By Rail To Wachovia Spectrum From NJ

Hi guys, I have a quick question about my upcoming trip to Philly, and I couldn't think of a better place to ask my (probably quite silly)
question(s)....

I am coming from NJ next Saturday from Metuchen station, via NJT (obviously)......When I reach Trenton, does my train automatically become a SEPTA train to Market East Station, giving me a one train direct trip into center city? My next question is, when I detrain from the R7 train at Market East, I know I have to get onto the Broad Street Line subway to complete my trip to the Spectrum....What I can't tell is if I need to "go to the surface" and walk a few blocks to the Broad Street line station, or is it in the same complex? I went to SEPTA's site, but having NEVER used the system, I'd like to avoid as many surprises/delays as possible, considering I will be leaving the city later that night. The route maps are clear enough, but I wanted to get an "expert" opinion on these few transfer points along the way to make sure that I am not assuming I have it all "figured out"!

Thanks in advance,

Ralph Heiss
S. Plainfield, NJ

No one seat ride on NJT-SEPTA. You will switch trains at Trenton.

In Philly, you want to get off at Suburban Station, not Market St. East, and walk to the BSL's City Hall station.

In Trenton, you will have to transfer to an R7 SEPTA train. Get off at Suburban Station, not Market East. At Suburban Station you'll walk down a long corridor towards City Hall (15th Street) and catch a southbound subway there to the Spectrum. Reverse the route going home. Good Luck.

Okay, here's the deal. Your NJT train does not automatically change into a SEPTA train, you have to change trains in Trenton (better known as the Trenton Shuffle.) There is a combined ticket offer you can get through the ticket vending machines so all you have to worry about is switching trains. Usually they are on the same platform but the crew should tell you where to go and if not just follow the people because a good portion will be doing the same thing you are. Once in Center City don't go to Market East, get off one stop sooner at Suburban Station and follow the signs to the Broad Street Subway. The connection is all under ground so no worries there. When in doubt ask someone. I think that is it.

Sean@Temple

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the helpful!
The following week I will be making a similar trip, except this time via Amtrak from Metropark to 30th Street, then onto the Airport Shuttle. I should hopefully know my "way around town" by then!

Thanks,

Ralph

That's much easier. One seat ride to 30th, then connect to the Airport train.

Sean@Temple wrote:OOnce in Center City don't go to Market East, get off one stop sooner at Suburban Station and follow the signs to the Broad Street Subway. The connection is all under ground so no worries there. When in doubt ask someone. I think that is it.

Philly's two subway lines cross underneath City Hall. As you walk east from Suburban Station you'll see signs for the Market-Frankford or "Blue" Line but as Sean pointed out you want to look for the Broad Street ("Orange") line instead, which is a bit further on.*

Also, make sure you buy a pair of subway tokens from one of the vending machines in the station, or from a cashier IF they are selling them (big IF, btw). There's a 70-cent extra charge each way if you just walk up to the booth and pay cash. Similarly, make sure you buy your Regional Rail ticket before boarding the R7 train when you return to Trenton. There's a surcharge of TWO BUCKS if you don't have a prepaid ticket.

Does anyone know if a combined SEPTA-NJT ticket can be purchased for trips beyond Center City? If not, when Ralph heads to the airport he'll have to balance the savings on the NJT combo ticket and a separate airport ticket vs. buying a single SEPTA ticket from Trenton through to the airport. Another heads-up: make sure you explain to the conductor that you're making a transfer in Center City. Normally they collect tickets before passengers leave at CC, but if you're transferring you have to retain the ticket as proof of payment.

No one ever said riding SEPTA was straightforward ....

* Yeah, those of us who are used to the rat's nest of tunnels under City Hall can find our way to the Broad Street line via the internal connections at Market Street, but I wouldn't recommend it to someone on a first visit.

Thanks again for the help, guys.....HOWEVER, upon close inspection of the timetables, it looks like I will not be able to get out of the Spectrum in enough time to get back to Suburban Station to make my 11:5 train back to Trenton........Damn schedules!!!!!!

Ralph in NJ

You have the sympathy of everyone here. Lack of late-hour service has been a longstanding complaint about SEPTA. They don't have the money to increase frequency, so they basically serve the 9-to-5 commuter market and weekend daytime riders. The cynic in me says that even if they did have the bucks, they wouldn't recognize other opportunities anyway.

Twenty years ago I used to take the R5 home after concerts in Center City. It ran about every half hour up till midnight or so. A missed train was inconvenient but not disastrous. Then service was cut back to once an hour, so that if you were 2 mins. late getting to the station you'd be shafted.

As much as I am a transit advocate, SEPTA gave me no choice but to drive.

I planned to take SEPTA to Wilmington for a 10 to 4 meeting on a Saturday. The meeting is within reasonable walking distance of the Wilmington station. Saturday morning service will get me there at 8:30 or 10:30.

Scroom. I'll drive.

CAR_FLOATER, item #2 from my rant (linked below):

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 35727b906d

Single track operation occured between Walnut-Locust and Snyder due to trackwork on the soutbound direction. No signs or anything other than announcements from the railcar PA system on arrival at the stations. Checked online (septa.org) when I arrived home, and found no mention of it.

may be of interest to you. This occured last Saturday, March 19. Consider this before you decide to use the Broad Street Subway on Saturday, in the event that your journey is time sensitive.

Best of Luck!