Although Villanova is located in the suburbs, Philadelphia is a short 12 miles away. Students frequently flock to its popular sites for basketball games, concerts and good memories.
Although it’s so close, students still need a cost-effective way to get there. Some Villanova students have cars or use Uber, but the SEPTA (South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) stations located on South and West Campuses offer quick transportation to the city at a lower cost.
However, recent service cuts were made to the transit company that provides train and bus services to the Philadelphia area’s residents every day. In August, a fare increase of 21.5% and a 9 PM rail curfew were established then halted. If no agreement on state funding is reached, further cuts are scheduled to take effect in January of 2026, impacting Villanovans next semester. Suddenly, Philly seems distant from campusstudents should advocate to prevent further cuts.
If you’re new to campus, you m When comparing the price of an Uber to get to the stadium vs. a SEPTA trip into Philly, the price difference is significant. A trip from the West Campus station into City Hall costs $10, while Ubers can range from $30 to $50. Many students use the SEPTA to get to these games every year, so these cuts not only affect those living in the city, but those wanting to get in, as well.
Although not within walking distance, Wayne and Ardmore are large main street towns to the east and west of campus. These towns boast lots of restaurants, bars and places to stock up on groceries. Thankfully, the SEPTA stops at these stations, with Ardmore on the way to Philly.
Having taken both Ubers and the SEPTA to Ardmore, SEPTA costs $6, while Ubers will set you back about $20. With a station right on campus, it’s hard to resist the cheaper option. Many college students from other schools advise that public transport is often unreliable, but when there’s a station on campus, students can come and go from it as they wish without worrying about long walks back.
As students at a “Philly school,” Villanovans should consider everyone affected by these cuts within the local community. Many Philadelphia residents rely on SEPTA, and without it, people will have trouble getting to work and school. Even the popular Philly-based tv-series Abbott Elementary dedicated an episode to this issue, showing viewers how many elementary school students rely on SEPTA. When budget cuts hit the Abbott universe, the school resorted to a party bus to pick up all the kids, displaying a comedic but impactful message.
Think about it in a smaller context: if the campus shuttles were to shut down completely one day, many students would feel its impacts. Whether it’s taking the off-campus shuttle to the Villas or a quick trip from Conn to Garey on a rainy day, we too rely on transportation the same way many rely on the SEPTA.
At Villanova, we should work against these cuts in any way possible. Although the issue doesn’t directly affect campus, it clearly affects the broader Philly community. SEPTA has served us all and it needs to stay in place to serve its monumental purpose.
