Getting to Philly Without a Car: Or How SEPTA Drains Your Soul

When I worked in the city, but lived in Wilmington, I would take SEPTA Regional Rail from the Claymont station. 

My journey was filled with delays, broken trains, shortages of cars, and coughing, sneezing, sniffing carriers of sickness and infection, ie other passengers.  (I'm not a germaphobe - you are!)

And now the stars must align, traffic must be light, and I have to be guaranteed of parking in order for me to head into the city.  What can I say, I’m old. I find that driving in the city makes me hate humanity and taking SEPTA makes me near suicidal.

Let’s talk about SEPTA.  Poor, beleaguered SEPTA. There is a SEPTA station right in Wilmington. But if you want to park anywhere near safe and close by – it’s $13 for the day. And you still have to pay to take the train in. If you don’t want to pay for parking, you have to drive about 12 minutes (depending on traffic, of course) to the Claymont station.  But you better get there early because if you don’t – you will park far far away.

 

Your car - it's just over that hill...

And that’s not the worst – if you work normal business hours, leaving the lot takes 15 minutes unless you sprint off the train and manage to get into your car before the rest of the hoard descends.

Rabid hoards sprinting to their cars

Do

• Park in the Claymont overflow parking.  It might be creepy if the bridge’s light is out, but you beat the line of traffic to leave the other lot.
• Buy your tickets at 30^th or bring cash because there is no ticket machine at Claymont
• Download the SEPTA app to keep up to date on times and delays

Don’t

• Forget to bring an umbrella or dress weather appropriately, there is only a small shelter at the Claymont station
• Talk in the quiet car. It’s called manners, people!
• Take up more than your seat.  Your bag didn’t pay, lady

Note: The Claymont station is getting an upgrade and moving to a new location, estimated completion date of 2021.