SEPTA


SEPTA "Going Green" Logo, used between 2008 and 2015.
SEPTA “Going Green” Logo, used between 2008 and 2015.

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA for short, operates bus, trolley, trackless trolley, subway/rapid transit, and commuter rail service in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania. With service to Philadelphia, Montgomery County, Delaware County, and Chester County in PA, as well as Delaware and New Jersey, SEPTA is the largest transportation agency in Pennsylvania and the 6th largest in the United States overall.

Headquarters Location

SEPTA Headquarters is located at 1234 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107

SEPTA 2023 New Flyer XDE40 at Broad Street and Oregon Avenue
SEPTA 2023 New Flyer XDE40 at Broad Street and Oregon Avenue

Routes and Service

Between the city of Philadelphia, and it’s surrounding counties (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties), SEPTA operates over a hundred bus routes, thirteen commuter rail lines under the SEPTA Regional Rail branding, and eight trolley/street car lines, five subway/elevated lines, and an interurban line under the SEPTA Metro branding. SEPTA also operates paratransit door-to-door service called “SEPTA Access.” Of all the operations, SEPTA’s bus operation is the largest, with the regional rail being the second largest.

SEPTA Bus Operations

SEPTA XHE40 703 on Route 23
SEPTA Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Debut on Route 23
Laying over before heading Northbound
New Flyer XHE40
SEPTA XHE40 703 on Route 23
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Debut

City Transit Division routes are routes that operate within the city of Philadelphia. Most bus and trolley routes, as well as all three subway/rapid transit lines, operate within this division. All three trackless trolley lines also operate within this division. Route numbers for bus and trolley routes in this division typically lie within numbers 1-89. Exceptions to this are routes K, and Boulevard Direct.

The Boulevard Direct is a bus route meant to operate as a rapid transit line along the Roosevelt Boulevard, hence being named as such.

SEPTA is undergoing a massive system change with the route system, which aims to replace the current numbering. This system is called the Bus Revolution and will take place starting June, 2025.

Suburban Transit Division routes are routes that operate in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. Routes 90-99, 124-125, and 131 operate in Montgomery County. Routes 103-123, 126, and the SEPTA Metro D (D1 and D2) and M Lines operate in Delaware County, and Routes 127-130 and 133 operate in Bucks County. There are a few routes that cross counties such as route 92 which operates in Chester and Montgomery County, route 106 which serves Delaware and Chester County, the SEPTA Metro M lines, which operate from Delaware County into Montgomery County, and so on.

SEPTA Transit Bus Fleet Roster

SEPTA’s transit bus fleet consists of mostly New Flyer Buses, with less than a quarter of the fleet being NovaBus Built, and a small fleet of buses built by Proterra. The best way to learn details and specifics on SEPTA’s fleet such as depot assignments, and exact delivery dates, as well as use an active bus tracking system, it’s best to go on Philadelphia Transit Vehicles.

YearMake/ModelImageEngine/TransmissionFleet NumbersNotes
1970General Motors
T6H-5306A
“Fishbowl”
Detroit Diesel 6v71N/Allison VH-94300 Preserved by SEPTA
Not Used in Revenue Service
1974Flxible
53096-8-1
“New Look”

Detroit Diesel 8v71N/Allison VS2-86569 Preserved by SEPTA
Not Used in Revenue Service
2007-
2008
New Flyer E40LFRSEPTA New Flyer E40LFR 827Cummins QSB800-837 Electric Trolley Bus
2008-
2009
New Flyer DE40LFSEPTA 8316
Not In Service
New Flyer DE40LF
Pratt Street between Frankford Avenue and Penn Street (Frankford Transportation Center), Philadelphia, PACummins ISL
Allison Ep40
8312 mostly retired
being replaced by 2022 order of XDE40s
2010-
2011
New Flyer DE40LFRSEPTA 8465 on Route 45 by DashTransitCummins ISL9
Allison H-40 EP
8340-8559 mostly retired
currently retiring
2014-
2015
NovaBus
LFS
40102
SEPTA 8677 on Route 28 by DashTransitSEPTA NovaBus LFS 8689 Direct Bus LiveryCummins ISL9
Allison H-40 EP
8600-8689
8676, 8678, 8682, 8684-8689 Wrapped in Boulevard Direct Livery
Overhauled and refitted with the new Clever Devices system for onboard announcements and displays
2014-
2016
NovaBus
LFS Artic
62102
SEPTA NovaBus ArticCummins ISL9
Allison H-50 EP
7300-7484 Overhauled and refitted with the new Clever Devices system for onboard announcements and displays
2016New Flyer
MD30
“MiDi”
SEPTA New Flyer MD30 4614 LUCY LiverySEPTA New Flyer MD30 4634 SEPTA Livery
Cummins ISB
Allison B300R6
4600-4634 4602-4617 sponsors LUCY Livery
Currently being overhauled and refitted with the new Clever Devices system for onboard announcements and displays
2016-
2021
New Flyer XDE40
“Xcelsior”
SEPTA 3281 on Route 41 by DashTransit
Cummins L9
Allison H-40 EP
3000-3524 First buses to be delivered with Clever Devices
Currently being overhauled
2022-2025New Flyer
XDE40
“Xcelsior”
SEPTA 3779 on Route 51
Route 51 to Plymouth Meeting Mall (Signed up as Route L)
New Flyer XDE40
Broad Street at Olney Transit Center, Philadelphia, PACummins B6.7
BAE Systems HybriDrive ER
3525-3864 on order
120 option order confirmed, bringing the total new units to 340
2024New Flyer
XHE40
“Xcelsior”
SEPTA XHE40 703 on Route 23 by DashTransit
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus700-709 First Hydrogen Fuel Cell-electric buses in the fleet
SEPTA Bus Fleet Roster

SEPTA Access

SEPTA Access, formerly known as Customized Community Transit (CCT Connect), is the name of SEPTA’s accessible service. This operates as either a door-to-door/shared ride service for senior riders within the SEPTA service area, or a last mile accessible ride for disabled riders. All SEPTA Access rides must be reserved in advanced, and have a 30 minute pick-up and drop-off window.

The last mile service hours parallel that of the nearby bus and Metro routes. If a route runs 24 hours a day, then there is 24 hour service within 3/4 of a mile of said route. If a route does not operate on Sundays, then service will not be provided on Sundays. This service is also limited to the city of Philadelphia, or within a 3 mile radius of the city (but within SEPTA’s service area). With this service, rides are shared and run more like a bus route regardless of destination.

Beginning in August 2024, riders are prompted to download the “SEPTA on Demand” app and request a ride that way.

Although SEPTA Access is a service owned and maintained by SEPTA, the vehicles themselves are leased to, and operated by…

  • Community Transit
  • Easton Coach
  • Krapf’s Transit
  • Total Transportation Inc

SEPTA Access Bus Fleet

The fleet consists of Ford Econoline cutaway buses with Coach & Equipment bodies. SEPTA has generationally kept the fleet within the same numbering, and replace them as-needed unlike the transit bus fleet which is replaced every 12 years. These buses are split between several private operators. Most of the fleet still wears the original CCT Connect branding, but new buses delivered in 2025 and onwards will have the “SEPTA Access” branding.

YearMake/ModelImageNumbersNotes
2016-2017Ford E450/
Coach and Equipment Pheonix
SEPTA CCT Connect 6784 by DashTransit6700-6718, 6719, 671-6724, 6726, 6730-6763, 6765-679915 seater “Jumbo” units
2015-2019Ford E350/
Coach and Equipment MetroLite
SEPTA/CCT 6000
Customized Community Transit
Ford E350/Coach and Equipment MetroLite6000-6005, 6230-6232, 6236, 6239, 6243, 6255-6269, 6275, 6276, 6283-6285, 6291-639913 seaters
2018-2024Ford E350/
Coach and Equipment MetroLite
A6704780.JPG6400, 6403-6404, 6407, 6411-6477, 6500-6507, 6509, 6511-6660, 6667-6699 6997-69997 seaters with extra wheelchair space
2025Ford E350/
Coach and Equipment MetroLite
SEPTA Access 6483 by DashTransit6478, 6479, 6482, 6483, 6485, 6487, 6488 7 Seaters with extra wheelchair space

First fleet with new SEPTA Access Branding
2025Ford E350/
Coach and Equipment MetroLite
SEPTA Access 6026 by DashTransit6012-6016, 6018-6023, 6025, 6026, 6028-6031, 6036, 6038-6040-604213 seaters
2025Ford E450/
Coach and Equipment Pheonix
SEPTA Access 6733 by DashTransit6719, 6720, 6725, 6727, 6728, 673315 seater “Jumbo” units

SEPTA Metro

SEPTA operates many subway, elevated, trolley, and light rail lines. Until February 22nd, 2025, each line was named and labeled based on where they operate. Subway and Elevated lines were named based on the terminus or main streets of the line. Trolley lines were numbered with their original streetcar numbers.

As of February 23rd, 2025, SEPTA Metro is the branding used for all rail-bound rapid transit lines, including all trolley/streetcar, light rail, subway, elevated, and interurban services. Each letter/color represents where the trunk lines operate. Numbers refer to the specific routes, service level, or of each spur. The trunk lines are as follows:

lines are subway lines that operate via Broad Street in Philadelphia (Originally Broad Street Line and Broad-Ridge Spur)
SEPTA Metro - D Lines lines are trolley lines that operate exclusively in Delaware County (Originally Trolley routes 101 and 102)
lines are trolley lines that operate on Girard Avenue in Philadelphia (Originally route 15)
SEPTA Metro - L Trains lines are elevated lines that operate along what was originally known as the Market-Frankford Line
lines are interurban transit lines that operate into Montgomery County (Originally Norristown High-Speed Line)
SEPTA Metro - T Lines are trolley lines that operate into a tunnel through Center City Philadelphia (Originally routes 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36)

Each of the trunk lines have individual lines, represented by numbers, which each operate their own levels of service (e.g. ). The following sections below focus on the individual operations of SEPTA Metro, organized by operations type.

Click here for an interactive SEPTA Metro Map, featuring videos at each SEPTA Metro Station (a work in progress project by DashTransit)

SEPTA Trolley K-Car 9000 with Retro Livery on Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys Charter
SEPTA Trolley K-Car 9000 with Retro Livery on Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys Charter
Latest exterior design of SEPTA Streetcars. © ALSTOM SA 2025. Advanced&Creative Design | Citadis™
Latest exterior design of SEPTA Streetcars. © ALSTOM SA 2025. Advanced&Creative Design | Citadis™ Click the image to read more from Alstom

SEPTA Metro Trolley Operations

SEPTA Metro - D Lines SEPTA Metro - T Lines

SEPTA currently operates the largest streetcar system in the United States, with 8 routes spread out over 68 miles of trackage. Under the New SEPTA Metro re-branding, these routes are numbered as follows.

SEPTA Metro - D Lines
Delaware
County
Trolleys
D Lines operate to 69th Street Transit Center, and share a trunk line that parallels Garret Road between 69th Street Transit Center, and Drexel Hill Junction Station

SEPTA Metro - D Lines D1 Former Route 101 which operates to Orange Street/Media, via Springfield
SEPTA Metro - D Lines D2 Former Route 102 which operates to Sharon Hill via Clifton/Aldan

Girard
Avenue
Trolleys
G Lines operate via Girard Avenue

Former Route 15, which operates between Richmond-Westmoreland Loop and 63rd-Girard. This line has trips that operate via Frankford Avenue to Delaware Avenue.
SEPTA Metro - T Lines
Tunnel Trolleys
T Lines operate via the subway surface tunnel through Center City and University City between 40th Street and 13th Street. with the exception of SEPTA Metro - T Lines T1(Route 10) which operates the same tunnel but only between 13th Street and 36th Street in the tunnel.

SEPTA Metro - T Lines T1 Former Route 10 which operates via Lancaster Avenue to 63rd and Malvern
SEPTA Metro - T Lines T2 Former Route 34 which operates via Baltimore Avenue to 61st Street
SEPTA Metro - T Lines T3 Former Route 13 which operates via Chester Avenue to Yeadon or Darby Transit Center
SEPTA Metro - T Lines T4 Former Route 11 which operates via Woodland Avenue to Darby Transit Center
SEPTA Metro - T Lines T5 Former Route 36 which operates via Elmwood Avenue to 73rd Street or 80th-Eastwick

SEPTA Metro Trolley Roster

On these lines, SEPTA operates a diverse fleet of trolley cars being either built from Kawasaki or rebuilt PCC cars.

YearsMake/ModelImageFleet NumbersUsed on RoutesNotes
1947-
1948
St. Louis Car Co/
Brookville

PCC-II
IMG_0071.jpg2320-2337* Rebuilt in 2003-2005 by Brookville
Rebuilt again in 2021-ongoing by SEPTA
1980-
1981
Kawasaki 
Double Ended LRV
SEPTA Trolley Suburban K-Car 128 on D2 by DashTransit100-128SEPTA Metro - D Lines D1 SEPTA Metro - D Lines D2 102 Long Term Out of Service
1980-
1981
Kawasaki
Single-Ended LRV
SEPTA Trolley K-Car 9012 on Route T4
Route T4 to Darby Transit Center
Kawasaki Series 9000 LRV
62nd Street and Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, PA

SEPTA Trolley K-Car 9000 with Retro Livery on Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys Charter by DashTransit
9000-9111SEPTA Metro - T Lines T1 SEPTA Metro - T Lines T2

SEPTA Metro - T Lines T3 SEPTA Metro - T Lines T4

SEPTA Metro - T Lines T5
9013 long term out of service
9000 and 9100 wear original 1980s livery
2027-
2030
Alstom
Citadis
Latest exterior design of SEPTA Streetcars. © ALSTOM SA 2025. Advanced&Creative Design | Citadis™


Latest exterior design of SEPTA Streetcars. © ALSTOM SA 2025. Advanced&Creative Design | Citadis™
9500-9630**SEPTA Metro - D Lines D1 SEPTA Metro - D Lines D2



SEPTA Metro - T Lines T1 SEPTA Metro - T Lines T2

SEPTA Metro - T Lines T3 SEPTA Metro - T Lines T4

SEPTA Metro - T Lines T5
on order
130 cars (with options of up to 30 more)
SEPTA Metro Trolley Fleet Roster

Notes:
*Following Rebuilds between 2002 and 2004 by Brookville, the PCC cars were renumbered into the 23xx series and designated as “PCC-IIs”
** Fleet numbers for the Alstom Citadis are unconfirmed outside of concept art.

SEPTA Metro Subway, Elevated, and Inter-Urban Rail Operations

SEPTA B Hunting Park Station

SEPTA Metro - L Trains

SEPTA also operates five subway, elevated, and interurban transit lines under the “SEPTA Metro” branding. Four of these lines operate within the city of Philadelphia, two operate into Delaware County, and one operates to Montgomery County. The lines that operate within the city of Philadelphia, are named after their primary streets of operation, but the line that operates to Montgomery County is named after the terminus. Under the SEPTA Metro rebranding, these lines are named as follows.


Broad Street
B Lines operate via Broad Street in the Broad Street Subway. All Lines Start at Fern Rock Transit Center, with the exception of most trips on the Broad-Ridge Spur which start at Olney Transit Center.

Broad Street Line Local making all stops between Fern Rock Transit Center and NRG Station at Pattison Avenue
Broad Street Line Express operating to Walnut-Locust Station in Center City, with limited special service to NRG Station at Pattison Avenue
Broad-Ridge Spur which operates to 8th-Market via Ridge Avenue and 8th Street.

SEPTA Metro - L Trains
Market-Frankford
L Lines on the current Market-Frankford Line in Philadelphia, operating between Frankford Transit Center and 69th Street Transit Center via Frankford Avenue, Kensington Avenue, Front Street, and Market Street. The last two, western-most stations on The SEPTA Metro - L Trains Lines (Millbourne, and 69th Street Transit Center) are in Delaware County.

Market-Frankford Line making all stops

Montgomery
County
M Lines operate on a “high-speed” interurban rail line, which runs between 69th Street Transit Center and Norristown Transit Center via Ardmore, Villanova, and Radnor, and Bryn Mawr. All Stations between Norristown Transit Center and County Line Road Station are in Montgomery County (Hence the name), the rest are in Delaware County

Norristown High Speed Line Local makes all stops.

SEPTA Metro Subway, Elevated, and Interurban Rail Roster

For the most part, rail cars on used on interurban, elevated, and subway lines are built as either single cars or married pairs. Trains that operate on the Broad Street Lines are often mixed, as these are the only two lines that share tracks in the entire system.

YearsMake/ModelImageFleet NumbersRoutes UsedNotes
1981-
1983
Kawasaki Heavy
Metro
B-IV
SEPTA Metro Broad Street/B-IV 574 on the B1
B1 Northbound to Fern Rock Transit Center
Kawasaki B-IV
15th St/City Hall Station, Philadelphia, PA
Single Cars: 501-576

Married Paris: 651-699
operates in five car consists on and
operates in two car consists on
1991-
1993
ABB
Metro
N5
SEPTA Metro Norristown/N5 131 on M1 by DashTransit130-155
(all single cars)
operates as double or single car trains
1996-
1999
ADTranz
Metro
M4
SEPTA Metro Market-Frankford/M4 1107 on L1
Market-Frankford Line to 69th Street Transit Center
ADTranz M4
Erie-Torresdale Station, Philadelphia, PA
October 22nd, 20191001-1032
1035-1220
(All married pairs)
operates in six car consists
multiple units retired
cars 1033 and 1034 were converted to work cars
2029-2031Hitachi Rail STS
Metro
M5
SEPTA Hitachi Rail STS Market-Frankford Line car render from SEPTA's Twitter PageTBD on order
first to have open-gangways
SEPTA Subway and Elevated Fleet Roster

SEPTA Regional Rail

SEPTA Silverliner V 863 on Media/Wawa Line
SEPTA Silverliner V 863 on Media/Wawa Line
at Wawa Station, the Newest Regional Rail Station in the System

SEPTA also operates commuter rail services known as SEPTA Regional Rail. With Regional Rail, operations are more straightforward. With the exception of the Airport Line, ALL regional rail routes operate from the City of Philadelphia to one of the many suburbs. There are 13 regional rail lines in total, and all of them serve 30th Street Station, and Suburban Station in Center City, Philadelphia.

SEPTA Regional Rail Passenger Fleet Roster

Similar car types are often mixed between married pairs and single cars for EMUs. All Push-Pull trains operate with one locomotive, one cab car, and a mix of trailer cars. For more information is needed on these consists, use Philadelphia Transit Vehicles.

YearMake/ModelImageFleet NumbersNotes
1974-
1976
General Electric
Silverliner IV
SEPTA Silverliner IV 408 Leading West Trenton Line
West Trenton via Center City
GE Silverlinver IV
North Broad Station, Philadelphia, PA

SEPTA Silverliner IV 276 Leading Glenside Local Train
Glenside Local via Center City
GE Silverlinver IV
North Broad Station, Philadelphia, PA

SEPTA Silverliner IV 304 Leading Fox Chase Line
Fox Chase Line (to Malvern)
GE Silverliner IV
Married Cars: 101–188,
306–399, 417–460

Single Cars: 276–305, 400–416
car 276 wears original
SEPTA/Pennsylvania Railroad” badging
cars 280 and 293 wears original
SEPTA/Reading Railroad” Badging
car 304 wears original
SEPTA/Conrail” Badging
car 401 wears original
SEPTA/Penn Central” Badging
1987Bombardier
Comet II
JWC-1
DSC02993.JPGCab Cars: 2401-2410
Trailer Cars: 2501-2525
2000Bombardier
“Shoreliner III”
SEPTA-II
DSC03004.JPG2550-2559 (All trailers)
2010-
2011
Hyundai-Rotem
Silverliner V
SEPTA Regional Rail 709 on the R7
Trenton Line to Chestnut Hill East via Center City
Bristol StationSingle Cars: 701-738
Married Cars: 801-882
2017-
2018
Siemens
ACS-64
4mp_IMG_2340.JPG901-915
SEPTA Regional Rail Fleet Roster

Sources: