July 14, 2015
Officials are expecting crowds to flood Philadelphia in late September for Pope Francis' visit and are trying to prepare public transit to accommodate those making their way in from just outside the city.
Unlike for subways, buses and trolleys, the Regional Rail will only accept special passes for the weekend (Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27) of the pope's visit. That means a monthly transit pass or cash fare will not work. So whether you're coming to see the pope or just commuting for work on those days (God help you), you'll have to buy one of SEPTA's special passes beforehand.
One-day passes will be available for pre-sale on an e-commerce site on Monday, July 20 at 9 a.m. Three-day passes, valid from that Saturday to Monday, September 28, will go on pre-sale July 27. Those three-day passes will also be valid on all buses, subways and trolleys. The link for the ticket site will be available on septa.org when both sales begin. Tickets won't be available from a live teller.
Due to the large crowds expected, there are some nit-picky details that SEPTA released Monday regarding the one-day passes that you should know before trying to purchase them. Here's the skinny:
• Just like the three-day passes, SEPTA is only selling a limited quantity. So if you really want one, you should probably be at your computer at 9 a.m. on the dot.
• They will cost $10 for each individual rider, including seniors and children older than 5, but are a discounted $5 for those with a valid Pennsylvania Disability Transit ID Card or Medicare Card. You don't have to prove that when you buy them, but you will have to present that ID when you board, so remember to bring it when you get on the train.
• You can buy up to 10 passes for one transaction. If you want to come both days, you have to buy a separate pass for both Saturday and Sunday.
• They are only available on a select number of Regional Rail lines, and will only pick up at a select number of stops. In addition to the already announced lines and stops for pick up (see map below), the Levittown Station has been added on the Trenton Line and the Pennbrook Station has replaced the Lansdale Station on the Lansdale/Doylestown Line
• Trains will either go to Jefferson, 30th Street, or University City stations. You have to get back on at the same station in the city you get off at and go back to the same station you left from. You will have to select both upon purchase.
• In addition to selecting your stations upon purchase, you must select a time slot for entering the city. Each station will operate on two time slots: 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. to noon.
• That applies to all stations, with one exception. For the Trenton line, Cornwells Heights will only be available for the first slot and the Croydon Station will only be available for the second slot.
• The Airport Line will have its own separate plan. Information on that will be released on an unspecified date in the coming weeks.
For more on the city's transportation plan, click here. For where the pope will be and when he'll be there that weekend, check out his itinerary here.
