10,000 Early Adopters Can Use SEPTA Key Cards on Monday

Photo by Jeff Fusco

On Monday at 6 a.m., after months of delays and false starts, customers will be able to purchase SEPTA Key cards to use on buses, subways, trolley lines and the Norristown High Speed Line.

Well, 10,000 “early adopters” will be able to purchase the reloadable smart cards, at least. After that number is hit, no more cards will be issued for the time being. SEPTA general manager Jeffrey Knueppel hopes those first customers will  provide feedback about the system, allowing for a full roll-out by the beginning of next year.

Riders can only purchase a SEPTA Key card at a select group of stations.

SEPTA Key “ambassadors” will be around for the next 30 days to help with any questions about purchasing the cards, and there are call boxes at each location that allow riders to call a representative remotely with questions. There’s also a helpful video online about the new system at septakey.org.

As for now, you can only load monthly or weekly passes onto the card, but in the future users will be able to put specific amounts of cash onto the card online. You can even register your card online or by phone, allowing SEPTA to shut it off if it gets lost or stolen.