SEPTA preps for big World Cup crowds this summer

State of play: SEPTA is poised for a significant uptick in ridership during the 39-day FIFA World Cup, which kicks off June 11.

• That includes people attending the six matches scheduled for Lincoln Financial Field in South Philly, Fan Festival at Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park and tourist attractions across the city.

What they're saying: What sets the World Cup apart from other big events in Philly — think Super Bowl parades, the papal visit — is its longevity, MaryAnn Tierney, chief of SEPTA's control center.

• "This is like an endurance race," she said. "We have to be able to sustain the same level of success and reliability over that period of time."

By the numbers: Roughly 15,000-20,000 people are estimated to use SEPTA to get to and from the Linc on match days — roughly similar to ridership during some Eagles games in South Philly.

• The caveat: Tierney noted that the agency is still analyzing anticipated systemwide ridership figures for the span of the tournament.

The intrigue: Tierney says it was too soon to tell whether SEPTA will see a boost in overall ridership revenue this year due to the World Cup.

🗓️ Biggest ridership day: Likely the match on July 4, which is the same day as Wawa Welcome America's Fourth of July blowout on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Worth noting: SEPTA is no longer planning to partner with the city to provide shuttle service to and from the Fan Fest at Lemon Hill, Tierney says.

• The city is now expected to partner with the bus service Philly PHLASH to run shuttles to the Fan Fest, she added.
• The Parker administration and PHLASH did not return a request for comment.

• Meanwhile, SEPTA will increase bus service near Lemon Hill, like the G.

Zoom in: These are some of the notable ways SEPTA has been preparing for World Cup crowds:

• ❌ A construction moratorium will be in place in early June and July to cut down on disruptions to the system. (Mitigation plans will be in place for projects that can't be stopped.)
• 🚇 On metro cars, conducting increased maintenance on HVAC systems and doors to minimize outages.
• 🛠️ Infrastructure improvements include painting, new station flooring, lighting, accessibility upgrades (like elevator access at Tasker-Morris Station on the B), signage and new fare gates.

👷 Plus: Signal and track upgrades along SEPTA's tracks will help the system run smoother long after World Cup ends, Tierney says.

🧭 What else: SEPTA will deploy its ambassadors at stations across its system during the tourney to help riders navigate the system.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect June 11 as the start of the World Cup (not July 11).