About a year and a half ago, I moved to Philadelphia from a small central Pennsylvanian town with one traffic light. I knew only two people in Philly and next to nothing about the city itself, or how to navigate its many pockets of culture and entertainment. With the help of my friends and maps (yes, real maps), I now can say have a firm grasp on SEPTA and want to share my knowledge. To people like me not so long ago who have never used public transportation, it can be daunting, so here's a little guide to get you started on the subway/trolley system.
1. The Basics
https://www.iseptaphilly.com/
SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) is the company that, well, runs public transportation throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. They have subway lines and buses that run through different parts of the city, regional rail which runs through the city and into the outlying areas, and trolleys which are like underground buses. I'm going to primarily be focusing on the subway system because I live in the city and that's what I primarily use. But if you know how the system works and figure out how to use the subway, you can figure out the other modes of transportation easily.
2. Get yourself a key card.
http://septa.org/key/program-alternate.html
Key cards, SEPTA's greatest technology, are $4.95 (but if you register your card after 30 days you can get that money back to travel with). Simply load a minimum of $5 onto the card - called your "travel wallet", and it's there immediately for you to use. Tap the card on the screen of the turnstile to enter the platform. The convenience in itself is worth it (e.g. not having to buy a ticket for every trip, not having to swipe your ticket 1000 times before it works), but you can also use your key card as a debit card and get discounts at select places around the city.
3. Eat, sleep, and breathe the system map.
http://www.septa.org/maps/system/index.html
When you take a look at the system map for the first time it just looks like a scary mess of multi-colored lines. But if you take some time to study it, it makes a lot of sense. Knowing which lines go in which directions and the order of the stops is half the battle of navigating the system.
4. Get the Septa app.
https://unsplash.com/photos/D_kOW7iHNnw
There's an app for everything these days, even SEPTA. You can take a look at the map and see train times/delays. Having easy to access this info when you're running late is worth the GB space.
5. Take signs within the stations with a grain of salt.
https://unsplash.com/photos/zF_pTLx_Dkg
The subway stations are filled with signs that are supposed to point you where to go, but they can be super confusing even to the most experienced public-transportation user. Some have arrows that look like they're pointing straight when they're actually pointing up a staircase or to the left. If you make a wrong turn, don't get stressed or flustered, just go back the way you came and try to re-interpret the signs or even ask someone where to go.
6. Always leave an extra 15-20 min when going somewhere important; more if you know there are train delays.
https://unsplash.com/photos/BjcGdM-mjL0
SEPTA is convenient but perpetually late, and broken. You never know when you'll end up missing your train or when it'll be late so give yourself some extra travel time, especially if you're going to an important appointment.
7. Get as close to the back car of the train as possible
https://unsplash.com/photos/gy7mMlCapJc
A packed subway car is uncomfortable for everyone. Your best chance at comfort and a seat is getting on as close to the back car as possible, because most people don't feel like walking down the track that far. This is by no means a guarantee, especially during peak travel hours, but to me it's always worth a shot.
8. Pay attention
https://unsplash.com/photos/2TlAsvhqiL0
This is probably one of the most important tips I have. It's a bad, bad feeling to miss your stop because you were on your phone or realize you're going in the wrong direction 5 stops into your ride (been there done that...not fun). SEPTA is funky, so it might not even be your fault if you miss your stop if, say, your train changes routes while you're on it (yes, that happens sometimes). Read the signs (with a grain of salt, of course) and stay alert. Again, if you miss your stop, don't panic! Just get off and get on another train in the opposite direction, back to your desired stop.
9. Be courteous to your fellow passengers
https://unsplash.com/photos/YzSZN3qvHeo
For a lot of people this is common sense, but it may not be if you didn't grow up in the city. Don't throw your trash on the floor or on the seat, don't have loud phone conversations or play music out loud, and give up your seat for passengers that need it.
10. Use! It!
https://unsplash.com/photos/EymQLnU_zio
Any public transportation system is scary when you're unfamiliar with it, but don't let that deter you! I know so many college kids in the area who never leave campus simply because they don't know how. I promise you'll figure it out with time, and your wallet will thank you.
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