July 24, 2026
Provided Image/Philadelphia Visitor Center
The Philly PHLASH tourist bus service said it hit record numbers during the busy summer tourism season.
Philly PHLASH, the bus service that brings its customers to popular tourist destinations around the city, saw some of its highest ridership numbers in its 32-year history during the city's busy lineup of events this summer.
The system, sponsored by the Philadelphia Visitor Center, said it drove over 60,000 riders throughout the 39-day stretch of the World Cup. Tamara Yvette Day, a representative with Philly PHLASH, said it was the busiest stretch since at least 2019, and likely the most active since it was established in 1994.
In June, its commuter numbers increased by 400% compared with last year.
"It was a privilege to help connect visitors and residents to Philadelphia's biggest events during this extraordinary summer," Day said in a statement. "We're especially grateful to our incredible drivers and the entire PHLASH team, whose flexibility, friendliness, and professionalism made it possible to safely serve tens of thousands of riders throughout this historic season."
PHLASH will continue operating daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. to its 19 stops through Labor Day. It will run Fridays through Sundays every week after Labor Day through the end of November.
To prepare for the increased demand around the city, the bus service doubled its Downtown Loop by adding stops to the Fashion District, 30th Street Station, Mutter Museum and near the FIFA Fan Festival in Lemon Hill. After the first four days of the tournament, PHLASH said it carried over 7,440 riders — around a quarter of whom were traveling to Lemon Hill. Last year, the bus system carried around that same amount of people over the course of an entire month.
The success for Philly PHLASH comes as other transit organizations evaluate their numbers after Philly hosted the World Cup, MLB All-Star Game and events related to the country’s 250th anniversary.
SEPTA moved hundreds of thousands of passengers during the World Cup and saw an 82% increase in ridership on the Broad Street Line during the month of June.
The Indego bike rental service also reported 239,000 trips between June 11 and July 19, representing a 39% increase compared with the same time period last year. The company called it the "busiest period" in its history.
