Today, SEPTA officials has announced the next tier of their fare increases starting January 1, 2025, due to ongoing financial challenges and a lack of state funding support. The fare hike will raise base fares for buses and metro lines to $2.90 and increase Regional Rail fares by up to $13.00 depending on the zone. A trip from Center City to Ardmore (or other zone 2 stations) go from $5 to $9 on the weekends on while paying on board the train! This fare increase is part of a broader plan to address a budget gap and prevent further financial decline, which SEPTA refers to as a “transit death spiral.” This is back to back of another fare increase which is set to occur on December 1st 2024.
Currently 5th Square and several other advocates urges Governor Shapiro to use executive action and flex federal highway dollars to avert transit crisis. This is similar to back in 2005 when Governor Rendell done the same thing. ( Check it out ). As there may not be any time to stop the December 1st 2024 increases, there may be time to stop more increases from occuring on January 1, 2025,.
In addition to the fare hikes, SEPTA also plans major service cuts, including scaling back its bus revolution and eliminating some routes. These reductions, which could total up to 20% of services, are necessary to bridge the funding gap but will not fully resolve the financial issues. The fare increase is expected to generate about $50 million annually, but a decline in ridership (from Covid) and service cuts may impact this revenue.
SEPTA’s financial struggles have been exacerbated by the expiration of federal COVID relief funding, and a previously proposed $161 million state funding boost was rejected by Pennsylvania legislators earlier this year. While fare increases and service cuts are imminent, SEPTA officials emphasized that these measures are painful and only temporary solutions unless further state intervention occurs. Public hearings on the fare increases will begin on December 13, 2024, with service cut hearings expected in the spring and summer of 2025.
For more infomation check out https://wwww.septa.org/news/proposed-fare-adjustments-winter-2025
The December 1st 2024 fare increases are slated to be voted in late this month.
Check out all of the fare increases
SEPTA Fare Increases
| Product | Current Fare | 12/1/2024 Fare | 1/1/2025 Fare | % diff between current and 1/1/2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash / Quick Trip Base | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.90 | 16.00% |
| SEPTA Key / Contactless / Key Tix Base | $2.00 | $2.50 | $2.90 | 45.00% |
| Weekly TransPass+ | $25.50 | $25.50 | $31.00 | 21.57% |
| Monthly TransPass+ | $96.00 | $96.00 | $116.00 | 20.83% |
| One Day Convenience Pass | $6.00 | $6.00 | $7.50 | 25.00% |
| Three Day Convenience Pass | $15.00 | $15.00 | $19.00 | 26.67% |
| Reduced Fare via Reduced Fare Card | $1.25 | $1.25 | $1.45 | 16.00% |
| Children Under Age 12 | Free | Free | Free | 0.00% |
| Senior Citizen via Senior Fare Card | Free | Free | Free | 0.00% |
| PATCO Fare (Freedom Share Card) | $2.00 | $2.50 | $2.90 | 45.00% |
| ParaTransit/Shared Ride | $4.25 | $4.25 | $5.75 | 35.29% |
| Weekday Zone 1 | $5.25 | $4.00 | $5.00 | -4.76% |
| Weekday Zone 2 | $5.25 | $5.50 | $6.50 | 23.81% |
| Weekday Zone 3 | $6.00 | $6.50 | $7.75 | 29.17% |
| Weekday Zone 4 | $6.75 | $7.50 | $8.75 | 29.63% |
| Weekday Zone NJ | $9.25 | $10.00 | $11.00 | 18.92% |
| SEPTA Key Weekday Zone 1 | $3.75 | $4.00 | $5.00 | 33.33% |
| SEPTA Key Weekday Zone 2 | $4.75 | $5.50 | $6.50 | 36.84% |
| SEPTA Key Weekday Zone 3 | $5.75 | $6.50 | $7.75 | 34.78% |
| SEPTA Key Weekday Zone 4 | $6.50 | $7.50 | $8.75 | 34.62% |
| SEPTA Key Weekday Zone NJ | $8.25 | $10.00 | $11.00 | 33.33% |
| On Board Weekday Zone 1 | $6.00 | $6.00 | $7.00 | 16.67% |
| On Board Weekday Zone 2 | $6.00 | $7.00 | $9.00 | 50.00% |
| On Board Weekday Zone 3 | $7.00 | $8.00 | $10.00 | 42.86% |
| On Board Weekday Zone 4 | $8.00 | $9.00 | $11.00 | 37.50% |
| On Board Weekday Zone NJ | $10.00 | $11.00 | $13.00 | 30.00% |
| Weekend Zone 1 | $4.25 | $4.00 | $5.00 | 17.65% |
| Weekend Zone 2 | $4.25 | $5.00 | $6.00 | 41.18% |
| Weekend Zone 3 | $5.25 | $6.00 | $7.00 | 33.33% |
| Weekend Zone 4 | $5.25 | $7.00 | $8.00 | 52.38% |
| Weekend Zone NJ | $9.25 | $10.00 | $11.00 | 18.92% |
| SEPTA Key Weekend Zone 1 | $3.75 | $4.00 | $5.00 | 33.33% |
| SEPTA Key Weekend Zone 2 | $4.25 | $5.00 | $6.00 | 41.18% |
| SEPTA Key Weekend Zone 3 | $5.25 | $6.00 | $7.00 | 33.33% |
| SEPTA Key Weekend Zone 4 | $5.25 | $7.00 | $8.00 | 52.38% |
| SEPTA Key Weekend Zone NJ | $8.25 | $10.00 | $11.00 | 33.33% |
| On Board Weekend Zone 1 | $5.00 | $6.00 | $7.00 | 40.00% |
| On Board Weekend Zone 2 | $5.00 | $7.00 | $9.00 | 80.00% |
| On Board Weekend Zone 3 | $7.00 | $8.00 | $10.00 | 42.86% |
| On Board Weekend Zone 4 | $7.00 | $9.00 | $11.00 | 57.14% |
| On Board Weekend Zone NJ | $10.00 | $11.00 | $13.00 | 30.00% |
| One Day Neighborhood FleX Pass | $10.00 | $10.00 | $12.50 | 25.00% |
| One Day Neighborhood FleX Pass Qty. 3 | $27.00 | $27.00 | $33.75 | 25.00% |
| One Day Anywhere FleX Pass | $13.00 | $13.00 | $16.25 | 25.00% |
| One Day Anywhere FleX Pass Qty. 3 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $43.75 | 25.00% |
| Weekly TrailPass Zone 1 | $25.50 | $25.50 | $31.00 | 21.57% |
| Weekly TrailPass Zone 2 | $39.00 | $39.00 | $48.75 | 25.00% |
| Weekly TrailPass Zone 3 | $47.00 | $47.00 | $58.75 | 25.00% |
| Weekly TrailPass Anywhere | $55.75 | $55.75 | $69.75 | 25.11% |
| Weekly Cross County | $30.75 | $30.75 | $38.50 | 25.20% |
| Monthly TrailPass Zone 1 | $96.00 | $96.00 | $116.00 | 20.83% |
| Monthly TrailPass Zone 2 | $144.00 | $144.00 | $180.00 | 25.00% |
| Monthly TrailPass Zone 3 | $174.00 | $174.00 | $217.50 | 25.00% |
| Monthly TrailPass Anywhere | $204.00 | $204.00 | $255.00 | 25.00% |
| Monthly Cross County | $115.00 | $115.00 | $143.75 | 25.00% |
| Intermediate One Way | $3.75 | $4.00 | $5.00 | 33.33% |
| Intermediate One Way Half Fare | $1.75 | $2.00 | $2.50 | 42.86% |
| Via Center City Phila. (CCP) | $9.25 | $10.00 | $11.00 | 18.92% |
| Via CCP Half Fare | $4.50 | $5.00 | $5.50 | 22.22% |
| Senior Citizen inside PA | Free | Free | Free | |
| Senior Citizen outside PA | $1.75-$4.50 | $2.00-$5.00 | $2.50-$5.50 | 50 cent increase |
| Reduced Fare via Card | $1.75-$4.50 | $2.00-$5.00 | $2.50-$5.50 | 50 cent increase |
| Children Under Age 12 | Free | Free | Free | |
| SEPTA Key Intermediate One Way | $3.75 | $4.00 | $5.00 | 33.33% |
| SEPTA Key Intermediate One Way Half Fare | $1.75 | $2.00 | $2.50 | 42.86% |
| SEPTA Key Via Center City Phila. (CCP) | $6.50 | $7.50 | $8.75 | 34.62% |
| SEPTA Key Via CCP Half Fare | $4.50 | $5.00 | $5.50 | 22.22% |
| SEPTA Key Senior Citizen inside PA | Free | Free | Free | |
| SEPTA Key Senior Citizen outside PA | $1.75-$4.50 | $2.00-$5.00 | $2.50-$5.50 | |
| SEPTA Key Reduced Fare via Card | $1.75-$4.50 | $2.00-$5.00 | $2.50-$5.50 | |
| SEPTA Key Children Under Age 12 | Free | Free | Free | |
| On Board Intermediate One Way | $4.00 | $5.00 | $6.00 | 50.00% |
| On Board Intermediate One Way Half Fare | $1.75 | $2.00 | $2.50 | 42.86% |
| On Board Via Center City Phila. (CCP) | $9.25 | $11.00 | $13.00 | 40.54% |
| On Board Via CCP Half Fare | $4.50 | $5.00 | $5.50 | 22.22% |
| On Board Senior Citizen inside PA | Free | Free | Free | |
| On Board Senior Citizen outside PA | $1.75-$4.50 | $2.00-$5.00 | $2.50-$5.50 | |
| On Board Reduced Fare via Card | $1.75-$4.50 | $2.00-$5.00 | $2.50-$5.50 | |
| On Board Children Under Age 12 | Free | Free | Free |