SEPTA NPT card will be "SEPTA Key"?

[ryan92084]

Yes, the Independence pass sales stopping was some relatively last minute news. On board cash sales have resumed (by the posting this actually happened a few weeks ago) and now match the exit fare prices from what I understand.

I don't know about NJ but I've heard from other riders that the DE stations still won't sell anything on the Key cards but I can't verify this.

[CNJGeep]

Yes, the Independence pass sales stopping was some relatively last minute news. On board cash sales have resumed (by the posting this actually happened a few weeks ago) and now match the exit fare prices from what I understand.

I don't know about NJ but I've heard from other riders that the DE stations still won't sell anything on the Key cards but I can't verify this.

Cash fares are the same as they were prior to Covid. The exit fare is the Zone 4 fare in effect at the time of purchase, which I believe is $6.75/$5.75.
On board is still $6/5 for Zone 1+2, $7/7 for Zone 3, $8/7 for Zone 4, and $10/10 for NJ.

I discovered today that apparently the ticket agent in Wilmington is unable to issue new Key cards, and unable to put anything on extant Key cards, making him utterly useless in light of the fact that tickets are not sold anymore.

[Head-end View]

So the clerk in Wilmington is there for what purpose, just information or do they sell Amtrak tickets too?

[MACTRAXX]

H-E: The clerk at Wilmington is a DTC employee selling DART fare media - and SEPTA RRD tickets/passes.
They may well be not yet equipped to handle the SEPTA Key.
DART First State honored SEPTA legacy RRD Anywhere passes in New Castle County (containing the four
Delaware stations on the Wilmington-Newark Line) on DART buses.
There is no service south of Wilmington to Churchman's Crossing and Newark on the current schedule
dated August 16, 2020...MACTRAXX

[MACTRAXX]

Yes, the Independence pass sales stopping was some relatively last minute news. On board cash sales have resumed (by the posting this actually happened a few weeks ago) and now match the exit fare prices from what I understand.

I don't know about NJ but I've heard from other riders that the DE stations still won't sell anything on the Key cards but I can't verify this.

Ryan and Everyone:
The legacy Independence Passes that were just withdrawn were dated 2019-2022.
There is ample time to use them - depending on how long SEPTA will honor them.

Wilmington is or was the only Delaware station that sold SEPTA tickets and passes currently.
Claymont and Churchman's Crossing have no ticket office; Newark had a small DTC office that
handled some SEPTA RRD ticket/pass sales on a limited basis - with no NRK train service there is
no need for SEPTA tickets/passes to be available at Newark Station...MACTRAXX

[Head-end View]

Why no SEPTA service south of Wilmington nowadays? COVID cutback?

[MACTRAXX]

Why no SEPTA service south of Wilmington nowadays? COVID cutback?

H-E View: Yes. SEPTA RRD lines operating have a base hourly weekday service without any
peak hour limited or express service.
Only the Airport and Paoli Lines have half-hourly weekday service.

On weekends most RRD lines have service on average every two hours. The Airport Line runs hourly.

The current Wilmington-Newark Line timetable lists Churchman's Crossing and Newark even though
there is no train service currently to these two stations. DART bus service is available...MACTRAXX

[jamesinclair]

This was my experience:

I met my friend at 30th, I also ended up arriving via Amtrak, as theyre offering low fares ($30 vs regular $50)

We went to the SEPTA area and there were 3 agents. They let us in for free with Amtrak tickets, no issue at all. We exited at Suburban the same way, with no issue at all. Seems like the agents have all been trained on the Amtrak ticket policy.

Both stations were absolute ghost towns.

One thing I didnt like. At 30th, as far as I could tell, there was zero signage on what trains/platforms go to Suburban. That is, unless you have an extensive knowledge of the system, and understand where your Fox Chase is in relation to your West Trentons and so forth, there was no indication on which direction was which.

I expected a "XX via Center City" style of sign.

Fortunately, the agent did know and told us which train was next to Suburban.

Also took the subway and purchased a paper single trip ticket. Did not like that they required my area code when tapping my credit card - no need for forcing us to touch the machine so much in the COVID era.

[MACTRAXX]

JS: Good post concerning your trip to PHL...

1-Good to know that the RRD gate staff know about the Amtrak CCP fare policy between 30th Street,
Suburban and Jefferson (Market East) Stations and you rode with no problem. Riding between the
CCP stations would be a Zone 1 weekday fare with a Quick Trip single ride card ($5.25) otherwise.

2-The SEPTA RRD platforms at 30th Street once had letter designations that for some reason that were
discontinued at some point during the second half of the 1980s in favor of the track numbers.
What makes the 30th Street upper tracks confusing is that they are not in order.
Platform A-Tracks 1&2: Center City Philadelphia and Reading side lines.
Platform B-Tracks 5&6: Track 5-CCP and Reading side lines; Track 6-Pennsy side lines south
Platform C-Tracks 3&4: Pennsy side lines west and north.
In the future remember that all trains serving Platform A and Track 5 at Platform B go into CCP.

3-I noticed a change concerning SEPTA Key Quick Trip single ride cards on a visit recently -
QT cards are now a thin plastic replacing the thicker white paper cards that were previously used.
This is the text on the back of QT cards: -Good for ONE(1) Ride ONLY (Not Reloadable)-
-Transit: Market-Frankford/Broad Street; Trolley: 19th/22nd Streets; Norristown High Speed Line:
NTC/69th Street (the two end terminals of the NHSL)
-Regional Rail: Purchase from Airport Line Fare Kiosks; Center City Regional Rail Fare Kiosks or
Sales Offices. Not valid for inbound travel EXCEPT on the Airport Line.
-NOT VALID ON BUSES, TRACKLESS TROLLEYS OR TROLLEYS (except as noted above)
-Good only on date shown on front of card
-See Station Personnel or use Customer Assistance Box if card fails to provide access
-Fares subject to tariff regulations

QT Cards show: Day of the week; Actual date; Time of purchase; Price Paid; Type of fare (Adult
is the most common) along with a serial number. RRD QT cards show the destination fare zone
which is Zones 1,2,3,4 or NJ (Trenton and West Trenton, NJ); CCP or AIR and for QT cards valid
Anywhere via CCP purchased at the Airport - those read VIA.

MACTRAXX

[ExCon90]

Also, at the head of the ramp up to the Upper Level platforms, there is a row of monitors, arranged by route destinations, showing the next four departures; also one headed Next Train to Suburban Station, another Next Train to University City.

[ryan92084]

Yes, the Independence pass sales stopping was some relatively last minute news. On board cash sales have resumed (by the posting this actually happened a few weeks ago) and now match the exit fare prices from what I understand.

I don't know about NJ but I've heard from other riders that the DE stations still won't sell anything on the Key cards but I can't verify this.

Cash fares are the same as they were prior to Covid. The exit fare is the Zone 4 fare in effect at the time of purchase, which I believe is $6.75/$5.75.
On board is still $6/5 for Zone 1+2, $7/7 for Zone 3, $8/7 for Zone 4, and $10/10 for NJ.

I discovered today that apparently the ticket agent in Wilmington is unable to issue new Key cards, and unable to put anything on extant Key cards, making him utterly useless in light of the fact that tickets are not sold anymore.

With regards to the cash fares that is quite the opposite of the information that was handed down from on high but it wasn't put in writing so its in no way surprising. Definitely a better deal to pay the exit fare beyond zone 2.

The agents in Wilmington are not Septa/Edens employees. If dart doesn't feel like dealing with selling/loading the new system or providing the space for the machines then I guess that is what we are stuck with.

[CNJGeep]

Why no SEPTA service south of Wilmington nowadays? COVID cutback?

More that Amtrak has most of the railroad ripped up south of Wilmington and SEPTA would just get in the way.

[R36 Combine Coach]

I recall the station agent in Newark (NRK, not NWK) was DelDOT, same with the sales agent at Wilmington
(separate from the Amtrak ticket office).

[ryan92084]

The price changes are now in writing. They may have been before too but I wasn't able to dig them up last time I looked. It is in fact the Travel wallet prices where some have changed and not the on board. Prices are now:

CCP/Z1 - $4.00/4.00 | Cash $6.00/5.00
Z2 - $4.75/4.25 | Cash $6.00/5.00
Z3 - $5.75/5.25 | Cash $7.00/7.00
Z4 - $6.50/5.25 | Cash $8.00/7.00 | Airport QT $6.75
NJ - $8.25/8.25 | Cash $10.00/10.00
Via - $9.25 | Cash $9.25
Int - $3.75 | Cash $4.00
CCP Exit - still $6.75?

All legacy ticket refunds are being done via mail only.

http://www.septa.org/fares/ticket/index.html

[ryan92084]

Two new fare options rolling out to the key Oct. 20th.
Three Day Convenience Pass - $18.00, valid for 24 bus/trolley/subway trips taken "over" 72h, activated with the first tap
Independence Pass 3 Pass Bundle- $36.00, works just like buying 3 independence passes

Seems confusing to me they made two similar products work entirely different but confusion is par for the course.