Reduced Fares

A Special Fare Program for Senior Citizens and Disabled Individuals

About PATCO

The PATCO Speedline is a 14.2 mile rail line, carrying approximately 33,000 people a day between Camden County New Jersey and Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The train service runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. PATCO has 13 conveniently located stations, four in Philadelphia and nine in New Jersey. Seven of the nine New Jersey stations offer parking for more than 12,500 cars daily. Each of these seven stations has designated handicap parking spaces.

Accessible Stations

For your convenience and accessibility, elevators are available at the following PATCO stations: in New Jersey - Lindenwold, Woodcrest in Cherry Hill and Broadway in Camden; in Philadelphia - 8th/Market Streets and 15th/Locust Streets. Wheelchair accessible fare gates are also available at these stations.

Every station, except City Hall in Camden and 9th&10th/Locust Streets in Philadelphia, is equipped with one or more escalators, which normally operate in the "up" direction. (The only exception is the escalator on the eastbound platform at Woodcrest Station, which normally operates in the "down" direction.) Timetables, ticket claim envelopes and other literature are located in the information racks near the turnstiles in all stations; information is also available on our web site: www.drpa.org/patco.

Connecting with NJ Transit and SEPTA

Both NJ Transit and SEPTA have special reduced or free fare programs (underwritten by the State of New Jersey and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) for individuals who qualify. For information on these programs or for travel information, call NJ Transit at 1-800-772-2222.

PATCO is pleased to offer its Reduced Fare Program to people whose individual needs require special attention. Thank you for allowing us to serve you.

What is PATCO’s Reduced Fare Program?

PATCO, the Port Authority Transit Corporation, offers a special Reduced Fare Program (RFP) which allows eligible individuals to travel on the Speedline during off-peak hours for one half the lowest regular PATCO fare for travel. To participate, you must apply and qualify for an RFP Photo Identification Card, and then you can buy special discounted tickets. Discounted tickets can be purchased only in ten-ride denominations.

When Can I Ride?

The RFP travel periods are limited to off-peak hours, which include all times on Saturday and Sunday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday.

Who is Eligible?

Senior Citizens: All persons 65 years of age or older.
Disabled: Persons with certain physical disabilities. The RFP application describes disabled eligibility criteria.

How to Get Started

Application for membership in the RFP Program must be filed in person at PATCO’s RFP Office at the PATCO Broadway, Camden Station (at the Walter Rand Transportation Center) between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday - Friday. If traveling on PATCO to another destination, applicants may simply disembark at Broadway, take the elevator up one flight, and apply at the RFP office within PATCO’s station (do not exit the turnstiles); afterwards, simply descend to the platform and continue on to another station. (Passengers traveling to Broadway Station exclusively to purchase tickets and then returning to their original station must exit through the turnstile at Broadway and then re-enter, since a ticket will not permit a passenger to exit from the station of origin.) While at Broadway Station, PATCO brochures will be provided to offer all the information needed to travel on the Speedline and join the RFP program.

Senior Citizens

Please bring with you proof of age, such as a driver's license, birth certificate, Medicare card, or other document showing your date of birth. To apply for eligibility in the RFP, you must fill out a short application. At the office you will be photographed for your personal RFP ID card, which will include your name, photo, and ID number. You will receive a temporary ID and will purchase your first RFP ten-ride ticket at this time. Your permanent identification card will be mailed to you.

Disabled Individuals

A physically disabled person who has a Medicare card is automatically eligible for the Reduced Fare Program and need only appear in person with the Medicare card at the RFP office at Broadway to apply and be photographed. At the office you will be photographed for your personal RFP ID card, which will include your name, photo, and ID number.

Other persons with certain physical disabilities may receive an application by calling the RFP office between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday- Friday (in New Jersey call (856) 772-6900 or 963-7997; in Philadelphia call (215) 922-4600). In lieu of a Medicare card, the application must include a statement by a currently licensed and practicing physician describing and certifying the degree of disability and that this disability significantly impairs one’s ability to use public mass transportation. The disabled PATCO customer must then submit this completed application in person at PATCO’s Broadway Station. If eligibility differences arise, they will be settled by a PATCO review team. ID cards and RFP tickets will not be issued until the differences are resolved. Since ID cards and RFP tickets are nontransferable, each person who qualifies must be individually processed. Your ID card will be mailed to you.

How Much Does It Cost?

Your ID Card: Your initial PATCO RFP ID card will be free. If you lose your card and need a replacement, you will be charged a $10.00 service charge for a replacement ID. Your ID card is not a ticket and cannot be used in the automatic fare gates.

Your RFP Tickets: The cost of each ten-ride RFP ticket is $5.75, which is one-half the fare published for travel on PATCO.  Each ticket sold is good for ten single rides during off-peak hours between any two different stations on the entire PATCO system.  You may purchase up to five tickets (50 rides) at any one time.  You may purchase by mail or with an RFP envelope - but you must include your ID number.  When purchasing RFP tickets in person at Broadway, you must present your ID card.

How to Use RFP Tickets

Just insert the ticket arrow first, printed side up, in the fare gate. When you insert your ticket, a window in the top of the gate shows you how many rides you have left. The same ticket must be used for both entry and exit (an entry plus an exit equals one ride). The ticket will be automatically returned to you upon both entry and exit, unless it’s your tenth ride. On the tenth ride, the fare gate will automatically "capture" the ticket when you exit. The fare gates will not accept your RFP ticket if you try to enter during "peak hours" - between 6 and 9 a.m. or between 4 and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you have a problem with your RFP ticket, call one of PATCO’s customer service agents on the Call For Aid telephone next to the fare gates by lifting the receiver and dialing "0".

RFP Rules and Regulations

Properly harnessed seeing-eye and hearing-ear dogs accompanied by a blind or deaf person are permitted in PATCO stations and on board PATCO trains.

Whenever traveling at the Reduced Fare, carry your RFP personal ID card. Only persons eligible for and personally enrolled in the PATCO RFP can travel at the reduced fare. Tickets are not transferable. Violation of this requirement will mean disqualification from the Reduced Fare Program.