Collingswood high speedline

Oh Patco…
The Good: Patco is just a little over $ 5 for a roundtrip from Collingswood station to Philadelphia and back which is pretty much what is costs to go over the bridge and not including gas or parking money, the parking at Collingswood station is free (except for the meter spots under the train tracks), and when the train is running on time and without any issues, it takes a flat 16 minutes to get from Collingswood to the station at 16^th and Locust
The Bad: There has been a ton of construction on PATCO which has caused some very lengthy delays for me, there is no updated technology like a digital board with train times and delays — like on SEPTA, the patco app is not always up to date with train delays or notifications, and I’m a nurse and work 12 hour shifts sometimes at the end of the day there can be long increments between when trains are running (I know this can come with the territory)
The Ugly: In my personal experience PATCO can to a bad job at dealing with emergencies– I was on a train that had a broken brake and needed to do an underground evacuation– which made my commute time home that day about 2.5 hours/​I know things can happen but it is so important to be proactive and let people know what is going on with the train– so improving communication would be amazing. Since the construction and days with altered schedules (particularly Fridays) when the train does finally arrive at the station it can be PACKED– I’m talking riding the 6 in NYC rush hour crowded… and that was never the case before. And it is true at night I have been on a train with people vomiting or being very rowdy (mostly associated with philly sporting events but also randomly)
I have only seen one new PATCO car– the train itself is very dated and seriously needs the updating. These cars are rumored to be equipped with Wi-​Fi which would be a big bonus– particularly if there is a delay at least commuters would be able to notify his or her employer.

Patco is a really reliable train system (when they aren’t doing rail repairs) and during the week the trains come by every ten minutes or so. I actually don’t use a train schedule during commuting times, because the trains come so frequently. The trains don’t stop as often on the weekends, so it’s advisable to use the schedule then.
Patco tickets are bought using the ticket machines in the entrance to the stations, and you need to use cash for them unless you plan to buy a Freedom Card (like debit card for the train). Probably the most inconvenient thing about Patco is that there is no discount for using the Freedom Card or for being a commuter.
The Collingswood station is really convenient (the fourth stop from Philly stations) and it’s elevated pretty high off the ground, so beware if you don’t like heights.
There’s two large lots and some smaller lots designated solely for the train, but if you don’t get to the station early (ie, before 8 AM), be prepared to park on the street in the residential neighborhood south of the tracks.

Please know that directions in navigator from that Unilocal map will take you onto a street and ends literally at a train track not to the train station.
YIKES!!!

Patco is a brilliant option if you want to head to Center City Philly and don’t want to hassle with city parking. This station is particularly great given its ample free parking and clean facilities.
Here are some important notes.
1. The trains run ²⁴⁄₇ so you might not want to live too close to the tracks (see Lumberyard Apartments)
2. Parking can be a hassle on weekday mornings since it’s a big commuter station.
3. The station doesn’t take credit cards unless you are buying a monthly pass. Be prepared for a pocket full of Sacajawea coins.
4. Inexpensive transfer between Patco and the Philly subway lines is available from the ticket machine. It’s great for getting to a Phillies or Eagles game.
5. They are doing a lot of track work these days so be mindful of the schedule changes.
6. Your bike will probably get stolen from this station someday.
Those are the highlights. No form of public transportation is ever weirdo free so just be aware of your surroundings.
Oh yeah, just don’t get off in Camden.

My preferred method to get into Philly. Plenty of parking, and has connecting trains to wherever you are looking to go in the city. The trains are nice enough and are patrolled by the port authority late at night. People usually leave you alone on the train.
There are two things that I dislike:
I wish there was an official smartphone application for train timetables, as the app that I use has not been updated for correct train time, sometimes leaving me waiting for a train for 45 minutes late at night.
I wish you could use a debit/​credit card to pay for a single ticket. I hate having to split a larger bill to buy a ticket and then I am stuck with a bunch of $ 1 coins rattling around in my pocket for the rest of the day.

Can I please just say that I absolutely love living in a town that has PATCO. The Collingswood location is so convenient when it comes to reaching Center City. I’m terrible at actually remembering the train schedule, but (other than on weekends), it does come pretty frequently.
As for PATCO (if you have not heard of it for some reason), it’s a typical train that will bring you from select SJ towns to Philly. What more could someone from suburbia really want?

Enjoy taking public transportation @ Collingswood station. Clean and convenient. And the commute to work is less than 15 minutes, JACKPOT!!!