Getting around Philadelphia from the Northeast starts with choosing a destination and checking which SEPTA service serves it. Regional Rail connects Center City with stations across Philadelphia and surrounding counties, while Bus and Metro trips have their own fares and transfer rules.
- Regional Rail serves William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, Suburban Station, and Jefferson Station in Center City.
- Cornwells Heights is about a 6-minute drive from WoodSpring Suites Philadelphia Northeast.
- SEPTA’s Regional Rail network has 13 lines and more than 150 active stations.
- Bus and Metro base fare is $2.90 with contactless payment or SEPTA Key Travel Wallet funds.
Start with your destination and nearest station
For a Center City destination, first check which station is closest: all Regional Rail trains stop at William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, Suburban Station, and Jefferson Station. SEPTA identifies Cornwells Heights among the stations in the Northeast.
SEPTA’s Regional Rail network has 13 lines and more than 150 active stations in Philadelphia and surrounding counties, including Bucks County. Use SEPTA’s app, Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Transit to plan a trip and check real-time information. SEPTA’s app and Trip Planner provide route options, travel times, return-trip information, and live arrivals.
For a day centered on Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, plan your destination first and use this one-day route through Philadelphia’s historic center to organize the stops.
Using SEPTA Regional Rail
Regional Rail is SEPTA’s train network linking Philadelphia with Center City and surrounding counties. Before setting out, match your origin and destination to a line and schedule; the Northeast-to-Center-City route and timetable should be confirmed with SEPTA rather than assumed from a station’s location. The station options for Regional Rail in Northeast Philadelphia can help you compare starting points.
Most Regional Rail lines operate from 5:30 a.m. to midnight, but schedules vary by line. Check the specific line schedule for your train. Fare depends on the starting and ending stations, day of the week, time of day, and payment method.
At Center City stations, Regional Rail offers connections to three common destinations: 30th Street Station, Suburban Station, and Jefferson Station. If your trip involves a transfer or a station with elevators, review SEPTA’s service alerts and elevator information before choosing your route.
How do you use SEPTA buses, Metro, and transfers?
Bus and Metro are useful for trips within Philadelphia, and SEPTA’s fare rules allow transfers when you pay with an eligible method. The base fare is $2.90 per trip when paid by contactless card or mobile payment, or with SEPTA Key Travel Wallet funds.
With contactless payment or SEPTA Key, the first and second transfers on Bus and Metro cost nothing extra when made within two hours. For contactless transfers, use the same payment method each time. Quick Trips do not provide free transfers, and they are not accepted on buses.
SEPTA accepts contactless credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay on Bus, Metro, and Regional Rail. Contactless payment is not available for travel to or from New Jersey. Exact cash fare is required for transit trips.
Philadelphia International Airport is about a 34-minute drive from WoodSpring Suites Philadelphia Northeast; for airport trip planning, see how to get from Philadelphia International Airport to Northeast Philadelphia.
What fares, passes, and payment options should you consider?
For Regional Rail, fares depend on your zones, trip time, day, and payment method. SEPTA’s fare zones run from Center City (CC) and Zone 1 near Center City through Zone 2, Zone 3, and Zone 4; New Jersey is a separate zone.
For weekday trips to or from Center City, Key, contactless, and Quick Trip fares are $6.50 from Zone 2, $7.75 from Zone 3, and $8.75 from Zone 4. Onboard fares are $9.00, $10.00, and $11.00, respectively.
For Saturday, Sunday, and major SEPTA holidays, Key, contactless, and Quick Trip fares to or from Center City are $6.00 from Zone 2, $7.00 from Zone 3, and $8.00 from Zone 4.
Onboard fares are $9.00, $10.00, and $11.00, respectively. With SEPTA Key or contactless payment on Regional Rail, tap on at your origin and tap off at your destination; missing the tap-off results in the maximum fare.
A SEPTA Key card costs $4.95. SEPTA refunds that cost to the Travel Wallet when you register the card within 30 days of purchase, with a limit of two refunds per account. For visitors making several trips, pass choices depend on whether Regional Rail is part of the plan:
- The $12.50 One Day Neighborhood FleX Pass covers Bus, Metro, and Regional Rail within Center City and Fare Zones 1 and 2; travel beyond Zone 2 has a surcharge.
- The $16.25 One Day Anywhere FleX Pass covers Bus, Metro, and Regional Rail for up to 10 rides in one day. Travel to or from New Jersey stations has a $5 surcharge.
- The $7.50 One Day Convenience Pass allows one person up to eight Bus and Metro trips during one transit day; it does not cover Regional Rail.
- The $19.00 Three Day Convenience Pass allows one person up to 24 Bus and Metro trips over 72 hours; it does not cover Regional Rail.
Children under 12 ride free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. Riders age 65 and older ride Regional Rail free with a valid SEPTA Senior Fare Card when both departure and arrival stations are in Pennsylvania.
Planning a return trip to Northeast Philadelphia
Plan your return by checking the trip from your destination back to the Northeast, not just the outbound journey. SEPTA’s Trip Planner provides return-trip information and live arrival details, and its alerts page covers notices, advisories, and detours for Bus, Metro, Regional Rail, and SEPTA Access, with a separate elevator-alert view.
Eddington is about a 7-minute drive from WoodSpring Suites Philadelphia Northeast and Torresdale is about a 9-minute drive. These station travel times can help you compare starting points, but confirm the specific train and schedule for your trip before choosing one.
Before you go: Schedules, fares, and service alerts can change, so check the official SEPTA site before you go.
FAQs
Which Center City stations do all Regional Rail trains serve?
All Regional Rail trains stop at William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, Suburban Station, and Jefferson Station.
Can you transfer between SEPTA buses and Metro without paying again?
The first and second Bus and Metro transfers are free when made within two hours using SEPTA Key or contactless payment. For contactless transfers, use the same payment method.
Does the One Day Convenience Pass include Regional Rail?
No. The One Day Convenience Pass is valid only on Bus and Metro. The Three Day Convenience Pass is also limited to those services.
Where can you check SEPTA service disruptions?
SEPTA’s alerts page includes notices, advisories, and detours for Bus, Metro, Regional Rail, and SEPTA Access, plus a separate elevator-alert view.