Drexel Station at 30th Street

Rapid transit station in Philadelphia

Drexel Station at 30th Street

Primary entrance at the northwest corner of 30th and Market streets in April 2024

General information
Location| 30th and Market streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates| 39°57′18″N 75°11′01″W﻿ / ﻿39.955°N 75.1835°W﻿ / 39.955; -75.1835
Owned by|  SEPTA
Platforms| 1 island (L); 2 side (T)
Tracks| 4
Connections|

* Amtrak, NJ Transit Rail, SEPTA Regional Rail (at 30th Street Station)
* SEPTA City Bus: 9, 30, 31, 44, 49, 62, LUCY
* SEPTA Suburban Bus: 124, 125
* NJ Transit Bus: 313, 315, 316, 414, 417, 555

Construction
Structure type| Underground
Accessible|

* Yes (L)
* No (T)

History
Opened| November 6, 1955 (1955-11-06)[1]
Rebuilt| 2024[2]
Previous names| 30th Street (1955–2024)

Services

| Preceding station  |  SEPTA Metro | Following station

|
|

34th Street

toward 69th Street Transit Center

|  |  |  | 15th Street/City Hall

toward Frankford Transit Center

33rd Street

toward 63rd–Malvern/Overbrook

|  |  |  | 22nd Street

toward 13th Street

33rd Street

toward 61st–Baltimore/Angora

|  |  |
33rd Street

toward Yeadon or Darby Transit Center

|  |  |
33rd Street

toward Darby Transit Center

|  |  |
33rd Street

toward 80th Street/Eastwick

|  |  |

Location

Drexel Station at 30th Street (known as 30th Street station prior to 2024) is an underground SEPTA Metro station in Philadelphia. It is located under Market Street between 30th and 31st streets in the University City neighborhood, adjacent to 30th Street Station and Drexel University. The station features four tracks – the inner pair serving the L and the outer pair for the T.

## History

[edit]

Trolley platform at 30th Street prior to renovation

The station opened on November 6, 1955 by the Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC),[3] built as a replacement for the elevated 32nd Street station that had opened in 1907 as part of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company's original Market Street subway–elevated line from 69th Street Transit Center to 15th Street, which was elevated west of 23rd Street.[4][1]

The PRT announced a project to bury the elevated tracks between 23rd to 46th streets in the 1920s.[5] The tunnel from 23rd to 32nd streets was completed by 1933, but construction on the remaining segment was put on hiatus due to the Great Depression and World War II.[5] The PRT went bankrupt in 1939 and was reorganized as the PTC,[6] which began building the rest of the tunnel in 1947.[5]

The underground station is half a block southwest of 30th Street Station, the city's main intercity rail and commuter rail station. A tunnel previously connected the two stations, but was closed in the 1980s, reportedly due to safety concerns. Amtrak and SEPTA considered reopening the tunnel in the early 2000s, but the September 11 attacks ended those plans.[7]

In December 2018, SEPTA received a $15 million grant from the United States Department of Transportation to make significant improvements to the station.[8][9] The improvement project was projected to cost over $37 million, with remaining funds contributed by SEPTA's capital budget and the developer Brandywine Realty Trust,[8] which owns 3000-3020 Market Street directly above the subway station[10] and is planning the Schuylkill Yards megaproject. The project calls for improvements to the station's mezzanine, as well as reopening and renovating the underground concourse connecting the subway station with the main 30th Street Station building.[8] A second access point to the station at the corner of 31st and Market streets reopened in late 2019, which includes a staircase and new elevator.[11] The full project was expected to be completed in 2021, but was not ultimately completed until April 2024.[9][2]

The 30th Street Station District, a development plan, called for the station house at the northwest corner of 30th and Market streets to be rebuilt.[12] Work began on station renovations in 2020.[2] On December 21, 2023, SEPTA announced that Drexel University had bought naming rights to the station for five years, which would change the station name to Drexel Station at 30th Street.[13][14] New signage with the name, the first to adhere to SEPTA Metro, was added in February 2024.[15] The name change officially took effect when the renovated station opened in April 2024.[2]

## Station layout

[edit]

The station has a high-level island platform for Market–Frankford trains and two low-level side platforms for subway–surface trolleys.

## Bus connections

[edit]

In addition to rail services, the station is also served by numerous bus routes including routes 9, 30, 31, 44, 49, 62, 78, and LUCY operated by the SEPTA City Transit Division, routes 124 and 125 operated by the SEPTA Suburban Division, and NJ Transit bus routes 313, 315, 414, 417, and 555 serving New Jersey.

## Image gallery

[edit]

* Post-renovation
* L platform entrance

* Westbound T platform entrance

* Pre-renovation
* L platform

* Free transfer zone in 30th Street station

* T platform

* T platform

* Former 30th Street station entrance

* Trolley car at eastbound platform

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b John Hepp (2013). "Subways and Elevated Lines". Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
2. ^ a b c d Perez-Castells, Ariana (April 8, 2024). "SEPTA's Drexel Station reopens with major upgrades, including efforts to connect it to Amtrak's 30th Street Station". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
3. ^ Cox, Harold E. (1967). May, Jack (ed.). The Road from Upper Darby. The Story of the Market Street Subway-Elevated. New York, NY: Electric Railroaders' Association. p. 32\. OCLC 54770701.
4. ^ Springirth, Kenneth C. (2016). Philadelphia Electrified Rail Lines In Color. Scotch Plains, New Jersey: Morning Sun Books Inc. ISBN 978-1-5824-8498-3.
5. ^ a b c John L. Puckett. "Putting the Market Street Elevated Underground". West Philadelphia Collaborative History. University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
6. ^ "Studio 34's Eponymous Trolley, or, A Short History of Route 34". Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
7. ^ Saffron, Inga (March 7, 2003). "Archive: Subway riders get shortchanged at 30th St. Station". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
8. ^ a b c Tanenbaum, Michael (December 10, 2018). "SEPTA awarded $15 million grant for subway improvements at 30th Street Station". PhillyVoice. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
9. ^ a b Merriman, Anna (December 7, 2018). "With federal grant, SEPTA plans $37M subway improvement project". Curbed. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
10. ^ "Our Properties". Brandywine Realty Trust. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
11. ^ "Current Projects". Philadelphia 30th Street Station District. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
12. ^ "30th Street Station West Underground Concourse" (PDF). 30th Street Station District. March 27, 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
13. ^ "SEPTA, Drexel announce naming rights agreement for 30th Street Station". CBS. December 21, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
14. ^ Perez-Castells, Ariana (December 21, 2023). "SEPTA's 30th Street Station is getting a new name and $3.1 million courtesy of Drexel University". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
15. ^ Fitzgerald, Thomas (February 14, 2024). "SEPTA's first signs of 'Metro' rebranding have arrived". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 20, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 30th Street station (SEPTA subway).

* SEPTA – Drexel Station at 30th Street
* Images at SubwayNut Archived 2020-01-28 at the Wayback Machine
* Images at NYCSubway.org
* 30th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
* 31st Street entrance from Google Maps Street View

* v
* t
* e

SEPTA Metro stations

* 69th Street Transit Center
* Millbourne
* 63rd Street
* 60th Street
* 56th Street
* 52nd Street
* 46th Street
* 40th Street
* 34th Street
* Drexel Station at 30th Street
* 15th Street/City Hall
* 13th Street
* 11th Street
* 8th–Market
* 5th Street/Independence Hall
* 2nd Street
* Spring Garden
* Front–Girard
* Berks
* York–Dauphin
* Huntingdon
* Somerset
* Kensington–Allegheny
* Tioga
* Erie–Torresdale
* Church
* Arrott Transit Center
* Frankford Transit Center

* 63rd–Malvern/Overbrook
* Malvern
* Columbia/Lebanon
* Jefferson
* 63rd
* 62nd
* 61st
* 60th
* 59th
* 58th
* 57th
* 56th
* 55th
* 54th
* Lancaster/Lansdowne
* Media/52nd
* 50th
* 49th
* Girard
* 48th
* 47th
* Westminster/45th
* Ogden/44th
* Parrish
* 42nd
* 41st
* Wallace
* 40th
* Spring Garden
* 38th
* Powelton
* 36th/Lancaster
* 36th/Market
* 36th Street Portal
* 33rd Street
* Drexel Station at 30th Street
* 22nd Street
* 19th Street
* 15th Street/City Hall
* 13th Street

* 61st–Baltimore/Angora
* 60th
* 59th
* 58th–Baltimore
* 57th
* 56th
* 55th
* 54th
* 53rd
* 52nd
* 51st
* 50th
* 49th
* 48th
* 47th
* 46th
* 45th
* 44th
* 43rd
* 42nd
* 40th Street Portal
* 37th–Spruce
* 36th–Sansom
* 33rd Street
* Drexel Station at 30th Street
* 22nd Street
* 19th Street
* 15th Street/City Hall
* 13th Street

* Darby Transit Center
* Main/10th
* Ridge/10th & Ridge/9th
* Summit/10th & Summit/9th
* Wycombe/10th
* Mulberry/10th & Cedar/9th
* Cedar
* Alfred
* Yeadon
* Stetser
* Duncan
* Yeadon
* Church
* 65th/Chester
* Belmar/65th
* Chester/65th
* Kingsessing/65th
* Mount Moriah
* 62nd
* 61st
* 60th/Kingsessing
* 60th/Chester
* 59th
* 58th
* 57th
* 56th
* 55th
* 54th
* 53rd
* 52nd
* 51st
* 49th–Chester
* 48th
* 47th
* 46th
* 45th
* 43rd
* 42nd
* 40th Street Portal
* 37th–Spruce
* 36th–Sansom
* 33rd Street
* Drexel Station at 30th Street
* 22nd Street
* 19th Street
* 15th Street/City Hall
* 13th Street

* Darby Transit Center
* Powell/Mill
* Summit
* 6th
* 5th
* 4th
* 3rd
* 2nd
* Front/Main
* Island
* 72nd
* 71st
* 70th
* 69th
* 68th
* 67th
* 66th
* 65th
* 64th
* 63rd
* 62nd
* 61st
* 60th
* 58th
* 57th
* 56th
* 55th
* 54th
* 53rd
* 52nd
* 51st
* 50th
* 49th
* 48th
* 46th
* 43rd
* 42nd
* 40th Street Portal
* 37th–Spruce
* 36th–Sansom
* 33rd Street
* Drexel Station at 30th Street
* 22nd Street
* 19th Street
* 15th Street/City Hall
* 13th Street

* 80th Street/Eastwick
* Island/Suffolk
* Lindbergh
* 76th
* Tanager
* Buist
* Island
* 73rd–Elmwood
* 72nd
* 71st
* 70th
* 69th
* 68th
* 67th
* 66th
* 65th
* 64th
* 63rd
* 62nd
* 61st
* Edgewood
* 59th
* 58th
* 57th
* 56th
* Wheeler
* 54th
* Grays/Lindbergh
* 52nd
* 51st
* 49th/Grays
* Paschal/49th
* 49th/Woodland
* 48th
* 46th
* 43rd
* 42nd
* 40th Street Portal
* 37th–Spruce
* 36th–Sansom
* 33rd Street
* Drexel Station at 30th Street
* 22nd Street
* 19th Street
* 15th Street/City Hall
* 13th Street

* v
* t
* e

SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority)

Metro|

| Lines|

| Current|

*   *   *     *     *     *     *     *   *   *   *

|

Former|

* Trolley routes
* 6
* 23
* 50
* 53
* 56
* 60

Proposed|

* Roosevelt Boulevard Subway

Stations|

* List of stations
* Major stations
* 69th Street T.C.
* Darby T.C.
* Drexel Station at 30th Street
* Fern Rock T.C.
* Frankford T.C.
* Norristown T.C.
* Olney T.C.

Equipment|

* Kawasaki LRV
* SEPTA PCC III
* B-4
* M-4
* N-5

Bus|

| Routes|

* Trackless trolley routes
* 59
* 66
* 75
* City bus routes
* 6
* 23
* 29
* 35
* 37
* 38
* 53
* 56
* 60
* 79
* Suburban bus routes
* 103
* 104

|

Equipment|

* New Flyer E40LFR
* New Flyer DE40LF
* New Flyer DE40LFR
* Nova Bus LFSA HEV
* Nova Bus LFS HEV
* New Flyer MiDi
* Proterra Catalyst BE40
* New Flyer XDE40

Regional Rail|

| Lines|

| Current|

* Airport
* Chestnut Hill East
* Chestnut Hill West
* Cynwyd
* Fox Chase
* Glenside Combined
* Lansdale/Doylestown
* Manayunk/Norristown
* Media/Wawa
* Paoli/Thorndale
* Trenton
* Warminster
* West Trenton
* Wilmington/Newark

|

Former|

* Bethlehem
* Pottsville

Stations|

* List of current stations
* List of former stations
* Major stations
* 30th Street
* Suburban
* Jefferson
* Temple University

Equipment|

| Current|

* Siemens ACS-64
* Comet
* Silverliner
* Silverliner IV
* Silverliner V

|

Former|

* ABB ALP-44
* EMD AEM-7
* Silverliner
* Silverliner I
* Silverliner II
* Silverliner III

Miscellaneous|

* 1983 Regional Rail strike
* 25 Hz traction power system
* Callowhill Depot
* Center City Commuter Connection
* SEPTA Key

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template