Station Review #2: Temple University (SEPTA)

Sign for Temple University Station

Temple University Station is a train station in SEPTA's Regional Rail network. Every single SEPTA Regional Rail train line serves this station, and you can tell this from how much larger it is compared to a lot of other train stations in the SEPTA network. This station is directly served by no buses, but is walking distance from the 3, 23, 39, & 47 buses. 

Station Tour:

The Outside of the Train Station
The train station is on a bridge, and the entrance is on Berks Street, which becomes Polett Walk. Walking to the station, there is a fenced off staircase that was once one of the entrances for the station. This is blocked off for a reason, please don't go there. 

Walking to the station, you are greeted with the sight shown above. There are turnstiles, common for stations in the Center City Zone. 

Closer look at those turnstiles

This area looks oddly similar to something youd find on a station for the MFL, probably because not every Temple student is going to use the turnstiles otherwise. 

Looking behind the turnstiles, you find the ticket station, ticket kiosks, a map of the Temple Campus, and some art. 
The ticket office 

Map of Temple University

The Aforementioned art installation (with a small garden too! 

Immediately after going through the turnstiles and making your way up the stairs, you reach a fork in the road. Taking the right path leads you to tracks 1 & 2, which serve the Chestnut Hill East, Fox Chase, Lansdale/Doylestown, Manayunk/Norristown, Warminister, & West Trenton lines. Taking a left meanwhile leads you to tracks 3 & 4, for the Airport, Chestnut Hill West, Media/Wawa (labeled on the sign as Media/Elwyn), Paoli/Thorndale, Trenton, & Wilmington/Newark Lines. Here, there are also some bulletin boards for notices and one of the new Intersection "interactive transit kiosks" (doesn't look much like a kiosk to me) added to a lot of higher traffic stations, like Temple University Station.

The track info

The main part of the station is on the other side of these staircases, two islands with four tracks. Each island has a structure that is reminiscent of a gas station's canopy, as shown in the photos below. 
Each island also has three shelters, with seats inside them arranged in an S pattern, and with a button for heating. 

One of the shelters
Seating inside the station
Heating inside one of the shelters

To add to the experience, Temple University Station is elevated, meaning that you get a chance to see a nice view from the station. 



Large Station Basic Amenities Checklist:

Accessible: ✓ 
Bathrooms: ×
Clean Station: ✓
Connections to other transit routes: ✓ 
Convenience Store/similar place inside: ×
Easy passage for each side: ✓ 
Fare Payment Kiosks (if applicable): ✓ 
Indoor Shelters: ×
Maps: ✓ 
Multiple entrances/exits: ✓ 
Seating: ✓ 
Shelters: ✓
Station In Good Condition: ✓
Ticket Kiosks (if applicable): ✓
Ticket Offices: ✓
Train Departure/Arrival Info (signs that update/screens): ✓ 
TOD: ✓
Updated Signage: ✓ (If you're willing to excuse the Media/Elwyn line mention, since the speakers mention it being the Media/Wawa line)

FINAL RATING:  8.5/10


Temple University Station isn't perfect by any means but it is the perfect example of an urban commuter rail train station done well.  

Station Directory


--------Montgomery County--------
''''''''Zone 3''''''''
Glenside

Trains continue from West Trenton 

Jenkintown - Wyncote
''''''''Zone 2''''''''
Elkins Park
Melrose Park
--------Philadelphia County--------
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Fern Rock Transportation Center

Trains continue from Fox Chase or Chestnut Hill East

Wayne Junction

Trains continue from Norristown

North Broad
''''''''CCCC Zone''''''''
Temple University
Jefferson
Suburban
30th Street

Trains continue to Cynwyd or Thorndale

Penn Medicine 

Trains continue to Media/Wawa, Wilmington/Newark or Philadelphia International Airport 

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