Clean Air Council has launched a student marketing initiative to encourage college and university students to ride public transit. Results from past surveys conducted at the University of Pennsylvania and an in-progress survey at Drexel University are being evaluated to better understand student transit behavior and to incorporate students’ ideas on how to improve public transit in and around Philadelphia.
The Council created this web page as a resource to answer students' questions and to provide comprehensive information about public transportation in University City that will hopefully encourage students to explore the possibilities of public transit.
Clean Air Council gives thanks to its survey participants!
PUBLIC TRANSIT CAN WORK FOR YOU!
Here Are Some Helpful Links
Basic Information
SEPTA Routes and Stops
Directions to Key Destinations
BASIC INFORMATION
After assessing the survey results, it became apparent that many students are unfamiliar with how to ride public transit and have a lot of basic questions.
SEPTA ROUTES AND STOPS
Results from the survey indicate that students are unfamiliar with routes and stops. The Council has provided user friendly information about bus, trolley, subway, and regional rail routes and stops that can be found in University City (Penn map and Drexel map).
SEPTA Bus Routes
There are many SEPTA bus routes that service University City campuses:
- LUCY Loop- The LUCY bus loops through University City, directly servicing areas on and neighboring the Penn and Drexel campuses.
- Route 21 – The Rt. 21 bus connects Drexel and Penn campuses to Penn's landing, traveling east on Chestnut St., looping around at Penn’s landing, and then traveling back west on Walnut St.
- Route 30 – The Rt. 30 bus provides service between 30th Street Station and 69th Street Terminal.
- Route 40 – The Rt. 40 bus also connects the university campuses to Penn's landing, traveling to Penn's landing east along Spruce/South Sts. and then traveling back west along Lombard/Spruce Sts.
- Route 42 – Also connecting the campuses to Penn's landing, the Rt. 42 bus travels along Chestnut (going east) and Walnut (going west) Sts.
- Route 43– The Rt. 43 bus connects University City/West Philadelphia to Northern Liberties/Fishtown, traveling mainly along Spring Garden St.
- Route 123 - The Rt. 123 bus travels directly from 69th Street Terminal to King of Prussia Mall.
- Route 124/ Route 125 - The Rt. 124 and Rt. 125 buses also travel to King of Prussia Mall via the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) from outside of 30th Street Station.
SEPTA Trolley Lines
Many of SEPTA's trolley lines directly service Penn's campus and come within blocks of Drexel. Trolley Route 10 , Route 11 , Route 13 , Route 34 , and Route 36 all provide connections between University City and Center City, to the east, and West/Southwest Philadelphia, to the west.
SEPTA Subway Lines
SEPTA operates two subway lines - the Market-Frankford Subway/El and the Broad Street Subway.
Market-Frankford Subway/El (blue line) - The Market-Frankford Subway/El runs from 69th Street Terminal to the Frankford Transportation Center, predominantly either underneath or elevated above Market St. The closest stops to Penn's campus are either at 40th & Market Sts. or 34th & Market Sts. The closest stops to Drexel's main campus are 34th & Market Sts. and 30th Street Station.
Broad Street Subway (orange line) - The Broad Street Subway runs north-south underneath Broad St., from Fern Rock in North Philadelphia to Pattison Ave. in South Philadelphia, near the stadiums. In order to catch the Broad Street Subway from University City, it is necessary to take either the Market-Frankford Subway/El or one of the SEPTA trolley or bus routes to the 15th Street/City Hall stop and then transfer to the Broad Street Subway.
SEPTA Regional Rail
SEPTA's regional rail system serves all five counties in the Greater Philadelphia Area, taking passengers to such key destinations as the Philadelphia International Airport, Manayunk, the Main Line, and other outlying Philadelphia suburbs. The closest regional rail stations to the Penn and Drexel campuses are University City Station (across from Franklin Field, at South St. and Convention Ave.) and 30th Street Station (Amtrak station at 30th and Market Sts.). All regional rail lines stop at 30th Street Station and several stop at University City Station. The regional rail system is akin to a "wagon wheel" with Center City, Philadelphia being the center of the wheel and each rail line being a spoke in the wheel, carrying passengers to all areas of the region.
Complete list of regional rail lines, station stops, and timetables.
DIRECTIONS TO KEY DESTINATIONS
Results from the survey indicate that a majority of students are unaware of the pre-existing routes to their desired destinations. Below are key destinations in and around Philadelphia that students indicated that they visited most frequently, along with information on how to get there using public transit.
Airport
Sports Complex
Penn's Landing / Old City
Manayunk
King of Prussia Mall
Chinatown
Wissahickon Park
Museum Area / Boathouse Row
South Street
Airport:
SEPTA provides direct service to and from the Philadelphia International Airport via the R1 Airport Regional Rail line. The closest regional rail stops to Penn's campus, at which the R1 Airport line can be caught, are either the University City Station (across from Franklin Field, at South St. and Convention Ave.) or 30th Street Station (Amtrak station at 30th and Market Sts.).
Sports Complex (concerts, sporting events):
STEP ONE
Catch one of SEPTA trolley routes Eastbound at 37th & Spruce, 36th & Sansom, 36th & Ludlow, or 33rd & Market. Take to 15th Street/City Hall stop. Follow signs for the Broad Street Subway (orange line).
OR
Catch the Market-Frankford Subway/El Eastbound at the 40th & Market or 34th & Market stop. Take to 15th Street/City Hall stop. Follow signs for the Broad Street Subway (orange line).
STEP TWO
At the 15th Street/City Hall stop, board the Broad Street Subway Southbound. Exit at the Pattison Ave./Sports Complex stop at the very end of the line.
Penn’s Landing/ Old City (restaurants, bars, movie theaters):
BY BUS
Catch Bus Rt. 21 anywhere along Chestnut St. in University City. Take Eastbound to Center City/Penn’s Landing.
OR
Catch Bus Rt. 42 on Spruce St., between 38th & 40th Sts. Be sure to take Eastbound to Center City/Penn’s Landing (a Westbound bus will take you to West Philadelphia).
BY SUBWAY
Catch the Market-Frankford Subway/El Eastbound at the 40th & Market or 34th & Market stop. Get off at the 2nd & Market stop.
Manayunk (restaurants, bars, shops):
STEP ONE
Catch the Market-Frankford Subway/El Eastbound at the 40th & Market or 34th & Market stop. Get off at the 11th & Market stop (Market East Station/The Gallery). Follow signs for SEPTA Regional Rail. Or go to 30th Street Station and follow signs for SEPTA Regional Rail.
STEP TWO
Take the R6 Norristown Regional Rail line (make sure it is the R6 Norristown line, not the R6 Cynwyd line!). Get off at the Manayunk stop (Cresson & Carson Streets). Main Street, Manayunk is one block down, towards the river, from the Manayunk regional rail stop.
King of Prussia Mall:
STEP ONE
Catch the Market-Frankford Subway/El Eastbound at the 40th & Market or 34th & Market stop. Get off at the 30th & Market stop (30th Street Station).
STEP TWO
Exit subway station to street level and walk to 29th and Market Sts. Catch either Bus Rt. 124 or Bus Rt. 125, traveling from Philadelphia to King of Prussia Mall via the Schuylkill Expressway.
Chinatown (shops, Chinatown bus, restaurants):
Catch the Market-Frankford Subway/El Eastbound at the 40th & Market or 34th & Market stop. Get off at the 8th & Market stop. Walk north on 8th street into Chinatown.
Further intrastate travel options via Chinatown bus:
The Chinatown buses provide cheap and easy travel from Philadelphia to NYC, Boston, Toronto, Washington D.C., and Virginia. Most of the bus companies are located on 11th Street, near the intersection with Arch Street. Though they are very cheap, they can be inconsistent and overcrowded depending on the time of day, so make sure to get there early. For more information on Chinatown bus services, visit New Century Travel and other companies at www.2000coach.com.
Wissahickon Park (trails, outdoor activity):
BY SUBWAY & BUS
Catch the Market-Frankford Subway/El Eastbound at the 40th & Market or 34th & Market stop. Get off at the 13th & Market stop. Exit subway station to street level.
At the closest bus stop on Market St., catch the Bus Rt. 38 traveling towards the Wissahickon Transfer Center. Get off at Wissahickon Transfer Center. Wissahickon Park and the beginning of Forbidden Drive are across the street (Ridge Ave.).
BY SUBWAY & REGIONAL RAIL
Catch the Market-Frankford Subway/El Eastbound at the 40th & Market or 34th & Market stop. Get off at the 13th and Market stop (Market East Station/The Gallery). Follow signs for SEPTA Regional Rail.
Take the R6 Norristown Regional Rail line (make sure it is the R6 Norristown line, not the R6 Cynwyd line!). Get off at the Wissahickon Station (Ridge and Rochelle Avenues). Follow signs for Wissahickon Transfer Center. You will go down a set of stairs to Main St., near the movie theater. Walk up Main St. to the Wissahickon Transfer Center. Wissahickon Park and the beginning of Forbidden Drive are across the street from the Wissahickon Transfer Center.
Museum Area / Boathouse Row (Philadelphia Museum of Art, Franklin Institute, Kelly Drive) :
Catch one of SEPTA trolley routes Eastbound at 37th & Spruce, 36th & Sansom, 36th & Ludlow, or 33rd & Market. Take to 22nd St. stop. Exit trolley station to street level and walk north on 22nd St. to Benjamin Franklin Parkway (about 20 min. walk to Art Museum).
South Street (shops, restaurants, bars):
BY BUS
Catch Bus Rt. 40 at 40th & Market, 40th & Walnut, 40th & Chestnut, 40th & Spruce, or 38th & Spruce going towards Center City. The Rt. 40 bus crosses over the South St. bridge and runs along South St. all the way to 2nd St. before turning around and going back west on Lombard St. Get off anywhere you want along South St.
BY SUBWAY
To get to the east end of South St., catch the Market-Frankford Subway/El Eastbound at the 40th & Market or 34th & Market stop. Get off at the 2nd & Market stop. Walk south on 2nd St. to South St.
Questions? Contact Emily Linn at 215-567-4004 x. 103 or elinn@cleanair.org.
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