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You can now pay for multiple SEPTA riders on one trip

The option is set to be turned on Monday, SEPTA says, but is only available to riders who use SEPTA Key cards

SEPTA riders have long wanted the ability to pay for a group of people to ride at one time. On Monday, they'll be able to — with the Key card, the transit authority says.
SEPTA riders have long wanted the ability to pay for a group of people to ride at one time. On Monday, they'll be able to — with the Key card, the transit authority says.Read moreElizabeth Robertson / File Photograph

It’s now more convenient to travel together on SEPTA to the ballpark, concert or a night out with friends, family and out-of-town visitors.

On Monday, the transit agency launched a multi-rider feature allowing up to five people to ride on one SEPTA Key card at the same time, an amenity that Philadelphia-area transit customers have long sought.

The multi-rider option is available on all of SEPTA’s services, including bus, trolley, Broad Street Line, Market-Frankford Line, Norristown High Speed Line, and Regional Rail.

But at least initially, those now using credit or debit cards or smartphone apps to pay fares won’t be able to tap in additional riders — only those who have a Key card travel wallet set to automatically load value when funds are running low.

SEPTA began allowing the use of contactless cards and smartphone apps such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay last fall.

To use the multi-rider function, Key card holders can activate it by calling a dedicated SEPTA customer-service line at 1-855-567-3782 and hit 0 twice to reach a representative. The option to opt-in will be added to SEPTAKey.org soon, according to SEPTA.