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New PATCO Schedule Starts Saturday, July 8

Train departures modified this summer to accommodate rail infrastructure upgrade

Starting Saturday, July 8, PATCO will adjust its train departure times as it embarks on an 8-week rail replacement project.

July 8th Schedule at-a-glance:

• Weekday AM & PM Rush Hours: Trains every 12 minutes (previously every 7 minutes)
• Weekday Daytime: Trains every 22 minutes (previously every 15 minutes)
• Saturdays: Trains every 22 minutes (previously every 20 minutes)
• Sundays: Trains every 30 minutes (no change in headway departure times)

PATCO is accelerating the project over the summer when ridership is traditionally low to be prepared for an expected increase in ridership as more workers return to the office in the fall.

"During the summertime, PATCO typically has fewer riders between July 4th and Labor Day," said John D. Rink, PATCO General Manager. "To minimize the impact on our customers, we have explored different options and the revised timeframe seems to be the best choice for completing this important infrastructure project."

The $6 million upgrade project involves replacing nearly three miles of rail and other track material between the Ferry Avenue and Broadway Stations. The rail and track material being replaced has been in use since 1968 and is reaching the end of its useful life. The new schedule will allow trains to traverse the work area using a single track and will be accomplished in two phases over a span of 8 weeks. During the first phase, a 7,234-foot section of the eastbound track will be reconstructed. Once this phase is completed in approximately 4 weeks, a new schedule will be released to allow the reconstruction of the westbound track. PATCO will also utilize the ongoing track outage to perform additional maintenance work and minimize the need for future trackwork.

PATCO’s original plan was to complete the work over a span of 27 weeks with weekend track outages. However, upon evaluating the number of passengers currently using the service and projected future numbers, the plan was adjusted to complete the work in a consecutive 8-week period during a time of decreased ridership.

"It is important for PATCO to be ready, with new tracks and less trackwork for the anticipated increased ridership in the fall," added Rink. "This is crucial for ensuring a smooth and efficient commute."

To view the schedule, click here.

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