PHILADELPHIA — A judge has temporarily halted SEPTA’s planned 21% fare increase and 20% commuter rail service reductions that were set to begin Monday, following a lawsuit filed by two riders and a transit advocate.
The fare hike would have raised one-way tickets between New Jersey and Center City Philadelphia from $10 to $11, while tickets purchased on trains would have jumped from $11 to $13. Bus, subway, and trolley fares were also scheduled to increase from $2.50 to $2.90 per ride.
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Service cuts, which were set to start Tuesday, would have reduced trains on the Trenton and West Trenton lines to hourly runs, with limited half-hour service during peak hours.
According to SEPTA’s website, the agency will comply with the court order, keeping current fares and schedules unchanged until at least next Thursday’s hearing.
The fare hike and cuts were part of SEPTA’s plan to close a $213 million operating budget gap. Some reductions already went into effect on Aug. 24 for bus, subway, and trolley services, which remain in place.
SEPTA warned riders that third-party apps may display outdated schedules due to the last-minute ruling and advised checking the SEPTA app or website for accurate, real-time updates.
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