January 04, 2024
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
SEPTA has announced changes to Regional Rail schedules that will take effect Sunday, Jan. 7.
SEPTA riders can expect some updates to Regional Rail schedules this year.
The changes, which take effect Sunday, Jan. 7, will impact most lines — besides the Cynwyd Line — and are intended to maintain Regional Rail service at 77% of pre-COVID levels.
MORE: Chestnut Street bridge over I-95 scheduled to close Jan. 15 ahead of demolition
In August, schedules were updated to maintain rail service at 75% of pre-pandemic levels. Regional Rail ridership has gradually returned and is currently at about 58% of pre-pandemic levels, according to SEPTA.
📢 New Regional Rail schedules effective Sunday, January 7, 2024. Changes include the addition of six (6) midday trains on the Chestnut Hill East Line: https://t.co/lI8NZGOgWg. #ISEPTAPHILLY #waytogo pic.twitter.com/XQ2k9eFhpm
— ISEPTAPHILLY (@SEPTAPHILLY) January 4, 2024
The most significant updates will be on the Chestnut Hill East, Wilmington/Newark and Warminster lines. The full timetables can be viewed online, but here are the changes riders can expect this weekend:
On weekdays, all outbound trains to Fox Chase will depart Temple and Wayne Junction stations one minute earlier.
Six midday trains — three inbound from Chestnut Hill and three outbound from Suburban Station — will be restored to weekday hourly service. Also, the 5:22 p.m. weekday outbound Suburban Station departure will leave three minutes later.
The weekday inbound 4:51 p.m. departure will leave three minutes earlier at all stations.
All weekday outbound trains are scheduled to depart Temple University through Ryers Station one minute earlier.
Several weekday inbound trains will operate later. Notably, the 8:09 a.m. Glenside Station departure will leave 13 minutes later and the 5:37 p.m. Glenside Station departure will leave 36 minutes later. The 8:20 a.m. Glenside Station train will no longer operate due to construction on the Willow Grove track.
As for weekday outbound trains, the 5:39 p.m. Suburban Station departure will leave 19 minutes later and make all local stops en route to West Trenton. The 5:45 p.m. Suburban Station departure will no longer operate. The 9:09 p.m. Suburban Station departure will be extended from Link Belt to Doylestown.
The weekday inbound 6:37 am departure from Doylestown will leave one to three minutes earlier at all stations from Doylestown to Ambler. The weekday inbound 6:03 p.m. Suburban Station arrival will operate 36 minutes later. The weekday inbound 11:04 p.m. Link Belt departure will be extended to restore late-night inbound service from Doylestown and Delaware Valley University.
Weekend inbound trains will operate one minute earlier at stations between Doylestown and Gwynedd Valley, and weekend outbound trains will operate one to three minutes later between Fern Rock Transportation Center and all stations en route to Lansdale/Doylestown.
The weekday inbound 8:59 a.m. arrival at Suburban Station will now operate four minutes earlier at all stations. The weekday inbound Miquon to Suburban Station train arriving at 4:48 p.m. will no longer operate.
The weekday outbound 3:28 p.m. Suburban Station departure will be extended to Norristown Transportation Center and will make three new stops. There also will be several new weekday inbound and outbound trains throughout the day.
The weekday inbound 6:12 a.m. departure from Media will be extended; it will originate at Wawa at 6:03 a.m. and stop at Elwyn at 6:08 a.m. The weekday inbound 4:49 p.m. Media departure will depart all stations 10 minutes earlier.
The weekday inbound 5:21 p.m. Suburban Station train will arrive 10 minutes later at all station stops.
The weekday outbound 3:22 p.m. Suburban Station train will depart three minutes earlier at all stations.
There will be significant adjustments on the Warmister line due to construction at Willow Grove Station. An existing track north of the current station will be deactivated, reducing line capacity and train operation. Rush hour trains will be rescheduled and reduced.
The weekday inbound 5:48 p.m. Warminster train and the weekday outbound 5:45 p.m. Suburban Station departure will no longer operate.
The weekday inbound 3:17 p.m. West Trenton departure will leave up to four minutes later at all station stops. The weekday outbound 3:25 p.m. Suburban Station departure will leave four minutes earlier, and the 5:39 p.m. Suburban Station departure will leave 19 minutes later.
There will be significant adjustments to the Wilmington/Newark line to accommodate Amtrak bridge work in the Chester area. Many weekday inbound and outbound train schedules have been adjusted by three to 10 minutes.
Outbound SEPTA and Amtrak trains will be merged to track No. 3 between the Eddystone and Marcus Hook stations. Passengers will use wood walkouts to descend from the trains. Delays may be experienced.
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