Currently, many of Regional Rail lines offer one train per hour. This option runs trains every 30 minutes on all lines.
Option 2 focuses on Metro Frequency: providing frequent service where ridership and demand supports it. That means running trains every 15 minutes or less in the core of the system, just like a metro or subway system.
Option 3 aka All Day Speed - provides express service all day. Regional Rail is the fastest SEPTA mode, but off-peak local trains can be 20 minutes slower than peak express. This option solves that with more express trains.
The final vision for Regional Rail will be a mix of these options based on feedback from the public (that means YOU!), equity, financial constraints, and public safety concerns.
Not sure which option you prefer? Take our quiz to find out—and then vote for your favorite option.
On Wednesday, May 18th at 6:30PM - the project team will discuss the scenarios and how they were developed via a virtual public meeting. Register here.
