It's been two weeks since SEPTA unveiled their plan for NPT (New Payment Technologies) in an effort to usher the transit system into the electronic age, but the news today shows that it is going to come at a price. Tokens are still on the way out, but higher fares are coming to replace them. The proposed changes will take effect on July 1 of this year pending board approval.
Individual cash fares for buses, subways, and trolleys will jump from $2.00 to $2.25, and later to $2.50, while the cost of both weekly and monthly passes will jump 11 percent. Monthly Regional Rail zone passes will jump anywhere from $10-15, depending on the zone.
SEPTA still plans to replace all its turnstiles with NPT-friendly units, so build in an extra minute or two for your morning commute as you dodge angry riders once construction begins.
· Goodbye Forever, SEPTA Tokens: Electronic Payment is Coming [Curbed Philly]
· SEPTA Riders Face Big Changes Starting July 1 [Philly.com]