Philadelphia’s SEPTA gathered with elected officials and other stakeholders to cut the ribbon at the new Ardmore Station on the Paoli/Thorndale Regional Rail Line. Service to the new station began on March 23.

The station was rebuilt as part of SEPTA’s Station Accessibility Program, making it fully ADA accessible with new elevators, ramps, and high-level platforms.

The Ardmore Station

Ardmore is one of the most heavily traveled stations on the Paoli/Thorndale Line, which has the highest Regional Rail ridership, averaging more than 14,000 weekday passenger trips.

In addition to the accessibility enhancements, other improvements include the new inbound station building; outbound shelters; passenger amenities; new lighting, signage, and landscaping; and stormwater management.

“The new Ardmore Station is another example of what we can deliver with capital dollars,” said SEPTA GM Scott A. Sauer. “This major investment in station accessibility highlights the critical infrastructure work that is needed to maintain and modernize the system and improve the experience for our customers.”

Service continued during construction, which began in 2019. The work was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which later led to supply chain issues that impacted the arrival of materials. Crews could only work at night, so trains could still operate during the day.

The total cost of the project was $60.6 million, including design, support, and construction. The station was last rebuilt in 1957 to replace the original, 1870s-era building.