Philadelphia Transit Restores Service After Blizzard

SEPTA and NJ Transit restore bus and rail service after blizzard dumps 2 feet of snow

SEPTA, NJ Transit Resume After Blizzard Suspensions

Transit riders across the Philadelphia and New Jersey region can return to buses and trains after a major winter storm forced widespread service suspensions Monday. SEPTA resumed more than 20 bus routes in Philadelphia and reopened Center City trolley tunnels Monday afternoon, while NJ Transit restarted light rail operations on reduced schedules. The Blizzard of '26 dumped nearly 2 feet of snow across southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, prompting travel bans and emergency declarations that halted most public transit service.

Context & Background

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro issued a disaster emergency declaration Sunday to allocate resources for storm response, transit officials said. New Jersey implemented a travel ban on most roads that expired at noon Monday, with commercial vehicle restrictions ending at 5 p.m. Delaware lifted driving restrictions in New Castle County Monday evening, though Level 2 restrictions remained in Kent and Sussex counties. Transit agencies across the region suspended service Monday as snow accumulation and travel bans made operations unsafe.

Key Details

SEPTA brought more than 20 bus routes back into service Monday and hoped to restore some Regional Rail service by Monday afternoon, officials said. Access Paratransit service resumed at 3 p.m. NJ Transit started resuming operations around 4 p.m. Monday with Newark Light Rail and River Line running on Sunday schedules. The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail resumed service around 6 p.m. on a weekend schedule. On Tuesday, most NJ Transit rail services will operate on Presidents Day schedules, while bus, Light Rail, and Access Link services will run on regular weekday schedules.

Timeline & Implementation

The storm hit Sunday night and continued through Monday, prompting the service suspensions. New Jersey's travel ban expired at noon Monday, followed by the gradual resumption of transit service throughout Monday afternoon and evening. SEPTA's Center City trolley tunnels reopened Monday, with bus service restoration beginning in the afternoon. NJ Transit's phased restart began around 4 p.m. Monday with light rail services returning first.

Rider Impact & Moovit

Commuters should expect possible delays, cancellations, or detours as services return to normal operations, transit officials said. Riders using Regional Rail, light rail, and bus services across both systems may encounter schedule changes as agencies work to clear snow from tracks and roads. Moovit provides real-time updates for SEPTA and NJ Transit routes, helping riders track service restoration and plan trips during the recovery period.