Big changes on SEPTA Regional Rail lines coming

Huge changes are coming next week to three of SEPTA’s most heavily traveled Regional Rail lines.

SEPTA said the changes —specifically, splitting the Airport line from the Warminster and West Trenton lines on weekdays —are intended to increase “service reliability.”

SEPTA Assistant General Manager Ron Hopkins called the changes the “most comprehensive schedule changes in well over 20 years,” the Philly Voice reported.

“The Airport Line is currently linked to the Authority’s West Trenton and Warminster Regional Rail Lines,two very long service lines,” SEPTA explained in a statement.”Service problems SEPTA experiences between West Trenton or Warminsterand Philadelphia impact the Airport Line, which can cascade and cause delays to trains that are normallyrunning on time.”

The changes most affect passengers traveling from the suburbs to the Philadelphia International Airport. Airport trains which formerly terminated at suburban Regional Rail stations are being modified, SEPTA said.

Beginning Monday, weekday Airport Line trainsleaving Temple University between 6:13 a.m. and 9:13 a.m. and 3:43 p.m. and 6:43 p.m. will only operate between those two stations, SEPTA said.

Outside those windows —between 9:25 a.m. and 3 p.m., and after 7 p.m. — the Airport line will only operate between the Airport and Jenkintown-Wyncote.

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West Trenton and Warminster trains will no longer go to30th Street Station or the Airport on weekdays. Thosetrain’s riders who need to get to those destinationswill need to transfer at Suburban or Jefferson Station.

All weekday trains will leave a few minute earlier.

The changes have already caused some grips from SEPTA customers.

” No more service to the airport during the week; no University City stops. No additional trains, just longer rides. How is this supposed to help?” one Warminster Line rider told Metro.

Visit septa.org for more information on the schedule changes.