5 Regional Rail Lines May Be Eliminated Under SEPTA Budget Plans

PHILADELPHIA — Major SEPTA cuts are planned, including the reduction of bus service and the elimination of five Regional Rail lines, as well as a 9 p.m. curfew on rail service as the regional transit authority faces a $213 million budget gap, officials said this week.

SEPTA officials said the deficit will require 45 percent in service cuts, as well as a fare increase averaging 21.5 percent for all riders.

Some of the key the changes SEPTA says will be necessary to address the budget shortfall are:

• The elimination of dozens of bus routes and significant reductions in trips on all rail services, beginning with the launch of fall schedules on Aug. 24. Fifty bus routes would be shut down between Aug. 24 and Jan. 1, 2026
• A fare hike, effective Sept. 1
• A 9 p.m. curfew for all rail services. This curfew would begin Jan. 1, 2026
• The elimination of five Regional Rail lines — Cynwyd Line, Chestnut Hill West Line, Paoli/ThorndaleLine, Trenton Line, Wilmington/Newark Line

The full details of the proposed cuts can be found here.

The release of the budget comes amid critical negotiations in Harrisburg on a statewide transit funding plan introduced in February by Gov. Josh Shapiro that would prevent these dire measures from taking effect.

The impact of the proposed service cuts would be felt throughout the city and region, as reliable options for everyday travel to school and work are greatly diminished, SEPTA officials said.

Beyond regular riders, people traveling to games at the Sports Complex and other special events would have to navigate the 9 p.m. curfew for rail services, along with other restrictions. SEPTA said it would also be forced to cease providing additional service to special events, including plans to support the World Cup, the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, and other 2026 events.

The effects on businesses, including the region’s healthcare systems that rely on SEPTA to transport employees and patients, would be immediate and far-reaching, SEPTA said Thursday. Authorities also said roadway congestion will get worse, as people who typically use SEPTA would switch to driving.

Local business leaders expressed concern over the plans.

"These plans would lead to massive drops in ridership and the dismantlement of our transit system after generations of investment," the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia said in a statement. "The result? Workers, students, residents and visitors would lose a critical transportation option. Employers would experience increased hiring challenges. And worst of all, talent and businesses could leave the region altogether."

The chamber is urging state lawmakers to enact a dedicated funding solution that will avert the planned fare increases and service cuts.

Pennsylvania House Democratic Leaders said the proposed service cuts would "hurt many more Pennsylvanians than just the 800,000 who ride SEPTA buses and trains every day."

"Adding 175,000 more cars to our roads and making it harder for tens of thousands of workers to get to and from the job will have a ripple effect through our entire economy," they said in a statement Thursday. "We fully stand with SEPTA in their call for state funding, but more importantly, we stand with the riders who need and deserve public transit and the SEPTA workers whose jobs are at risk. House Democrats fully support funding SEPTA and all mass transit systems that are in every single community in Pennsylvania."

State Rep. Ed Nielson, who is the majority chair of the House Transportation Committee, said every dollar invested in transit returns five dollars back into the state's economy.

"Nine out of every 10 people in the city rely on public transit daily, whether to get to school or work; for some it’s the only option," he said in a statement. "These service cuts and fare increases will create barriers for hardworking Pennsylvanians who are already having trouble making ends meet."

SEPTA says it is facing the budget gap due to a combination of the end of federal COVID relief funding and increases in the day-to-day costs of providing service to customers. SEPTA is also grappling with the impact of inflation on everyday necessities such as fuel, power and supplies.

Efforts to stem the funding crisis led SEPTA to take on aggressive austerity measures, including a freeze on management pay and cuts to third-party consultants, have resulted in savings of $30 million. Other measures, including a 7.5 percent fare increase and the resumption of paid parking at Regional Rail lots, are generating new revenue.

"We know how critical service is to our customers and the region, and we have done everything possible to avoid the drastic measures that are proposed in this budget," SEPTA's Interim General Manager Scott A. Sauer said. "We have made significant progress in cutting costs, growing ridership, improving reliability and delivering on safety and security enhancements. All of that is at risk if we are forced to start dismantling the system."

Governor Shapiro provided SEPTA riders with a lifeline last fall when he flexed federal highway funds to fill the current year’s budget gap. That, however, was a one-time measure.

SEPTA is required by law to pass a balanced Operating Budget prior to the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, and its only options to close such a massive structural deficit are to raise fares and cut costs by eliminating services and reducing the size of its workforce.

SEPTA also released its Capital Budget Proposal for the coming year. Funding constraints and
inflation are impacting SEPTA’s ability to move forward on some improvement efforts. Under the proposal, SEPTA would close the funding gap by deferring dozens of projects and other capital-funded initiatives, which will delaying achievement of previous commitments for key priorities like station accessibility.

SEPTA will hold four public hearings about the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget at SEPTA Headquarters on May 19 at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., and at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on May 20. The Capital Budget hearings will be held on May 21 at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The public can also submit comments by email at operatingbudget@septa.org and capbudget@septa.org, voicemail by calling 215-580-7772 for Operating Budget and 215-580-7771 for Capital Budget, or by mailing SEPTA Budgets, 1234 Market Street, 9th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

All comments must be submitted by May 28.

"SEPTA would go from being the economic driver of this city and region to its limiter," SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. said. "We are grateful for Governor Shapiro’s proposal and for the continued efforts of legislators from our city and region. Now, we all need to hear from the public. Even if you don’t ride, deep service cuts would impact you – whether it is from increased congestion on area roadways, declining property values or less revenue for local businesses as SEPTA purchases significantly fewer supplies and materials."

"These cuts to SEPTA’s service – which would hurt our economy and make it harder for hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians to get to work, school, and wherever else they need to go – are completely avoidable," Shapiro said. "For two years in a row, I have proposed a commonsense plan to support mass transit all across the Commonwealth and last December, I flexed funding to give the legislature more time to come to the table. The state House has passed my proposal three times and plans to do so again next month – it is now squarely on the state Senate to come to the table and pass more funding for mass transit that their own constituents rely on."