Not fare: SEPTA Regional Rail riders face hard choices if route reductions implemented

The month of August might not be an easy ride for people who use Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Regional Rail. 

With SEPTA facing a structural budget gap of more than $200 million, and no state funding solution currently in sight, the regional transit system is preparing to make drastic service cuts and implement fare increases, with the first phase beginning later this month: Most Regional Rail midday trains would come every two hours instead of every hour beginning Aug. 24. 

Barring intervention by Harrisburg lawmakers – who are still negotiating an already-late state budget – there would be a 21.5% fare increase in September, followed by cuts to an additional 25% of routes, a 9 p.m. curfew and the loss of five regional rail lines in January 2026.

A normal schedule would have 1,414 weekly trips across SEPTA’s 13 Regional Rail lines – but according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, service would drop to 960 weekly trips under the reduced schedule the transit agency is drawing up, or about a third fewer.

Regional rail fares can range from $4 to $11, depending on the zones of start and end stations, day of the week, time of day and payment method. 

If SEPTA implements the limited schedule, travelers will be faced to choose alternatives from a limited number of difficult, lengthy and expensive workarounds, including: 

Jefferson Station to Fox Chase Station

• Approximately 14 miles
• Regional rail cost: $4 if using a SEPTA Key card or contactless payment for a roughly 25-minute trip with six stops
• Rideshare: Approximately $30-$40 for a roughly 25-minute trip, depending on traffic
• Bus and Walk: Costs $2.50 for a roughly 65-minute trip

Suburban Station to Chestnut Hill West 

• Approximately 12 miles
• Regional rail cost: $6 using a SEPTA Key card or contactless payment for a roughly 41-minute trip with 11 stops
• Bus and Walk: Costs $2.50 for a roughly 60-minute trip
• Rideshare: Approximately $30-$40 for a roughly 20-minute trip

Suburban Station to Cynwyd Line

• Approximately 7 miles
• Regional Rail cost: $7.50 with a SEPTA Key card or contactless payment for a 21-minute trip with four stops
• Bus and Walk: Costs $2.50 for a roughly 25-minute trip
• Rideshare: Approximately $20 for a roughly 15-minute trip

30th Street Station to Newark, Delaware Station 

• Approximately 42 miles
• Regional rail cost: Between $4 and $11 for a roughly 65-minute trip with 18 stops
• Rideshare: Approximately $150 for a roughly 45-minute trip