Guest Post: Jordan, Philadelphia

The following post was written by my friend Jordan, a friend from high school who is currently completing his Masters in Computer Science at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

So, transportation in Philly. Living in Center City and working in University City, the need for a car isn't really necessary, nor would it even be faster for my usual commute. Although I'm in a pretty fortunate position in terms of how close to Market Street my home, work, friends and oft frequented locales are, SEPTA generally covers most of the areas within the city with maybe one, possibly two transfers.
Some images of SEPTA's "perk" campaign, which I found very clever and true, scattered about. The two subways, the EL (goes all the way down Market and up Frankfurt) and the Broad Street Line (which will take you to the lovely areas of North Philly, all the way to the Phillies' doorstep) are the vital arteries of SEPTA, transporting residents through the heart of the city, which are pretty abundant (every 5 minutes during rush hours, 20 or so minutes during off-peak times) and always are an interesting experience, from the strange foot smell and the odd assortment of individuals on the subway. Also, the peripheral flirting, which I'm never not doing.

It's not the cleanest transportation I've taken, but it works, and it's $83 bucks a month to cover all subways, busses and trolleys within the city. Ideally, I'd like them to switch over to a more permanent pass, but still: it works. There's also the Regional Rail which will take you to one of the many Philly suburbs if you need to escape the handful of skyscrapers at the city's core, although I don't have too much experience with those in terms of convienence. Usually, they run once an hour (more often during rush hour) and it's generally a pleasant experience. You get to see some blue sky, and the conditions are much cleaner and relaxing than your standard ride on one of the subways. Peripheral flirting rules also apply.

Most places within the city are accessible through SEPTA with a relaxing 10 minute walk and the city has a giant biking population (I'm looking at you, Fishtown hipsters), with most major roads having bike lanes and pedestrians and motorists accepting.

Maybe if I lived outside of the city, or an area that was less than questionable or SEPTA-devoid, it'd be an issue. But hey, I like dreaming big while walking and peripheral flirting.

Just always be prepared for the Septa Strike.