(Editor’s note: Originally published July 25. updated Aug. 17.)
The outcomes that SEPTA officials have described as a “doomsday” scenario is now just one week away.
The Pennsylvania state Senate offered up a budget package that essentially moved funds from SEPTA’s capital fund to cover operations in the current year, a move that was rejected by the Democrat-led state House.
That leaves us still wrapped up in budget deadlock.
To catch you up …
The state House of Representatives passed a budget bill in mid-June that included $292 million in new funding for mass transit and infrastructure repair. The budget is supposed to be approved by the end of June, but negotiations between Gov. Josh Shapiro and state Senate Republican leadership stalled, and eventually they rejected it.
On June 26, the SEPTA Board begrudgingly voted to approve its Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget, which will cut services by 45% and raise fares by 21.5% to account for the budget deficit.
While the Senate considered its options through July, the state House passed several updates.
On August 6, SEPTA announced that service cut schedules cannot be reversed if funding is not secured by August 14, giving lawmakers just over a week to settle on a budget that could save or squander services. That deadline was missed, and the transit agency began to post notices of bus and train routes that would be affected.
Before the Senate agreed on a budget package, three Republican state senators — including Philly’s Sen. Joe Picozzi — introduced a package of bills recently that would put several measures of accountability on SEPTA, though they did not address funding. SEPTA GM Scott Sauer said at the time he supported the bills if they help gain support for additional funding.
But in the end, that hasn’t happened. And until the budget is approved and allocations are clear, SEPTA’s future remains uncertain.
In preparation for these cuts, SEPTA encourages riders to use their online Trip Planner tool to find alternative routes.
Read along to see if you’ll be among the many in need of an alternate travel plan.
What will happen and when?
Beginning Aug. 24, riders will see the elimination of 32 bus routes and significant cuts to rail service.
On Sept. 1, the fare increase will begin, spiking bus and metro fares to $2.90, tying New York’s public transportation for the most expensive fare in the country.
That’s not the end. In January 2026, 24 more bus routes will be cut, a rail curfew takes effect and two trolley lines will be converted to bus lines.
As the September cuts begin on the first week of school for many and a return to work for some, these commute changes could have substantial implications for how you go about your day. SEPTA is encouraging parents to start making plans now.
What SEPTA bus routes will be changed?
Starting Aug. 24, the following 32 bus routes will be eliminated:
The 1, 8, 12, 19, 30, 31, 35, 47M, 50, 62, 73, 78, 80, 88, 89, 91, 106, 120, 126, 133, 150, 201, 204, 206, 311, 452, 461, 462, 476, 478, 484 and BLVDDIR routes.
Also being cut are special routes, such as the Mann Loop for concerts at the Mann Center in Fairmount Park, as well as those for sports and other events.
Starting in January, 24 more bus routes will be eliminated: the 28, 32, 44, 77, 90, 92, 95, 103, 118, 127, 128, 132, 446, 447, 448, 490, B1 OWL and the L1 OWL.
Bus routes 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 17, 27, 43, 61, 84, 115, 124, 125, 433, 441 and 495 will be shortened in the fall.
If your route is among the 16 that are set to be shortened, SEPTA’s website has a tool that can show you exactly where your route will start and end.
Many other bus routes will experience reduced services, meaning fewer and less frequent buses.
In preparation for the cuts, SEPTA has put up signs at over 3,000 bus stops that inform riders that the stops will be eliminated come Aug. 24.
Which routes will not be changing? Routes 14, 22, 24, 41, 55, 64, 75, 77, 90, 92, 94, 95, 97, 105, 107, 119, 123, 127, 128, 129, 130, 132, 135, 139, 310, 311, 312, 409, 411, 415, 426, 428, 438, 439, 442, 445, 446, 447, 448, 450, 475, 477, 490, 492, LUCYGO and LUCYGR currently have no plans for change as a result of the cuts.
What SEPTA rail routes will be changed?
Starting in January, the Cynwyd, Chestnut Hill West, Paoli/Thorndale, Trenton, and Wilmington/Newark regional rail lines and the Broad-Ridge subway spur will all be shut down, according to SEPTA’s timeline.
The regional rail line M1, also known as the Norristown High Speed Line, will remain unchanged. Every other line will experience reduced services.
Ahead of the January shutdowns, Sept. 2 will mark the beginning of service reductions for 13 Regional Rail lines, including the Airport, Chestnut Hill East, Chestnut Hill West, Cynwyd, Fox Chase, Lansdale/Doylestown, Manayunk/Norristown, Media/Wawa, Paoli/Thorndale, Trenton, Warminster, West Trenton and Wilmington/Newark Lines.
These Sept. 2 changes include hourly to every other hour or half-hour to hourly service reductions during weekday, weekend and peak service hours.
SEPTA is offering riders details on how their line may be affected.
How will SEPTA cuts affect trolleys?
All trolleys will experience reduced services.
Trolley lines G (10) and T1 (15) will be converted to bus lines.
What is the new SEPTA curfew?
On Jan. 1, all SEPTA rail services will implement a 9 p.m. curfew, meaning that subways and rail lines will stop running at 9 p.m.
This curfew will not change the hours of bus and trolley services.
What’s happening with SEPTA fare increases?
Beyond cost increases to base trips, SEPTA is introducing cost increases to the railroad division and passes.
Railroad division fare costs will increase by $1 to $2 depending on the zone and time of fare. All railroad division period passes will increase in cost. Most notably, the Monthly TrailPass Zone Anywhere pass will increase by $51, from $204 to $255.
All transit division passes will see cost increases varying from $20 to 20 cents. The Monthly TransPass+ will see the largest increase — $20 — from $96 to $116.
Untouched by these changes are fares for seniors via Senior Fare Card and children under 12, which will remain free.
Could cut SEPTA services come back?
Yes, services could return if and when a source of funding is secured to address SEPTA’s budget deficit. Absent that, residents are encouraged to do their homework and make plans as if all announced changes will take place.
And be aware that funding won’t magically start full service. It could take time — as much as several weeks — for SEPTA to return to full service.
This story will be updated as the situation develops.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
