Beginning next month, SEPTA will have another 99 Regional Rail trains operating on weekends to meet growing demand. SEPTA also is adding 24 more trains to its weekday schedule.
The increases take effect Sunday, Sept. 8. SEPTA said the bump in train frequency is enabled by a recruitment and training push that allows for expanded crews.
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On weekends, the most notable schedule changes include the full restoration of 30-minute service between Philadelphia International Airport and Center City. On most Regional Rail lines, hourly service also is being fully restored.
The schedule adjustments on weekdays and weekends shift arrival and departure times by varying amounts depending on the line. Riders can look at SEPTA's fall Regional Rail schedule to see how their commutes will be affected by the changes.
SEPTA also is adding more late-night and midday service on most lines. And to prevent overcrowding on trains during the middle of the week, SEPTA is adding rail cars on select trains during peak times.
SEPTA officials said the growth of weekend Regional Rail ridership now outpaces the recovery of weekday ridership, which plunged during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a whole, Regional Rail ridership is now at 67% of where it was before the pandemic.
The boost in service brings SEPTA back to 84% of its pre-pandemic capacity on weekends, up from 63% currently. For weekday service, the changes increase Regional Rail to 80% of pre-pandemic service levels, up from 77%.
The expansion of Regional Rail service is planned despite SEPTA's ongoing financial challenges. The transit authority faces a $240 million budget deficit that coincides with the end of federal support provided during the pandemic. Last month, Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a budget that included an addition $51 million for SEPTA as a one-time increase in funding. Gov. Josh Shapiro and other mass transit advocates had pushed for permanent funding to address SEPTA's fiscal cliff, which could precipitate fare increases and service cuts.
"Despite this funding crisis, we can not put critical investments in our system on hold," SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie Richards said. "We must move forward with efforts to make our service more reliable for our riders who depend on us to get where they need to go."
The added Regional Rail service also comes as SEPTA prepares to reinstate fees at its 96 parking lots and three garages. Parking has been free since the start of the pandemic. The fees will be phased in beginning Sept. 23. They will be in effect at all lots by Nov. 15.
The new fee at SEPTA's parking lots will double to $2 per day. Parking at the three garages — Frankford Transportation Center, Norristown Transportation Center and Lansdale Station — will be $4 per day. Parking will remain free at all lots on weekends and major holidays.