SEPTA (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

I wish I had more time to talk about how absolutely terrible SEPTA is. Subway conductors that don't bother to tell you you're getting on an express train until it's too late, then get in your face when you confront them. Cashiers at subway stations that DON'T USE CASH REGISTERS, trains running late, wildly inefficient train routes, very large swaths of the city not served by efficient or convenient rail, rising prices, important areas in the suburbs (West Chester, King of Prussia (!)) without train service, dirty, inefficient subway service, I could go on. The fastest way to get from Temple University, the largest university in the area, to the King of Prussia mall, one of the largest malls in North America where hundreds of students shop and work, takes roughly an hour and a half. You can drive there in 30 minutes for much cheaper. I understand SEPTA has funding problems. But that doesn't explain why they do stupid things like spend $60 million on a communication system for the... Read more

SEPTA was so unreliable while I was living in Philly that eventually it became more practical for me to adopt my mom's decrepit car with over 300,000 miles on it, and dump money into fixing that. The buses ran erratically, sometimes 15 minutes early, others 45 minutes late, or right on time and so crowded they drove right by without stopping. I was in college and relying upon public transit meant planning for an hour commute to class (even though I only lived about 20 minutes away). I did it for 3 years, and by the end of that time, SEPTA had me completely stressed out, sprinting to meet the shuttle bus that took me to a campus up north to get to finals for my academic classes, sometimes not running as expected at night and leaving me to walk home through dangerous parts of town. All this for $85/month, steeper than any other transit pass I've ever purchased. Anyhow, it's bad enough I had to deal with this as a student. I eventually just found other means of transportation, but there... Read more

Septa can't seem to do anything right! This system is a disgrace, and its not totally their fault as the state does not pump enough money into public trans. Here are my problems with Septa- not always clean but ok, never really on-time, subway stations have no ventilation once you are underground, buses are too crowded, and they have service that goes ridiculous places! Almost every year I feel I hear about a Septa strike and its just old news now! However, I take Septa everyday and it gets me to where I have to go!

Have to agree with the other reviewers. The name, SEPTA, says it all. I spent a miserably hot summer in Philly once, and the only reason to go into this underground septic tank was to escape the heat. The subway doesn't go anywhere you want to go. The buses were a ridiculous $2 per ride back in '03, and I'll bet it's even higher now. Considering how easy it is to walk a city as regular as Philly, the only good way to get around is your feet.

The NYCTA R-68 can beat any car in this system!

I grew up on SEPTA and can tell you firsthand they are terrible. First , they cost too much. The most expensive ride you'l ever pay for. Cars are dirty, clanky, and do not run on time. "Customer service" is a joke. They frequently go on strike ( whenever possible). Subway basically travels North-South and East-West. After that it's the Bus. UGH !

Runs with the efficiency of an Eastern-Bloc nation before the fall of the Iron Curtain. This is the system that I point to when pinhead intellectuals accuse me of killing the earth with my car. . .I tell them that I will pollute the world before I pay money for the worst public-transit system in America. (And that's saying a lot.)

The SEPTA is the worst subway system I have ever ridden. The fares are ridiculous. Anyone want to buy SEPTA coins off me... So you can see how un-sanitary,un-helpful,and un-monitored germ infested rathole of a subway system the SEPTA is. If you go to Philly and have to take a train I'd reccomend you stay above ground.

Overal good system. Not as clean as Washington nor as ubiquitous as New York, but still good.