I grew up in Philly and I have traveled the world. I used to think that Philly's public transport was terrible. Then I moved to the DFW area around 25 years ago. If you don't have a car here, you are pretty much screwed. I miss SEPATA now. You can take it anywhere, even if you live in the suburbs. When I visited my mother with my kids, we took SEPTA everywhere
That's how I pretty much felt. I was born in Shanghai, China, and I moved to right outside of Philly in MontCo. around when I was 18 for school. And my first impression of Philly (plus its suburban areas) was pretty much like that: the transit system was underwhelming, many areas, unfortunately some of the densest and most transit accessible, are not that safe, and that was pretty much my first encounter with the 'car dependent suburbia': low density, 'stroads' with no sidewalk, single use development, etc. But since I lived in many other places around the US, including currently, living in Baltimore only a little further down south, and have traveled to lots of other places in the US, particularly places like TX or even CA, I have to say it's hard not to appreciate how Philly area overall have good walkability and trasit access, even in the suburbs. Not to mention being on the Northeast corridor means that from Philly you can take a train to visit other places, especially large cities (like NYC & DC) nearby. In fact, I lived my first year outside Philly completely without a car. Which wasn't the best experience, but the fact that it was possible is already amazing, looking back now.
A bit puzzled that you covered the transit system, but didn't mention the 13 branches of regional rail lines that cover the whole city and suburbs, plus the Port Authority line which is a 3rd subway in center city. Also, the NJ transit train AC line. Though just outside the city, there is the Norristown highspeed rail line, and the river rail line between Camden and Trenton.
I live in Center City and WALK to nearly everything. Gave my car away 12 years ago and haven't driven since, saving me a great deal of $$$$$. Public transit here is great should I need it. If you want to live a car- free life-style, you can't beat Philadelphia----and that's a fact!
I’m from DC and have traveled the world . Philly is excellent for public transit- but I feel natives have an inferiority complex when comparing themselves to DC and NYC. If you are not from Chicago, DC, NY, The Bay Area, and perhaps Boston? This is the best transit you are going to see outside of those cities. And Septa has the best commuter rail service in America. MARC AND VRE down here in the DMV could take notes .
Where would you rank Philly's transit among other transit services in the US? How does it compare to Chicago? I am thinking about moving to either Chicago or Philly in a few years, but can't decide. I want to live car-free so I can save some money.
@@randomyoutubeuser23 I go to Chicago a lot, and with few exceptions, you'll need a car in Chicago. Everybody has a car. Most of Chicago is like a big suburb. I'm mostly familiar with the areas north and west of the Loop. They have lots of room, so they spread out. Way out. Even close in to the Loop, the houses each have yards--small yards, but that just spaces things out a lot. And there are fewer apartment buildings, and the ones that are there are low, so much less density. Even in neighborhoods that you think would be dense, there are strip shopping centers or grocery stores with parking lots in front. It's weird to try to walk any place. Philly has a better rail network than Chicago's and has more bus routes. And the buses seem to stop running earlier at night. But the voice announcements on the CTA rail lines are wonderfully done--much nicer than Philly's. And the thing about Center City Philly is--even though it's where all the skyscrapers are, it's also all residential, which makes it really convenient to walk.
Besides the subway and el, there are subway-surface trolleys and a huge regional rail system that's underground through Center City. Saying there are only two train lines badly shortchanges the system. SEPTA actually has 450 miles of rail with hundreds of stations. Showing an actual transit map would have been a lot more helpful than crayoning a highway map.
This video is super helpful for my move to Philadelphia! Thanks so much for taking the time to include the Google map transit routes. Great attention to detail.
@@LivinginPhiladelphiaPA I’ll be moving this summer from the DMV area. If you have any tips on which transit line is the safest, that would be appreciated.
Transit in Philly is actually awesome! This is like 100 times better than ours in St Louis. It's normal for it to take an hour, hour and a half to go somewhere
@@LivinginPhiladelphiaPA that's true. Granted there are some good routes depending which bus line is close. I'm always blown away by other citys transit systems
(1) Canadia/ens here fork over roughly $4 for a single trip while many American fares in the $1 range ever plentiful there..! (2) there's a so-called suburb with its island-wide population of ½ million here wherein most of its service frequency STINGILY set to ½ bus per hour..plus the fare jumps into the $5 range should your trip happen to pierce its zoning... (PS) this continent customarily cheats itself, supposing its cleptoparasitic corporateers as being representative of robust economics........
MFL is elevated from 69th st station in upper darby to between 46th st and 40th st stations in west phila goes underground from there eastbound thru CC then elevates again after 2nd and Market then runs to Frankford Station. BSL runs north and south from Fern Rock in N Philadelphia to Pattison (transplants call it NRG) in South Philadelphia. There is also a spur from Fairmount to 8th Street at Chinatown. Each ride takes about an hour from end to end. Each have express runs, but BSL has fewer stops on express trains. MFL "connects" 30th st Amtrak Station to CC. However the trolleys (which are also underground) are often better connectors to mid city west / business district areas. MFL connects Penn and Drexel campuses, BSL Temple and LaSalle, to CC. Both "sorta" connect to Regional Rail Lines that connect to the more remote PHL communities (Fox Chase, North PHL, Germantown, Mt Airy, Chestnut Hill, East Falls, Manayunk, Ivy Ridge, Wynnefield, and Overbrook. All of those communities are being settled by NE corridor transplants MFL Terminates at 69th which connects trolleys and buses to suburbs in Montgomery and Delaware Counties, and to the Norristown Line, which passes thru Bryn Mawr and Villanova. Unfortunately, most trendy neighborhoods in CC, NoLibs, Fishtown, South Phila, Graduate Hospital / Point Breeze, are not that close to these stops. Busses are better, but will never improve IMO, simply due to rideshare and increasing bike accommodations, and that SEPTA has been promising better service for 30 + years. For those of us who prefer to cross the bridge into NJ, there is the PATCO line that connects NJ suburbs Camden, Collingswood, Haddonfield, and Lindenwald. There is also a riverine connection from PATCO to Trenton NJ, which can also be accessed by SEPTA Rail and Amtrak. For the most part SEPTA does a decent job moving people around the region. Its main challenge is that driving / rideshare are equally efficient, with many that live in the city owning multiple cars to move about the area. You will stick out as a transplant having no vehicle.
not far from the city centre there I came across a tram line that snaked behind back yards .. there was a grade crossing and a tram halt beside it with its old cubbyhole shelter .. it felt extraordinarily storybook, yet being at 11PM I couldn't wait forever for any damn trolley to show up .. come to think of it, Pittsburgh is a favourite because of its endless time-warped streetscapes; very Thirties 🍸
This is ridiculous! He seems fixated on whether the trains go underground or not, but completely ignores SEPTA Metro's extensive Regional Rail lines (that also serve stops within the city as they head to the 'burbs and to DE and NJ). And it's underground. You can go from Trenton, NJ to Newark and Wilmington DE and everywhere in between all on SEPTA. You can hop on a rail line in Center City and get dropped off 10 minutes later at your terminal at the airport--a stop at each terminal. There are 8 trolley lines, not 3. And they aren't green! There's only one line that uses the historic (and modernized) green trolleys that he showed--the Girard Avenue one the goes to the Zoo. All the rest are white and newer! You can take the PATCO line (underground, if that's so important) from Center City to deep in south Jersey. Hop the NJ Transit line in Center City and go to Atlantic City. Add in the 140+ bus routes and it really is easy to live here without a car. I've done it for over 10 years. I went weeks without using my car. Lots of people have given up their cars and just usd Zip Car a few times a year. I walk to work each day (or hop a bus if the weather's bad). That 30-minute walk is a great way to start the day. Center City is very compact; it's only a 45-minute walk from river to river along Market St. This video does not do justice to the transportation options in the city, particularly the way they integrate all the different modes. He seems to not know any real details about this topic.
Yes you can get around the city on trains. It is more expensive, but safe. Most neighborhoods have connections to center City. They will take you out to the airports. Also, they connect to distant & not so distant suburbs.
Starting taking Philly old PTC buses & El to Phillies game then to high school then work. Busses EL & Broad St run great during weekday rush hours but slow at night & Sundays. Took me 1.5 hours to go 12 miles during rush hour ( includes a 10 minute walk to EL & waiting times ). Only took 27 minutes if I drove off hours. Would not ride most SEPTA stuff after 9 PM. They do next to little required maintenance on everything. Nice now retired and Pa Lottery proceeds pay for my free senior pass.
Sorry, I don't ride the El much and it's not that important to me where it comes out of the ground...You missed this video, @RedArrowDoug th-cam.com/video/aUrR8LctvnU/w-d-xo.html
Lemme guess - you don't get out of Philadelphia much lol...Im from DC and even I would say while it's not METRO or NYC, its SUPERIOR to what 95% of the other American cities. Trust when you go to Atlanta or Houston Texas - these are cities bigger than Philly, you will see SEPTA vs what they got is vastly superior. The Commuter rail part is the BEST in America, better than even what NYC has on a commuter rail level. Y'all Philly people gotta get rid of that inferiority complex. It's a plague in that city by Crabs that never get out the Philly Barrel
@@JimBrownski I'm quite well traveled but public transport isn't what I have to take. Have a good day. Oh I agree, I think our American Urban centers are pure cesspools and that we are like ancient Rome on its bad slide. Poor education, people believe weird stuff, corruption all around, oh I've been around
Uh, don't move to Philadelphia. Get your own piece of land. You can get a house kit for $100K. Raise your own food on it. Buy a good used truck. Learn to use a firearm. Hunt. Fish. Enjoy nature. Cities...nah.
I grew up in Philly and I have traveled the world. I used to think that Philly's public transport was terrible. Then I moved to the DFW area around 25 years ago. If you don't have a car here, you are pretty much screwed. I miss SEPATA now. You can take it anywhere, even if you live in the suburbs. When I visited my mother with my kids, we took SEPTA everywhere
It truly isn't all that bad, but just would hope for more out of a consolidated major metro like Philly!
That's how I pretty much felt. I was born in Shanghai, China, and I moved to right outside of Philly in MontCo. around when I was 18 for school. And my first impression of Philly (plus its suburban areas) was pretty much like that: the transit system was underwhelming, many areas, unfortunately some of the densest and most transit accessible, are not that safe, and that was pretty much my first encounter with the 'car dependent suburbia': low density, 'stroads' with no sidewalk, single use development, etc. But since I lived in many other places around the US, including currently, living in Baltimore only a little further down south, and have traveled to lots of other places in the US, particularly places like TX or even CA, I have to say it's hard not to appreciate how Philly area overall have good walkability and trasit access, even in the suburbs. Not to mention being on the Northeast corridor means that from Philly you can take a train to visit other places, especially large cities (like NYC & DC) nearby. In fact, I lived my first year outside Philly completely without a car. Which wasn't the best experience, but the fact that it was possible is already amazing, looking back now.
Philadelphia has subway trains!🚇🚇🚇🚇🚇🚇
@@davidfreeman3083 Would you consider BOSTON a better city than Philly?
@@trentpettit6336 Maybe 🤔. Although to me they both have pros and cons and pretty much evens out.
A bit puzzled that you covered the transit system, but didn't mention the 13 branches of regional rail lines that cover the whole city and suburbs, plus the Port Authority line which is a 3rd subway in center city. Also, the NJ transit train AC line. Though just outside the city, there is the Norristown highspeed rail line, and the river rail line between Camden and Trenton.
You must have missed the point of this video. But here's the video you're looking for: th-cam.com/video/aUrR8LctvnU/w-d-xo.html
@@LivinginPhiladelphiaPA The title is self explanatory. What point is this commenter missing?
That "river rail line" is nicknamed the DRUG TRAIN by the locals! 😄
I live in Center City and WALK to nearly everything. Gave my car away 12 years ago and haven't driven since, saving me a great deal of $$$$$. Public transit here is great should I need it. If you want to live a car- free life-style, you can't beat Philadelphia----and that's a fact!
I’m from DC and have traveled the world . Philly is excellent for public transit- but I feel natives have an inferiority complex when comparing themselves to DC and NYC. If you are not from Chicago, DC, NY, The Bay Area, and perhaps Boston? This is the best transit you are going to see outside of those cities. And Septa has the best commuter rail service in America. MARC AND VRE down here in the DMV could take notes .
Correction! I should say Philly is great -FOR AMERICA!! Lol Only NYC and Maybe Metro and Bart would be considered even mediocre globally
Where would you rank Philly's transit among other transit services in the US? How does it compare to Chicago? I am thinking about moving to either Chicago or Philly in a few years, but can't decide. I want to live car-free so I can save some money.
@@randomyoutubeuser23 I go to Chicago a lot, and with few exceptions, you'll need a car in Chicago. Everybody has a car.
Most of Chicago is like a big suburb. I'm mostly familiar with the areas north and west of the Loop. They have lots of room, so they spread out. Way out. Even close in to the Loop, the houses each have yards--small yards, but that just spaces things out a lot. And there are fewer apartment buildings, and the ones that are there are low, so much less density.
Even in neighborhoods that you think would be dense, there are strip shopping centers or grocery stores with parking lots in front. It's weird to try to walk any place.
Philly has a better rail network than Chicago's and has more bus routes. And the buses seem to stop running earlier at night. But the voice announcements on the CTA rail lines are wonderfully done--much nicer than Philly's.
And the thing about Center City Philly is--even though it's where all the skyscrapers are, it's also all residential, which makes it really convenient to walk.
Heard there is a movement to extend public transport up the Rosevelt Blvd into Frankfurt and the NE. That would be great for Philly transport.
Besides the subway and el, there are subway-surface trolleys and a huge regional rail system that's underground through Center City. Saying there are only two train lines badly shortchanges the system. SEPTA actually has 450 miles of rail with hundreds of stations. Showing an actual transit map would have been a lot more helpful than crayoning a highway map.
This video is super helpful for my move to Philadelphia! Thanks so much for taking the time to include the Google map transit routes. Great attention to detail.
You're very welcome! When do you move and where are you coming from? Let me know if you have any questions I can help answer!
@@LivinginPhiladelphiaPA I’ll be moving this summer from the DMV area. If you have any tips on which transit line is the safest, that would be appreciated.
I disagree..and had become suspicious once corporate marketing became this channeler's spiel towards the end here 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀
Transit in Philly is actually awesome! This is like 100 times better than ours in St Louis. It's normal for it to take an hour, hour and a half to go somewhere
Wowza, that's a long time! Guess you can catch up on netflix or reading though
@@LivinginPhiladelphiaPA that's true. Granted there are some good routes depending which bus line is close. I'm always blown away by other citys transit systems
(1) Canadia/ens here fork over roughly $4 for a single trip while many American fares in the $1 range ever plentiful there..! (2) there's a so-called suburb with its island-wide population of ½ million here wherein most of its service frequency STINGILY set to ½ bus per hour..plus the fare jumps into the $5 range should your trip happen to pierce its zoning... (PS) this continent customarily cheats itself, supposing its cleptoparasitic corporateers as being representative of robust economics........
MFL is elevated from 69th st station in upper darby to between 46th st and 40th st stations in west phila goes underground from there eastbound thru CC then elevates again after 2nd and Market then runs to Frankford Station.
BSL runs north and south from Fern Rock in N Philadelphia to Pattison (transplants call it NRG) in South Philadelphia. There is also a spur from Fairmount to 8th Street at Chinatown.
Each ride takes about an hour from end to end. Each have express runs, but BSL has fewer stops on express trains.
MFL "connects" 30th st Amtrak Station to CC. However the trolleys (which are also underground) are often better connectors to mid city west / business district areas.
MFL connects Penn and Drexel campuses, BSL Temple and LaSalle, to CC. Both "sorta" connect to Regional Rail Lines that connect to the more remote PHL communities (Fox Chase, North PHL, Germantown, Mt Airy, Chestnut Hill, East Falls, Manayunk, Ivy Ridge, Wynnefield, and Overbrook. All of those communities are being settled by NE corridor transplants
MFL Terminates at 69th which connects trolleys and buses to suburbs in Montgomery and Delaware Counties, and to the Norristown Line, which passes thru Bryn Mawr and Villanova.
Unfortunately, most trendy neighborhoods in CC, NoLibs, Fishtown, South Phila, Graduate Hospital / Point Breeze, are not that close to these stops. Busses are better, but will never improve IMO, simply due to rideshare and increasing bike accommodations, and that SEPTA has been promising better service for 30 + years.
For those of us who prefer to cross the bridge into NJ, there is the PATCO line that connects NJ suburbs Camden, Collingswood, Haddonfield, and Lindenwald. There is also a riverine connection from PATCO to Trenton NJ, which can also be accessed by SEPTA Rail and Amtrak.
For the most part SEPTA does a decent job moving people around the region. Its main challenge is that driving / rideshare are equally efficient, with many that live in the city owning multiple cars to move about the area. You will stick out as a transplant having no vehicle.
not far from the city centre there I came across a tram line that snaked behind back yards .. there was a grade crossing and a tram halt beside it with its old cubbyhole shelter .. it felt extraordinarily storybook, yet being at 11PM I couldn't wait forever for any damn trolley to show up .. come to think of it, Pittsburgh is a favourite because of its endless time-warped streetscapes; very Thirties 🍸
This is ridiculous! He seems fixated on whether the trains go underground or not, but completely ignores SEPTA Metro's extensive Regional Rail lines (that also serve stops within the city as they head to the 'burbs and to DE and NJ). And it's underground.
You can go from Trenton, NJ to Newark and Wilmington DE and everywhere in between all on SEPTA.
You can hop on a rail line in Center City and get dropped off 10 minutes later at your terminal at the airport--a stop at each terminal.
There are 8 trolley lines, not 3. And they aren't green! There's only one line that uses the historic (and modernized) green trolleys that he showed--the Girard Avenue one the goes to the Zoo. All the rest are white and newer!
You can take the PATCO line (underground, if that's so important) from Center City to deep in south Jersey.
Hop the NJ Transit line in Center City and go to Atlantic City.
Add in the 140+ bus routes and it really is easy to live here without a car. I've done it for over 10 years. I went weeks without using my car. Lots of people have given up their cars and just usd Zip Car a few times a year.
I walk to work each day (or hop a bus if the weather's bad). That 30-minute walk is a great way to start the day. Center City is very compact; it's only a 45-minute walk from river to river along Market St.
This video does not do justice to the transportation options in the city, particularly the way they integrate all the different modes. He seems to not know any real details about this topic.
How is it when you have a car? How is the traffic? Parkings?
What about our Trains. That is an awesome system. Can get from Fox Chase to Center City on 20-25 minutes
Absolutely!! I'll do another map tour just of the train system sometime soon :) Do you live out in Fox Chase?
Yes. I have lived here my whole life. Family has been here for 65 yrs. Great neighborhood.
Yes you can get around the city on trains. It is more expensive, but safe. Most neighborhoods have connections to center City. They will take you out to the airports. Also, they connect to distant & not so distant suburbs.
@Hate Committee The combo of trains, buses, and walking will take you anywhere your heart desires!
One of the best city commuter train systems in the country.
i live in philadelphia and i have a very quick answer to the thumbnail question. yes the public transit here is very good.
The "green" Trolleys are only on Girard Ave. The trolleys that run on the 5 subway lines are white, built in the early 1980s
It's the "green line" cause that's what color the routes are on the map!
Is there a mobile App to buy ticket for Point A to B ?
Should be up in October. SEPTA will start a mobile ticket trial soon.
"The medical area". Ehhh... HUP of Penn Health is the oldest teaching hospital in the country. CHOP is the oldest children's hospital.
Olney transportation center, 63rd street transportation center
I lived in Philly. We called it the El train.
Starting taking Philly old PTC buses & El to Phillies game then to high school then work. Busses EL & Broad St run great during weekday rush hours but slow at night & Sundays. Took me 1.5 hours to go 12 miles during rush hour ( includes a 10 minute walk to EL & waiting times ). Only took 27 minutes if I drove off hours. Would not ride most SEPTA stuff after 9 PM. They do next to little required maintenance on everything. Nice now retired and Pa Lottery proceeds pay for my free senior pass.
In the beginning it's 40 and Baltimore. I lived on Baltimore 4000 block.
I'm in india
Does this guy even know that Phila. is a city and a county?
Very poorly done. Didn't know where the El pops up from the underground. No mention of PATCO, Suburban trolley lines or the regional rail network.
Sorry, I don't ride the El much and it's not that important to me where it comes out of the ground...You missed this video, @RedArrowDoug th-cam.com/video/aUrR8LctvnU/w-d-xo.html
It's even a school district! #SchoolDistrictOfPhiladelphia
Our public transport is horrible, disgusting, dirty, it is a cesspool. SEPTA is horrific
The sad part is that SEPTA is a million times better than most public transit in the United States. NYC's MTA is just as nasty and crusty as SEPTA is
Even Camden kicked out Septa back in 1968, now only using PATCO and NJT!
Lemme guess - you don't get out of Philadelphia much lol...Im from DC and even I would say while it's not METRO or NYC, its SUPERIOR to what 95% of the other American cities. Trust when you go to Atlanta or Houston Texas - these are cities bigger than Philly, you will see SEPTA vs what they got is vastly superior. The Commuter rail part is the BEST in America, better than even what NYC has on a commuter rail level. Y'all Philly people gotta get rid of that inferiority complex. It's a plague in that city by Crabs that never get out the Philly Barrel
@@JimBrownski I'm quite well traveled but public transport isn't what I have to take. Have a good day. Oh I agree, I think our American Urban centers are pure cesspools and that we are like ancient Rome on its bad slide. Poor education, people believe weird stuff, corruption all around, oh I've been around
@@salahuddinmuhammad3251 then why are you here? Lmao to brag that you are too good for public transit?
Uh, don't move to Philadelphia.
Get your own piece of land. You can get a house kit for $100K. Raise your own food on it. Buy a good used truck. Learn to use a firearm. Hunt. Fish. Enjoy nature.
Cities...nah.
SEPTA is shit, take lyft.
Thanks
Thank you!