Effective June 17, PATCO customers will be able to enjoy the ease and convenience of using debit and credit cards at ticket vending machines to buy paper tickets for one-way and round-trip rides, General Manager John Rink announced today. Until now, the ticket machines only accepted cash for paper tickets, though commuters and other regular riders could use credit or debit cards to buy or load value onto multi-use Freedom cards.
"We've had a lot of requests to allow electronic payments for paper tickets," Rink said, "and we're happy to be able to provide this significant service enhancement for our customers. More and more people use credit or debit cards for routine purchases, and fewer people carry cash, so it's important that we make it as convenient as possible for people to ride PATCO."
Customers can buy up to nine one-way or round-trip tickets at a time. The tickets expire after three days, so it won't be possible to stockpile tickets, but buying multiple tickets will be convenient for groups or families who are traveling together.
"If you and your friends are headed for a Riversharks game at Campbell's Field, a concert at the Kimmel Center or a late night in Northern Liberties, you can buy PATCO tickets for everyone in a single machine transaction, and use your credit or debit card to do so," Rink said. "Since PATCO operates 24/7, you don't have to worry about missing the end of an event to go catch the last train."
