As the Fords return to school, they’ll be met with more than just new teachers and fresh schedules. SEPTA’s latest changes to service, fares, and routes will impact many students’ commuting methods, resulting in longer commute times.
As a state budget standoff leaves the agency without enough funding to keep trains and buses running at current levels, SEPTA has begun rolling out sweeping cuts to bus and rail service, alongside higher fares.
For many students who rely on SEPTA to get to and from school, the changes mean longer waits, crowded rides, and uncertain trips home.
The first round of cuts took effect on August 25, and it’s only the beginning. On January 1, 32 bus routes, a Metro line branch, and five Regional Rail lines will be eliminated, including the local Paoli/Thorndale line. Additionally, the remaining sixteen bus routes will see reduced service. Along with route eliminations, riders are facing higher prices. Starting September 2, the price of a single ride will rise from $2.50 to $2.90, the cost of a weekly TransPass+ will rise from $25.50 to $31, and the monthly pass will climb from $96 to $116.
The biggest hurdle for commuters around the city will be the 9 p.m. curfew, which will effectively end late-night train travel across the city.
These changes impact nearly every type of rider. Half of Center City residents don’t own cars, meaning thousands of daily commuters will be left with fewer options. In addition, the estimated number of cars on the road will increase by over 275,000 across Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. All students will likely face longer trips, and Sixth Formers without cars and others who cannot drive will feel the loss of accessibility sharply.
The alternate routes SEPTA provides are neither more efficient nor comfortable, with some having travelers stuck on a bus for two hours just to get home instead of the usual 30 minutes. With regional rail service near our school stopping in the new year, this will likely cause chaos in family schedules and could result in more tardiness from students due to new schedules and a lack of familiarity with the alternative options.
The impacts go far beyond daily school and work: The 9 p.m. curfew will also affect travelers from Philadelphia International Airport who are coming in late on cross-country or international flights. Thousands who depend on the regional rail service to return to their homes in the city could be stranded because of these fare cuts.
The new hourly service will also have an impact on travelers as they might have to find more efficient ways of transportation into the city during the day, with fewer trains coming to pick them up. Those with limited options may rely on pricy Uber or Lyft services to get home. According to Uber, the average price from PHL to Center City is $32, and prices continue to surge.
The cuts and limited services couldn’t come at a worse time. Eagles fans, concert-goers, and theater crowds will all feel the effects, especially once the 9 p.m. curfew begins in January. It will affect global events too—when Philadelphia hosts the FIFA World Cup in June 2026, international visitors will face a city with fewer trains, earlier shutdowns, and less reliable service. Service workers and bartenders who rely on late trains to get home after shifts will also be left with few alternatives. The cuts threaten to reshape how Philadelphians move around the city.
The cuts and limited services couldn’t come at a worse time. Eagles fans, concert-goers, and theater crowds will all feel the effects, especially once the 9 p.m. curfew begins in January. It will affect global events too—when Philadelphia hosts the FIFA World Cup in June 2026, international visitors will face a city with fewer trains, earlier shutdowns, and less reliable service. Service workers and bartenders who rely on late trains to get home after shifts will also be left with few alternatives. The cuts threaten to reshape how Philadelphians move around the city.
The sports complex is already a nightmare to exit after games; with the recent cuts, this means more cars will be backing up on I-95, I-76, and Broad Street. Philly’s notoriously bad traffic will seemingly become even worse.
SEPTA officials warn this is just the start of a series of measures meant to keep the system running while lawmakers in Harrisburg continue to fight over long-term transit funding. The agency insists these cuts are necessary to close a massive budget deficit.
The effects of SEPTA’s changes leave a question looming: what happens to the stations along the tracks? In the case of the new Ardmore Station nearing completion, it will live on—although with drastically fewer trains—as an Amtrak stop, with Keystone route service to Harrisburg and New York City.
As for stops along routes only served by SEPTA, only time will tell.
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