PhillyFest 2001: Estimated costs

Saturday, July 21, 2001

Created 6/12/01; Revised with new fares 6/26/01

Note: A SEPTA fare increase will take place effective Sunday, July 1, 2001. This chart is updated to reflect the new fares and a new plan of action. The estimated costs for the travel portion of our trip are as follows:

LineSegmentAdult fare (cash)Adult fare (token)Adult fare (DayPass)Kids fare
NJ TRANSIT30th Street Station to Lindenwold$3.00$3.00$3.00free
PATCO lineLindenwold to Center City$2.10$2.10$2.10$2.10
R6 regional railCenter City to Norristown TC$3.75$3.75$3.7575 cents
100 trolleyNorristown TC to 69th Street Terminal$4.10 **$2.70 ****DayPass$1.35 *
101 trolley69th Street Terminal to Media50 cents ***50 cents ***DayPasstransfer
R3 regional railMedia to Center City$3.75$3.75DayPass75 cents
Blue Line (MFL)15th Street to 30th Street$2.00$1.30DayPass75 cents
13 trolley30th Street to Darby Loopfree transferfree transferfree transferfree transfer
11 trolleyDarby Loop to City Hall$2.00$1.30DayPass75 cents
Orange Line (BSS)City Hall to Fern Rock TCfree transferfree transferfree transferfree transfer
R5 regional railFern Rock TC to 30th Street Station$3.00$3.00$3.0075 cents
Total SEPTA fares $19.10$16.30$12.25$5.10
Total other fares $5.10$5.10$5.10$2.10
Grand total fares $24.20$21.40$17.35$7.20
 * This includes 75 cents fare + 60 cents for transfer.
** This includes $3.50 fare + 60 cents for transfer.
*** 50 cents is zone fare, presented along with transfer from previous trip.
**** Cost is 2 tokens plus 10 cents.

For adults, the weekly Zone One Trailpass is now $18.75, and it would provide an "Anywhere" fare throughout the system. It actually now comes out to 35 cents less than the day's ride on SEPTA would cost if paid for by the individual trip segment. That includes both free and zone transfers as shown above. Buying the weekly pass will speed up our trip and eliminate our large group having to form a line to purchase tickets at each stop, and from the on-board personnel having to handle so many cash fares on the trains. I would recommend this if you are going to be in town on Sunday too, since the same ticket can be used once again for "anywhere" travel.

However, for those of us only riding the trains for one day, one positive development in the fare increase package is that the DayPass, which rose 10% from $5 to $5.50 now has expanded power making it accepted for use on the suburban trolley lines we will be riding. It is also good toward the fare on one Regional Rail trip. Since we will be riding three different Regional Rail trains (two with a Zone 3 fare and one with a Zone 1 fare) we can use this towards one of the Zone 3 trips. We would still have to purchase tickets for one Zone 3 ride and one Zone 1 ride, and can do that ahead of time when the DayPasses are purchased. It would be best to utilize the DayPass for the only inbound trip, the R3 run from Media to Center City.

For those who do choose to pay as they go, the rapid transit & trolley fares can be reduced by 70 cents per ride through use of tokens. That would reduce the above $19.10 fare to $16.30. Tokens cost $1.30 but are worth $2 toward the fare on any trolleys or rapid transit.

In the above chart, new columns show what the day will cost using either tokens or the $5.50 DayPass.

Neither SEPTA's tokens or its Trailpass are good on NJ TRANSIT or PATCO trains.

Kids are defined as age 11 or younger. For them, it would be most prudent to pay as we go.

Note: These are estimated amounts. The route we follow is subject to change based on available time, in which case fares could change too.

So in summary, if you choose to get the DayPass, your shopping list at 30th Street Station the morning of our Fest should be as follows:
Figure about $10 per person for your meals as well.