Introduction
SEPTA’s Route 206 is a bus to rail route that operates from Paoli Station to The Commons at Great Valley. Operations of route 206 is provided by Frontier Depot (Division 6).
Route 206 Routing
Route 206 starts at Paoli Station on the Paoli/Thorndale Line. From there, it operates via Lancaster Avenue and Industrial Boulevard to Paoli Hospital, then over to Cedar Hollow Road to Trinity Corportate Center and Unisys, also passing the Penn State Great Vally Campus and the Shops at Great Valley, then over to Great Valley Corporate Center and then finally terminating at the Commons at Great Valley.
Connections to route 206 is only possible at the Paoli Regional Rail station with the Paoli/Thorndale Line and bus routes 92, 105, and 204.
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Route 206 and Great Valley Service History
Service on route 206 actually started long before the 200 series started.
Route 206 was originally route 126 operating between Paoli Station and Great Valley Corporate Center. On April 11th, 1988, SEPTA would re-brand route 126 as route 206 as part of it’s then-new 200 series program. Like most of SEPTA’s 200 series, this route would operate peak directions only, with service operating to and From Great Valley Corporate Center in the AM hours, but only FROM Great Valley in the PM Hours. Service on route 206 would operate virtually unmodified until October 29th 2001, where Saturday and Midday service would be added to the line. The Saturday service would be enhanced yet again in the next year, on October 28th 2002 with early morning Saturday service added. The Saturday service was quietly removed the next year on October 27th 2003. The next major change to service on route 206 would be on August 30th 2019, where the route would be modified to incorporate portions of then-discontinued route 205. This service would be extended further into Great Valley, terminating at the Commons at Great Valley.
In February 2027, fixed route service on route 206 will be discontinued, and replaced with brand new microtransit service, in the form of SEPTA Go’s Paoli-Great Valley Zone.
Paoli-Great Valley SEPTA GO Zone
Starting in February, 2027. Service from Paoli to Great Valley will be provided by SEPTA GO Service in the Paoli-Great Valley Zone. Riders will be able to request and reserve rides from anywhere within this zone, within 30 minutes of pickup. Key points withing this zone include…
- Paoli Hospital
- Service also provided by routes 105 and 142
- The Vanguard Group
- Chester Valley Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
- Uptown Worthington
- Great Valley Shopping Center
- The Commons at Great Valley
- Great Valley Corporate Center
- People’s Light and Theatre Company
- Valleybrooke Corporate Center
- Malvern Station
- Service also provided by the Paoli/Thorndale Line
- Paoli Station
- Service also provided by the Paoli/Thorndale Line and bus routes 105 and 142
Although this new service will operate in a manner similar to ride-sharing, it takes basic SEPTA fare (cash $2.90, passes, etc) and still has basic hours of service (which will be revealed later). Anyone at any point within this zone can travel to any point, without needing to rely on existing schedules and fixed routing. Simply reserve, and ride.
New Bus Network Changes
Service in between Paoli Station and Great Valley will be provided by the new Paoli/Great Valley SEPTA GO Zone starting in February 2027 as part of the new bus Network Phase 2. Service on SEPTA route 206 will be discontinued in February 2027 as part of the New Bus Network Phase 2.
Timetables
Below are some historic timetables for SEPTA’s route 206. These are older (out of date) timetable scans with their effective dates listed.
- Route 206 Paoli Station to Great Valley Corporate Center
- 1988
- April 11th 1988 (Former route 126)
- 1989
- 1991
- 1995
- 2001
- October 29th 2001 (now with Midday and Saturday Service)
- 2002
- 2003
- 2007
- 2011
- 1988
- Route 206 Paoli Station to The Commons at Great Valley
- 2020
- 2025