Free parking at SEPTA Regional Rail lots, both surface and garages, at Lansdale Station and the Frankford and Norristown Transportation Centers is scheduled to end on Sept, 23, writes Thomas Fitzgerald for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Additionally, parking fees will double compared to pre-pandemic days. Surface lots will increase from $1 daily to $2, while garage spaces will cost $4 daily instead of the previous $2.

“We’re still a pretty good deal,” said Elizabeth Smith, Chief of Staff for the transportation authority.

SEPTA stopped charging for parking in early 2020 in hopes of attracting riders who were driven away by pandemic-related shutdowns and changing commuting patterns.

SEPTA intends to phase in the parking changes over the next two and a half months. Parking will still be free during weekends and major holidays.

The payment method will also be modernized. Drivers will use a new SEPTA Park app to pay by license plate number. Travelers will also be able to pay by text message, and kiosks will accept both credit and debit cards and coins.

SEPTA expects to collect around $6 million annually in parking fees.

Read more about parking at SEPTA Regional Rail Lots in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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