Transportation

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The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is the mass transportation agency that services Philadelphia, the four surrounding counties, and part of South Jersey and Delaware.

In West Mt. Airy, the R8 Chestnut Hill West rail line is the main form of transportation into Center City. There are numerous stops within West Mt. Airy, and there are three main stations in town, 30th Street Station in West Philadelphia -- which is also the AMTRAK station -- close to the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University; Suburban Station in the center of town, where you can also connect to the Broad Street Subway and other lines, and Market Street East, which delivers you to the Galleria Shopping Mall. From Allen Lane to 30th Street, the ride is approximately 25 minutes, to Suburban Station, 30 minutes and to Market East, 35 minutes. By car, Center City is about 20 minutes from Mt. Airy.

The 23 bus has an historic past. Prior to its conversion to a bus route, it was the last trolley route in Philadelphia. The route goes from Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill through Mt. Airy, Germantown, North Philadelphia, Center City and South Philadelphia, the longest route in the country. The trolley tracks still remain on Germantown Avenue. The 53 and HXH buses also serve West Mt. Airy.

While the R7 Chestnut Hill East train serves most of East Mt. Airy, it is another option into Center City, and is also part of an inexpensive way to travel to New York City. After the R7 passes through town, the route reaches its terminus at Trenton, NJ. At Trenton, you can transfer to the New Jersey Transit train to New York. You can get on in Mt. Airy and not have to get off in town or worry about parking the car.