Suburban Station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Suburban Station
SEPTA Regional Rail station
Front entrance of Suburban Station
Location	16th Street & JFK Boulevard Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Owned by	SEPTA
Line(s)	SEPTA Main Line
Platforms	5 island platforms
Tracks	8
Connections	Broad Street Line at City Hall   Market–Frankford Line at 15th Street   Subway–surface trolley lines at 15th Street SEPTA City Bus: 2, 4, 16, 17, 27, 31, 32, 33, 38, 44, 48, 62 SEPTA Suburban Bus: 124, 125
Construction
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	C
History
Opened	September 28, 1930 (replaced Broad Street station)
Rebuilt	January 9, 2007 (completion)
Electrified	Yes
Previous names	Penn Center Station
Traffic
Passengers (2013)	24,198 (Weekday)
Services
Preceding station   SEPTA   Following station 30th Street Station toward Airport Terminals Airport Line Jefferson via Center City Commuter Connection toward Temple University 30th Street Station toward Chestnut Hill West Chestnut Hill West Line 30th Street Station toward Elwyn Media/Elwyn Line 30th Street Station toward Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line 30th Street Station toward Trenton Trenton Line 30th Street Station toward Newark Wilmington/Newark Line 30th Street Station Terminus Chestnut Hill East Line Jefferson toward Chestnut Hill East Fox Chase Line Jefferson toward Fox Chase Lansdale/Doylestown Line Jefferson toward Doylestown Manayunk/Norristown Line Jefferson toward Elm Street, Norristown 30th Street Station toward Cynwyd Cynwyd Line Terminus 30th Street Station toward University City Warminster Line Jefferson toward Warminster West Trenton Line Jefferson toward West Trenton
Former services Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station 30th Street toward Harrisburg Keystone Service Service to Suburban Station ended 1988 Terminus PRR Philadelphia toward Paoli Paoli Line Terminus Philadelphia toward Pottsville Schuylkill Branch Philadelphia toward West Chester West Chester Branch Philadelphia toward Wilmington Wilmington Line Philadelphia toward Chestnut Hill Chestnut Hill Line Philadelphia toward Trenton Trenton Line
Suburban Station Building
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Philadelphia Show map of Philadelphia Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	1617 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Built	1929
Architect	Graham, Anderson, Probst & White; Stewart, Joseph, & Co.
Architectural style	Art Deco
NRHP reference No.	85001962
Added to NRHP	September 05, 1985

Suburban Station is a very important train station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's a key part of the SEPTA Regional Rail system, which helps people travel around the city and its suburbs. You can find it at 16th Street and JFK Boulevard.

The station was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and officially opened on September 28, 1930. It was created to replace an older station called Broad Street Station. Suburban Station originally had eight tracks and four platforms for trains. Later, the Center City Commuter Connection project extended the tracks to another station called Jefferson Station. This project also added another platform, making it even bigger and more useful for commuters.

What is SEPTA Regional Rail?

SEPTA stands for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. It's the main public transportation system in the Philadelphia area. The Regional Rail lines are like a network of train routes that connect downtown Philadelphia with many towns and suburbs around it. Suburban Station is one of the main hubs where many of these lines meet.

How Suburban Station Works

Suburban Station is an underground station, meaning the train tracks and platforms are below the street level. It has five "island platforms," which are like long islands with tracks on both sides. This design allows many trains to come and go, making it a busy and important spot for daily travel.

The station is also connected to other types of public transport. You can easily transfer to SEPTA's subway lines, like the Broad Street Line and the Market-Frankford Line, as well as several bus routes. This makes it a central point for getting around Philadelphia.

History of the Station

Suburban Station was built during a time when cities were growing, and people needed better ways to travel. It was designed to be a modern and efficient train hub. The building itself is a cool example of Art Deco style, which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. This style often features bold geometric shapes and rich decoration.

In 1985, the Suburban Station Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site in the United States. Even though it's an old building, it was updated in 2007 to make it more accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities.

Images for kids

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  Aerial view of Suburban Station

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  Regional Rail platforms

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  Underground entrance

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  Waiting area

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  Concourse shops

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  Concourse shops

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  Entrance to the concourse