The total was 8% higher than in September 2025 and marked the seventh consecutive month of year-over-year growth, according to SEPTA’s monthly ridership report.

Buses saw the biggest gains. Average weekday bus ridership reached 444,269, up 14% from a year earlier. Weekend bus use also increased: Saturday ridership averaged 245,524, a 10% gain, while Sunday ridership averaged 179,543, up 8%.

SEPTA linked the increase to the first phase of its New Bus Network Initiative, which began Aug. 23-24. The redesign, previously known as the Bus Revolution, changed routes and service as the authority seeks to make the bus network easier to use.

“Riders are noticing the difference,” General Manager Scott A. Sauer said in a statement, pointing to cleaner stations and vehicles, safety, accessibility and reliability as priorities.

Metro ridership was up 4% compared with September 2025, led by a 9% increase on the Broad Street Line. Regional Rail was the exception: average weekday ridership fell 4% to 86,653. Saturday Regional Rail ridership rose 20% year over year.

The pandemic dealt a severe blow to SEPTA use. Ridership across the system fell 90% between March and May 2020, and remained 60% below pre-pandemic levels in July 2021. The prolonged recovery has contributed to financial pressures and contentious state-level budget debates over transit funding and service.

September’s milestone signals a continued return of riders, but the uneven results across services show that recovery is not uniform. SEPTA’s ability to sustain service and improve reliability remains important for residents who depend on public transit to reach work, school and essential services.