Philadelphia Transit Restores Service After Blizzard

SEPTA and NJ Transit restore bus, rail, and light rail service after blizzard dumped 2 feet

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 Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to issue a disaster emergency declaration Sunday.

Context & Background

The storm led to travel bans and driving restrictions across all three states as officials worked to clear roads and restore safe travel conditions. New Jersey's travel ban on most roads expired at noon Monday, with commercial vehicle restrictions lifted at 5 p.m., transit officials said. Delaware lifted driving restrictions in New Castle County Monday evening, though Level 2 restrictions remained in Kent and Sussex counties. Transit agencies typically suspend service during severe winter storms to protect rider safety and allow crews to clear tracks and bus routes of snow and ice.

Key Service Details

SEPTA's Access Paratransit service resumed at 3 p.m. Monday, and the agency hoped to restore some Regional Rail service Monday afternoon, though officials didn't specify which lines would return first. NJ Transit's Newark Light Rail and River Line began running on Sunday schedules around 4 p.m. Monday, with Hudson-Bergen Light Rail resuming 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 phased restoration began Monday afternoon as travel bans expired and road conditions improved. SEPTA brought back bus service first, followed by trolley tunnel operations and paratransit service throughout the afternoon. NJ Transit's light rail systems came back online in stages between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday, with fuller service restoration planned for Tuesday morning.

Rider Impact & Information

Commuters should expect possible delays, cancellations, or detours as services return to normal operations, transit officials said. The storm's impact on tracks, overhead wires, and bus routes may cause residual service disruptions even as agencies work to restore full schedules. Riders can check Moovit for real-time updates on SEPTA and NJ Transit routes as service levels continue to normalize throughout the week.