SEPTA announces changes to Key Card price

SEPTA has announced the next phase of their long-awaited transition away from tokens with a price hike on Key Cards starting next month.

The price of the card—which is currently free—climbs to $4.95 on May 4, just days after riders will see the end of token sales on April 30.

In addition to the new cost, SEPTA is lowering the minimum amount that riders can put on the card from $10 to $5. They’ve also instituted a reimbursement plan where riders who initiate the card within 30 days of the May 4 date will have that $4.95 charge applied to their Key Card wallet.

The decision marks the newest phase in a long movement away from tokens—which SEPTA passengers have used since 1968—in favor of the plastic, refillable Key Card. Many of the machines that sold tokens were removed from stations last year, and SEPTA announced last month that they were stopping token sales at all Regional Rail stations. Riders will still be able to use the tokens they have for the foreseeable future, but they won’t be able to buy new ones starting next month.

• The end of the SEPTA token is finally here [Curbed Philly]