How To Figure Out The SEPTA System (Philadelphia, Norristown: violent crime, how much)

[psufan35]

Moderator Note: The following quote is from another thread. However, the subsquent question lent itself to creating a different thread.

Originally Posted by acenturi

Moderator Cut

Have you ever been to Detroit, or at least in the past 3 years??
Violent Crime Detroit : 3.38 x National Average
Violent Crime Philadelphia : 2.31 x National Average
Property Crime Detroit : 1.58 x National Average
Property Crime Philadelphia : 0.95 x National Average
Unemployment Rates (BLS.GOV - 6/30/2010
Detroit: 13.7%
Philadelphia: 9.4%, which is Less than: Chicago, Miami, Las Vegas, Atlanta,
Charlotte - and most of California and close to NYC.

Being from CA, the unemployment rate there is actually 12.4%. One of the higest in the nation. I was one of the unemployed up until recently. I too will be coming to Philly soon as well. What is the SEPTA system like for a newbie? Is it pretty easy to figure out where you are going?

[Wisertime]

Originally Posted by psufan35

Being from CA, the unemployment rate there is actually 12.4%. One of the higest in the nation. I was one of the unemployed up until recently. I too will be coming to Philly soon as well. What is the SEPTA system like for a newbie? Is it pretty easy to figure out where you are going?

As a fellow newbie SEPTA can be confusing (unless you are used to other systems maybe?). Once you ride it a few times, you figure it out. It's now more confusing for newcomers because they started changing the names of the RR lines from R3, R8 to their terminal town names (which is probably less confusing). So now they are referred to as the Fox Chase line instead of R8 etc. Don't ask me about the buses. Probably more confusing and I have not tried them yet.

[james777]

Originally Posted by psufan35

Being from CA, the unemployment rate there is actually 12.4%. One of the higest in the nation. I was one of the unemployed up until recently. I too will be coming to Philly soon as well. What is the SEPTA system like for a newbie? Is it pretty easy to figure out where you are going?

Yes, it is very easy compared to the NYC subway system. Philly is great in that unless you live in the far outer suburbs, you really won't need a car. Of course, if you have one, you can save a lot by driving it a lot less. Even if you want to get away to NYC or to the beach you can go by train or bus.

[bryson662001]

Believe it or not, many Philadelphians, particularly in the suburbs, wouldn't know a SEPTA from a sofa. They have absolutly no contact with any part of it and don't miss it. On the other hand if you don't drive, or are just poor and particularly (but not always) if you live in the city it is your life's blood. Many suburbanites just use the regional rail (the most extensive and complicated portion of the system) to get downtown to work. Most who live in the close in neighborhoods in and around Center City probably use the buses more than anything. It depends on your lifestyle and mostly where you live and work as to how much you will use it but you will probably only learn the portions that you use so it isn't that hard. Eventually you will be able to get on a bus, train or subway that you have never seen before and go virtually anywhere with confidence.

[a75206]

At least in Center City, the Center City District has put up a lot of new signage and boards at all the entry points to the mass transit system, with boards showing underground concourse connections and what lines they lead to. I think it is fairly easy system to figure out, and I'm also new to the city and came from a city that didn't have as elaborate a mass transit system.

The buses are also easy to figure out, just use the SEPTA web site and they have a trip planner that show you exactly how the system can get you from one point to another. And I believe SEPTA is also in the beta-testing for an app that shows where the buses are and how far they are to your stop, so you don't wait very long.

All in all, SEPTA catches too much flak from locals for being a pretty good system. It could be so much better in so many ways, but what is there is fairly good.

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

It's easy, particularly if you know how public transit systems work. Not really different than anywhere else.

The most complicated part of it would be if you lived in the suburbs and used buses to get into the city. They have different zones on many suburban buses (and the Norristown High Speed Line), based on how far you have taken it.

Other than that, just look at SEPTA's website. They have many maps, including a rail transit map, a center city bus map, a city bus map, a metro area bus map.

And yes, you will hear a lot of people in Philadelphia complain about SEPTA. And unless you're coming directly from one of the few cities in America with world class transit systems, most of these complaints will just sound dumb - because honestly, it's pretty awesome compared to almost anywhere in the country.

[athensvaasi]

This thread may be helpful:

//www.city-data.com/forum/phila...it-system.html