SEPTA, PATCO Announce Schedules For New Year's Eve, Early New Year's Day

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – SEPTA and PATCO have announced their schedules for New Year's Eve into early New Year's Day.

SEPTA will be offering a late night special regional rail service to accommodate the New Year's Eve crowds at Penn's Landing, Center City, Times Square, and other landmark celebrations.

The service plan will go as detailed below:

Sunday, Dec. 31 ( New Year's Eve)

Regional Rail:
- SEPTA Regional Rail trains will operate on a regular Sunday schedule with special late night service departing from Center City stations.
- The special schedule is available for download at: http://www.septa.org/events/pdf/2017-12-31-rrd-nye-schedule.pdf
- The late night New Year's Eve schedule includes added service to Chestnut Hill East, Fox Chase, Elwyn, Lansdale, Malvern, Norristown, Warminster, Trenton/NJ Transit service to and from New York, and West Trenton.
- Ticket Offices at Jefferson, Suburban and 30th Street Stations will remain open until 1:30 a.m. At Jefferson Station, the Market St. Convention Center will remain open until 1:00 a.m. to accommodate customers returning from the New Year's Eve fireworks display.

Bus:
- Temporary bus detours will be in effect on 15th Street between John F. Kennedy Boulevard and Chestnut Street from 12:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. to accommodate preparations for the Mummers Parade.

Broad Street & Market/Frankford Lines:
 Beginning at 4: 18 p.m., additional trains have been added to accommodate crowds traveling to and from Penn's Landing for fireworks.
 SEPTA Broad Street and Market/Frankford Line trains will operate all-night service on New Year's Eve.

Monday, Jan. 1 (New Year's Day):
 All Regional Rail trains will operate on a Sunday schedule.
 City Transit Buses and Trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule.
 A number of buses that operate on and around the Mummers Parade route will be on detour. Full details on adjusted bus routing and real-time detour updates will be posted on the System Status section of SEPTA's website at www.septa.org

Delaware River Port Authority Chairman Ryan Boyer and Vice Chair Jeffrey Nash have also announced that, for the second year in a row, PATCO will offer free rides beginning at 8 p.m. on Dec. 31 and the special will run through to 4 a.m. on Jan. 1. During those hours, fare gates at all stations will be open to allow free passage.

"PATCO is a safe, responsible alternative for those who want to enjoy New Year's Eve festivities, without the worry and hassle of driving," said Boyer. "Because of the fiscal responsibility that has been exercised throughout the year, PATCO and the DRPA are well positioned to offer this free benefit to our riders. We strongly encourage anyone interested in celebrating New Year's Eve in Philadelphia or South Jersey, to ride PATCO."

DRPA also says that if a rider boards right before 4 a.m. and reaches their destination after 4 a.m. when the gates close, they are asked to pick up a red phone located at the station and call a customer service agent and they will open the gate for them to exit.