September 02, 2020
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
SEPTA customers will only be able to purchase Regional Rail tickets using the SEPTA Key Travel wallet starting Oct. 2, 2020. Paper tickets will be phased out.
SEPTA riders who are used to purchasing paper train tickets have one month remaining before they will be required to switch to the SEPTA Key card.
Over the past several months, SEPTA has been rolling out its Key Card-based system across the Regional Rail system. Under the new system, riders pay for their trips using their SEPTA Travel Wallet.
Beginning Oct. 2, all stations will shift to the SEPTA Key card, requiring riders to tap in and out to pay their fares. Sales of single trip and 10-trip ticket strips will end.
Paper tickets purchased before this date will be accepted through the valid date stamped on the back. They are good for up to 180 days.
By switching to the SEPTA Key, riders will ensure that they receive the discounted fare that was previously only available by purchasing a paper 10-day strip.
"SEPTA would like to remind customers that at the start of their trip, they should tap the platform validator or turnstile validator at their boarding station to open their trip," SEPTA said in a statement. "After exiting the train, customers should tap off at the platform or turnstile validator before leaving. This closes out the trip."
If a customer using Travel Wallet does not tap in to start their trip or tap out to end it, they could be charged the maximum single-trip fare.
The requirement to tap in and tap out also will apply to riders who have a weekly or monthly TrailPass on a Key Card.
Earlier this year, SEPTA approved a fare restructuring plan that suspended fare increases and instituted free rides for children with paying adults. Many of the changes were made in light of the hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
"As people return to work and their normal routines, safe and reliable public transportation is going to play a critical role," SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. said. "The changes in the fare restructuring plan will help our riders during this difficult time and aid in the region’s recovery."
