PATCO (Port Authority Transit Company), also known as the High-speed Rail, is a light rail that connects Philly with Camden, NJ via the Benjamin Franklin Bridge spanning the Delaware River - which divides Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The PATCO has 4 stops in Philly, all in Center City. The platform is centered, so there is no concern of being on the wrong side of the tracks.

FARE
Tickets are purchased from machines. The machines do not accept paper money, so you have to get change from the change machine first, situated next to it. I know of no manned boths in Philly. I’ve ridden the PATCO several times and the ticket puchase system is a crap shoot. You would think it works so long as your dollars are not worn and tattered.Wrong! You receive a paper card with a magnetic stripe on it which gains you entry at the turnstiles. Hold on to it because you will need it to exit the station. [insert mysterious fare schedule here…] If your ticket does not have enough fare on it: the ticket will not work when you attemp to egress the station at the exit turnstile. Look for the red Call-for-Aid phone to reach a Customer Service Agent. The Agent will instruct the customer to insert the ticket into a turnstile. The Agent can then read the ticket to determine how much more money is needed. The customer will then be instructed to insert the amount into the phone. The Agent will then be able to let the customer exit via the turnstile. Brilliant, right? Just shoot me instead.

To page 14

Return to Home Page

To page 16