The Daily Pennsylvanian compiled a transportation guide for students.
Credit: Aymeric MarcantettiWhether you're hoping to explore the East Coast or are just making your way around campus, there are several transportation options that Penn students can take advantage of. The Daily Pennsylvanian compiled a guide to help every Penn student travel with ease.
Penn Walking Escorts
Penn's Division of Public Safety offers free walking escorts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Students can request an escort between 30th and 43rd streets and between Market Street and Baltimore Avenue. Escort services also extend west to 50th Street and from Spring Garden Avenue to Woodland Avenue between 10 a.m. and 3 a.m. To request a walking escort, students can ask any Public Safety Officer, call 215-898-WALK(9255) or 511 from a campus phone, or utilize the building and blue-light phones located around Penn’s campus.
The escort will walk students to their destinations, whether that is a campus building, a parked car, a Penn Transit stop, or a SEPTA station.
Penn Buses
Penn has three fixed bus routes — East, West, and North — that operate Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. every day, with the exception of holidays observed by the University. Passengers can ride for free by showing their PennCards.
Additionally, through downloading the Penn Transit Mobile app, users can see estimated arrival times of, buses as well as schedules for all routes.
Penn Accessible Transit
The Penn Accessible Transit service offers transportation for individuals with mobility or visual disabilities and those with limitations from pregnancy- and childbirth-related conditions. To obtain approval to utilize PAT, students must contact the Office of Student Disabilities Services. Faculty or staff can obtain approval by contacting the Office of Affirmative Action.
Penn Evening Shuttles
From 7:30 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. year-round, students can utilize the Penn Evening Shuttle service free of charge to any address within service boundaries. Students can access the service and schedule rides through the PennTransit app.
LUCY
LUCY — or the Loop Through University City — is a free bus serv ice operated by SEPTA that is available to PennCard holders and runs between Penn’s campus and 30th Street Station. This service operates from Monday to Friday from 6:10 a.m. to 7 p.m., excluding major holidays.
Drexel University Bus Services
Penn faculty, staff and students are eligible for free use of the Drexel University Bus Service with a valid PennCard. This service offers transportation between Drexel’s three campuses: University City Main Campus, Center City Hahnemann Campus, and the Queen Lane Medical Campus. Students can also download the Drexel Transit mobile app.
SEPTA
SEPTA is Philadelphia’s primary form of public transportation, with services including regional rail, buses, trolleys, subways, and a high-speed rail line. SEPTA offers convenient transportation options for students around Philadelphia and connects to five counties in the Philadelphia suburbs, as well as transit systems in Delaware and New Jersey.
SEPTA offers a discounted semester fare system for students, which is known as the SEPTA Key Semester Pass. The pass allows students to travel on any SEPTA buses, subways or trolleys in the city during the week. On weekends, students can travel the entire mass transit rail system with the City Pass.
This pass, and the regular fare system, can be accessed through a SEPTA Key Card, which can be purchased at major SEPTA sales & ticket offices. With a SEPTA Key, students can apply for the the Fall 2024 Semester Pass until Sept. 6. The application can be accessed through Campus Express.
Students can also get discounts on food, drinks, museums, and more, with a SEPTA Key card. This includes discounts to Federal Donuts, The Bagel Place, Board and Brew, Eastern State Penitentiary, the Philadelphia Zoo.
By downloading the SEPTA app, users can see their Travel Wallet balance and add funds, view schedules, and purchase fares.
Indego
Indego is Philadelphia’s bike share system. Through downloading the Indego app, students can access real-time bike and dock availability at any station, while earning discounts. Bike Share locations on campus include stations at 34th and Chestnut streets, 34th and Spruce streets, 36th and Sansom streets, and 40th and Spruce streets.
New Jersey Transit
Full-time students also receive a 25% discount on NJ Transit, New Jersey’s public transportation system, which includes bus, rail, and light rail transit options to New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia.
Amtrak
Students between ages 17-24 can receive a 15% discount on all purchases made with Amtrak at least one day in advance.
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