When we visited Philadelphia, we took the Amtrak train to 30th St. Station. While in the city, there’s not much near the train station. When we pulled up Google Maps, there was one transportation method that could take us from the train station to the Reading Terminal Market. That’s because I had to introduce Sharon to the best sandwich I’d ever tasted, at DiNic’s (Note from Sharon: It was a’ight. But Jersey Mike’s has nothing to worry about AFAIC).
The way to get from A to B in Philadelphia was the SEPTA Trolley.
SEPTA Trolley
When you hear trolley car, the SEPTA Trolley isn’t what you think about. Most people think of the trolley lines in San Francisco or New Orleans. But Philadelphia has its own trolley system, which runs from the outskirts of town to the city center. In fact, many commuters use the trolley to get to work.
That’s why it’s important for visitors to know how to ride the trolley. You wouldn’t want to be a “tourist” slowing down the line for people who just want to go home.
SEPTA does put out a YouTube video on how to ride the trolley.
What is the SEPTA Trolley
The SEPTA Trolley is a hybrid of a subway and a surface train. In parts of the city, it operates underground like a subway, but once outside the city, it’s more of a trolley. I’ve never seen anything like it because if you’re boarding in Center City, Philadelphia, it operates like an underground bus. But once out of the city, it’s a trolley. Here’s a video showing it at underground stations and on the streets of Philadelphia. The best I can describe it would be to say it’s a bus riding on trolley tracks.
How to pay
If you plan in advance, you can download the SEPTA app to pay for up to 10 passengers. However, if you’re like us, you didn’t prepare. Fortunately, the SEPTA Trolleys take contactless payments. However, we found out some quirks in the system on our trip
- You can only make one contactless payment per card.
- Apple Express Transit mode doesn’t work on the SEPTA Trolleys.
With contactless payments, rides on the SEPTA trolley are $2.00.
Final Thought
While we prefer using public transport when visiting a city over taking a taxi or using a ride share, the SEPTA Trolley provided us with a unique and enjoyable transportation experience when visiting Philadephia.
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Cover photo from Studio 34: Yoga | Healing | Arts’s by CC BY 2.0 DEED
