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SEPTA Approves Doomsday Budget Cutting Service by 45% and Eliminating Sports Express

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Jun 26th, 2025 · 5:05 PM EDT

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Update here on the SEPTA funding crisis:

Without action in Harrisburg to provide new funding for transit—the SEPTA Board voted today to approve the Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget which will cut service by 45% and raise fares 21.5% to fill a $213 million recurring budget deficit.

Beginning with the fall schedule… pic.twitter.com/BUhgUhoavL

— ISEPTAPHILLY (@SEPTAPHILLY) June 26, 2025

“Beginning with the fall schedule change on August 24 customers will see the elimination of 32 bus routes and significant reductions in trips on all rail services including the end of special services like Sports Express. On September 1 a fare increase averaging 21.5% for all riders will go into effect. The new base fare for Bus and Metro trips will be $2.90. On January 1 service cuts will deepen with the elimination of five Regional Rail lines, more bus routes, and the implementation of a 9PM curfew on all remaining rail services. We understand that these measures will cause great hardship for our riders and for the city and Southeastern region as a whole. SEPTA is still working with state leaders to secure funding that could minimize or reverse some of the cuts. If the state approves funding in the weeks ahead—we may be able to avoid the cuts and maintain current service levels.”

The CliffsNotes here is that they’re budgeting ahead in the doomsday scenario that funding does not pass the General Assembly. The House passed a budget bill earlier in June that puts almost $300 million toward transit, but it hasn’t passed in the Senate. Republicans control the Senate while Democrats have a one-seat advantage in the House. Republicans representing the smaller rural counties want money for roads and bridges, obviously, and don’t care about mass transit in the liberal parts of the state where their constituents don’t live, so it’s really just classic Pennsylvania politics here and always has been.

Obviously 9 p.m. curfew on regional rail and removing five lines, combined with eliminating sports express, would have a huge impact on travel to and from the sports complex, which is already a humongous clusterfuck. We can’t afford more cars going down there.