SEPTA is bolstering schedules and adding capacity on the Trenton and West Trenton Lines to accommodate current riders and make room for more to use Regional Rail as an alternative during the I-95 reconstruction. New timetables reflecting these changes will go into effect with the fall Regional Rail schedules that begin Monday, Sept. 30.
SEPTA has been working in close partnership with PennDOT and the DVRPC during the I-95 Reconstruction to provide travel alternatives for commuters. The Trenton and West Trenton Lines cover a large portion of the I-95 corridor that is currently impacted by construction work.
“We are encouraging commuters who normally drive on I-95 to give SEPTA a try during the construction project,” said SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel. “The Trenton and West Trenton Lines offer convenient alternatives for drivers who need to get to Center City from Northeast Philadelphia and Bucks County. Instead of fighting the traffic, let SEPTA do the driving.”
SEPTA has leased five rail coach cars from the Maryland Area Regional Commuter Rail (MARC) system to help with these service enhancements. The addition of the MARC cars also gives SEPTA some flexibility in how it can deploy its rail fleet. Overall, for both the morning and evening commutes, SEPTA will add nearly 1,900 seats for customers on the Trenton and West Trenton Lines.
On the Trenton Line, rail cars have been added to several trains during peak periods to increase capacity. In addition, for riders who have some schedule flexibility, there will be added space on some trains that operate just after the rush.
Trenton Line – AM: Extra Capacity for Inbound (to Center City) Trains
- One extra SEPTA Silverliner rail car will be added to trains 7220 (6:45 am from Trenton) and 728 (8:27 am from Trenton)
- Two extra coach cars will be added to trains 9724 (7:14 am from Trenton) and 9728 (7:50 am from Trenton)
- Two extra SEPTA Silverliner rail cars will be added to train 732 (9:53 am from Trenton)
Trenton Line – PM: Extra Capacity for Outbound (to Trenton) Trains
- One extra SEPTA Silverliner rail car will be added to train 9741 (4:08 pm. From Suburban Station) and train 9749 (5:26 pm. From Suburban)
- Two extra Silverliners will be added to train 743 (4:34 pm. From Suburban)
- Two extra coach cars will be added trains 9745 (4:50 pm. From Suburban Station) and 9747 (5:03 pm. From Trenton)
On the West Trenton Line, SEPTA will add two trips during both the morning and evening commutes, providing new options for current customers and those who make the switch from driving.
West Trenton Line – AM: Two Extra Inbound Trains
- Train 3221, a five-car train, will depart West Trenton at 7:50 am
- Train 6335, a three-car train, will depart from Neshaminy Falls at 9 am
West Trenton Line – PM: Two Extra Outbound Trains
- Train 340, a four-car train, will depart from 30th Street at 3:22 pm. Service to Neshaminy Falls.
- Train 2384, a four-car train, will depart 30th Street at 6:24 pm. Service to West Trenton.
The Cornwells Heights Station on the Trenton Line offers a convenient park-and-ride option, and has plenty of space to accommodate new riders with over 600 spots open on an average weekday. Parking at other stations may be limited, so riders are encouraged to make arrangements to be dropped off, and also consider biking and walking options.
Drivers who normally use I-95 are also encouraged to consider using a combination of the Boulevard Direct Bus and the Market-Frankford Line to travel between the suburbs and Center City. The Bouelvard Direct Bus operates express service between Neshaminy Mall and Frankford Transportation Center, where riders can transfer to-and-from the Market-Frankford Line.
The Trenton and West Trenton Line enhancements will go into effect on Monday as part of the fall Regional Rail schedule change. On most lines, SEPTA has made adjustments to improve service reliability and on-time performance. Customers are urged to check schedules for their lines at www.septa.org, or look for the schedule change alert on the Official SEPTA App.
