Philadelphia SEPTA Ridership Jumps 7% as Recovery Builds
SEPTA carried 768,291 daily trips in May 2025, reaching 64% of pre-pandemic levels
SEPTA Ridership Rises 7% in May 2025
Philadelphia's SEPTA system carried 768,291 daily trips in May 2025, a 7% jump from the previous year, transit officials said Tuesday. The increase reflects growing ridership across buses, trolleys, subways, and regional rail throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. Officials released the data June 16 but didn't provide details about which modes saw the strongest growth.
Recovery Continues From Pandemic Lows
The May ridership represents about 64% of pre-pandemic levels, when SEPTA averaged roughly 1.2 million weekday trips in 2019, according to the agency's sustainability report. Transit officials said the growth continues a gradual recovery pattern that's been building since COVID-19 restrictions eased. SEPTA recorded approximately 230 million total trips in fiscal year 2024, showing steady improvement. Officials didn't specify what factors are driving riders back to the system or whether particular service improvements contributed to the increase.
Growth Aligns With National Trends
SEPTA's recovery pace mirrors patterns at other major transit systems, according to industry data. New York's MTA subway reached about 70% of pre-pandemic ridership in May 2025, while Boston's MBTA hit roughly 75%, Federal Transit Administration data shows. Washington's Metro lagged at 50-55% recovery during the same period. Officials said the year-over-year comparison demonstrates consistent growth, though they haven't released mode-specific breakdowns showing whether buses, trains, or trolleys led the increase.
Data Released Without Additional Commentary
Leslie S. Richards, SEPTA's general manager and CEO, didn't issue a statement accompanying the ridership report. The agency typically releases monthly ridership data without detailed analysis of contributing factors. Officials haven't said whether they expect the growth trend to continue through summer 2025 or what ridership targets they've set for the fiscal year.
Riders Can Track Real-Time Service
The ridership increase suggests more Philadelphia-area residents are relying on public transit for daily travel, though officials haven't detailed how the growth affects service planning or capacity. Transit advocates view the numbers as a positive sign for the region's transportation infrastructure. Riders can access current schedules and service updates through Moovit, which provides real-time information for SEPTA's bus, trolley, subway, and regional rail routes throughout the five-county service area.
