NJ to Philly train commuting rec. (Philadelphia, Reading: transfer to, purchase, university)

[jersey224]

Hey everyone! I would like to travel from NJ from the West Trenton Train Station into North Philly....I have been driving however, I need to start taking the train until I find a place in Philly....anyone have any suggestions? I have no clue on Septa/Ltrain, etc....Thanks!!!

[FindingZen]

Where will you be working in North Philly? If it's Temple University, then the R3 train will take you right there.

http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/pdf/wtr.pdf

If not, then you would do better to get off at the following stop - Market East - transfer to the Market-Frankford Blue Line (aka the "El"), take that two stops to 15th, transfer freely to the Broad Street Subway and take it north to the station closest to your employer. In this scenario, it would make your life easier to purchase a weekly (or monthly) Zone 6/Anywhere Trailpass. It looks like it's about to go up to $53 and $191, respectively.


http://www.septa.org/fares/new/fare-brochure-2010.pdf
(See pages 3 and 4.)

[solibs]

Originally Posted by Tone509

If not, then you would do better to get off at the following stop - Market East - transfer to the Market-Frankford Blue Line (aka the "El"), take that two stops to 15th, transfer freely to the Broad Street Subway and take it north

no no no . . . that would be brutal. If you're on the R3 then you transfer directly to the Subway at Fern Rock.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by solibs

no no no . . . that would be brutal. If you're on the R3 then you transfer directly to the Subway at Fern Rock.

Oh snap you are correct. I honestly forgot that the R3 stopped at Fern Rock.

My apologies to the OP.

[solibs]

Originally Posted by Tone509

Oh snap you are correct. I honestly forgot that the R3 stopped at Fern Rock.

My apologies to the OP.

word. people who come from the former Pennsy lines always forget that the Reading line trains stop at Fern Rock.

But aren't you from Abington? for shame

[CHIP72]

Heck, transferring at Suburban Station to get on the Broad Street Line northbound would also be easier than transferring at Market East. Actually, if somebody gets off at Market East, that person should transfer to the Broad-Ridge Spur at 8th and Market, walking through the Gallery at Market East to get there.

To avoid confusing the OP, the idea suggested above - transfer from the R3 West Trenton to the Broad Street Line at Fern Rock - is the simplest and best route to take.

[byoak]

Originally Posted by CHIP72

Heck, transferring at Suburban Station to get on the Broad Street Line northbound would also be easier than transferring at Market East. Actually, if somebody gets off at Market East, that person should transfer to the Broad-Ridge Spur at 8th and Market, walking through the Gallery at Market East to get there.

To avoid confusing the OP, the idea suggested above - transfer from the R3 West Trenton to the Broad Street Line at Fern Rock - is the simplest and best route to take.

What about the R7? It has a North Philly stop.

[CHIP72]

Originally Posted by byoak

What about the R7? It has a North Philly stop.

The OP asked about using the R3 from West Trenton. He could actually get off at the North Broad station and walk to the Broad Street Line, but the North Broad and for that matter the North Philadelphia stations are in less than ideal locations (coincidentally near the former sites of Baker Bowl and Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium, but that's another subject).

[jersey224]

Hey Everyone! Thanks for your input! I am thinking of taking the train out of west trenton instead of princeton since I hear parking is much easier! I work around Broad St and Girard so if something could bring me to around there than its perfect! I dont mind walking however, when it is dark, I def wouldnt feel comfortable in that area so finding a direct route would be great!

[JasmineFlower]

Definitely take the R3 to Fern Rock and then you walk a brief way up to the subway platform to get onto the Broad Street Line and take that to the Girard stop. Now, for the subway, you can take the express line (and I'd recommend it, so much quicker and runs frequently) or the local. However, for the R3, you need to be aware of which train you are getting on. On a local train, they all stop at Fern Rock but for the express, some will stop but many won't stop at Fern Rock, so just be aware of that.

Also, SEPTA being as lovely as it is, if you see it listed as an express that stops at Fern Rock, I'd ask if I were you, not just a conductor (who might not be that familiar with that particular train), but a knowledgeable passenger at the train station, if the train really does stop at Fern Rock. For the longest, maybe even still, I rode an R3 that was listed on the schedule as stopping at Elkins Park, but it most definitely never did and people were forever getting on expecting it to stop there. It was a great train because it was a like an express and seemed to get from CC to Jenkintown in 20 minutes, but I'm sure the people who got off at Elkins Park weren't nearly as enamored with that particular train.