Underground Corridor Connects 15th St/City Hall to Walnut-Locust Station; Will Reduce Street-Level Congestion During Summer Events
PHILADELPHIA. Today SEPTA announced the reopening of the South Broad Concourse, the underground corridor that connects 15th St/City Hall stations to Walnut-Locust Station.
Starting today, the concourse will open 15 minutes after the first train leaves Fern Rock Transit Center and close 30 minutes after the last train. The reopening comes in time to accommodate this summer’s major events. It will remain open permanently.
“We are excited to reopen this important connection that provides riders with easier access to our services at the heart of the system,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “Reopening the concourse will help reduce the pedestrian traffic at the streel level when large crowds are expectedduring FIFA World Cup matches, the MLB All-Star Game, and America’s 250th birthday celebration.”
The South Broad Concourse has been closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last few years, SEPTA has bolstered staffing of cleaners, as well as the ranks of SEPTA Transit Police. This allowed the Authority to plan for the reopening, and ensure the concourse could be maintained and kept safe, secure, and clean long-term.
SEPTA also made improvements to the concourse, including new cameras, bi-directional roto-gates, cashier booth, and wayfinding signage.
FIFA SERVICE INFORMATION
SEPTA is preparing to welcome FIFA World Cup fans to Philadelphia and the region by providing additional service for the six matches, as well as the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill.
Metro Service on Match Days
For each match, SEPTA will offer extra B [Broad Street Line] trips to and from NRG Station. Airbnb is sponsoring free rides home from NRG Station that will begin at halftime and continue for two hours following the end of the match.
The expected ridership for each match is approximately 31,000, and SEPTA will be able to move about 15,000 people per hour on the B with the extra service and capacity. Riders should expect longer than normal lines at NRG Station.
On match days, the B and L [Market-Frankford Line] will operate overnight, with trains running every 30 minutes to select stations.
Regional Rail Service on Match Days
On match days, the last regularly scheduled trains will be extended on the Wilmington/Newark Line to provide service from Center City to Claymont Transit Center.
On June 19 and July 4, most Regional Rail lines will provide additional late-night service.
Bus Service for Fan Festival
SEPTA will provide additional service on Bus Routes 32 and 48, which serve the Lemon Hill area for the FIFA Fan Festival. Both routes will provide frequent weekday service, every 15 minutes or less, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more details about FIFA World Cup service, visit septa.org/2026-events.
For more information about SEPTA, visit septa.org, follow @SEPTA, or download the official SEPTA app.