Beginning on Monday, July 7, SEPTA will begin charging for parking on weekends and holidays at all SEPTA-owned lots and garages, including 35 additional locations.
Last month, the SEPTA Board approved the change as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget, which will cut service nearly in half, as well as increase fare by more than 20%, making Philadelphia’s public transit system among the most expensive to ride nationwide.
SEPTA is facing a $213 million budget deficit in part due to the end of federal COVID relief funding, as well as the impact of inflation on fuel, power and supplies.
“Collecting parking fees 24/7 is another example of how we are doing everything we can to generate revenue during this funding crisis,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “We are committed to finding innovative ways to make this organization more efficient without compromising safety or reliability for our customers.”
After four years of offering free parking to help attract customers back to the system, SEPTA reinstated parking fees with a phased approach beginning last September.
The daily rate to park is $2 at SEPTA-owned surface lots, and $4 at the three garages: Frankford Transportation Center, Norristown, and Lansdale. These fees help offset parking lot maintenance costs.
In addition to paying by license plate through the SEPTA Park app, customers can use credit/debit cards and coins at kiosks, as well as a text-to-pay option.
For more information about SEPTA, visit septa.org, follow @SEPTA, or download the official SEPTA app.
