Familiarize yourself with the map of Philadelphia's SEPTA transportation system, available on the SEPTA website -- find a link in the References section. This clickable map allows you to see the regional rail (train) lines, Market Frankford subway line (the "El") and Broad Street subway line and trolley lines. Areas not accessible by subway, trolley, or regional rail are often serviced by bus lines.
The major transit stops in Philadelphia are 30th Street Station, City Hall (15th Street), Suburban Station, Market East, 69th Street, and the Frankford Transportation Center. Many subway, bus, trolley and regional rail lines intersect at these stations, making transfers easy.
Determine your starting address and final destination. Go to the SEPTA website and enter them into the Trip Planner tool on the left-hand column. Hit enter and view the potential routes and modes of transit you can use to get to your destination. In general, the subway and regional rail lines are the fastest routes. Buses and trolleys stop on every corner, so they tend to be slower. However, buses and trolleys service a larger portion of the city.
Schedules: Once you have chosen your route, check the schedule of that particular line using the SEPTA website. Paper schedules are also available at many stations and inside subways, buses, trolleys and trains.
Fares: Make sure you understand the fare system and how much money you will need. The base fare for the bus, trolley, or subway is $2 cash. Transfers between subway and trolley lines are free at major stops (30th Street Station and City Hall), but transferring to a bus will cost an additional 75 cents, payable only when you purchase your original fare. Regional rail lines use a zone-based fare schedule -- check the SEPTA website or a regional rail sales location to find out how much your trip will cost. If all of this sounds too confusing, just buy a SEPTA daily, weekly, or monthly pass at a designated sale location. You can use it as much as you want without worrying about fares for individual trips.
How to Pay: At subway stops, you can drop a token into the turnstile, swipe your SEPTA TransPass on the turnstile, or pay the cashier $2 cash. When you get on the bus or trolley, you can drop a token into the meter, swipe your SEPTA TransPass, or feed $2 cash ($1 bills and coins only) into the meter. If you want a transfer pass, drop in 75 cents extra. The driver will provide you with a paper pass.
How to Ride: On the buses and trolleys, you'll need to request your stop by pulling a cord located near the seats. Otherwise, the driver may not stop when you want to get off! It is common courtesy on public transit to use only one seat for yourself and your belongings.
Philadelphia Airport Transportation: You don't have to pay that expensive flat rate for a taxi from the airport. Save money by catching the R1 regional rail line.
