Philadelphia’s annual Welcome America is a multi-day festival with FREE multicultural and multigenerational events celebrating America’s birthday in America’s birthplace – Philadelphia. The citywide festival is jam packed with multiple fireworks displays, free concerts, free museum days, community events, free outdoor movie screenings, block parties and more. The celebration ends on July 4th with Fireworks on the Parkway and the Welcome America Concert at the Mann Music Center. For a full list of events, please check the Welcome America events page. Visitors to the city can also take advantage of regular late hour Regional Rail service from Suburban Station after the fireworks on Tuesday, July 4.
Independence Day Service and Detour Information
On Independence Day (Tuesday, July 4), SEPTA Buses, Trolleys, the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines Trains will operate on a Sunday schedule, with special mid-day and late night Regional Rail service following the fireworks on the Ben Franklin Parkway (see schedule below).
Below, we’ve included the information you need to help get you to/from all of the events along with tips and helpful links to other areas of the SEPTA.org website.
TIP: Customers should check System Status before and during Independence Day events for real-time service information across the SEPTA System. The System Status tool is available on the website and on the official SEPTA app for iPhone and Android devices. You can also follow @SEPTA on Twitter.
Use our Trip Planning tool to find the best service options to the Welcome America events and July 4th fireworks. Make sure to visit the Fares section to learn more about the SEPTA Key One Day Convenience Pass, ideal for the independence of convenient, economical and unlimited one-day travel on SEPTA services.
Late Night Regional Rail Service
Select Regional Rail trains will be added to the service schedule or held later than regularly scheduled for customers leaving Center City Philadelphia after the fireworks. Late night service will operate on select Airport, Chestnut Hill East, Lansdale/Doylestown, Fox Chase, Paoli/Thorndale, Manayunk/Norristown, Media/Wawa, Trenton, Warminster, West Trenton, and Wilmington Line trains.
Extra Mid-Day Regional Rail Service
Select mid-day trains are extended to/from Warminster for the 4th of July holiday.
PDF | Download the Special Regional Rail 4th of July schedule
Customers can also find the July 4th schedule posted at Center City and outlying Regional Rail Stations.
Frankford Transportation Center Sales Office will be open Tuesday, July 4, 2023 from 8 am – 4 pm
Olney, 1234 Market St., and 69th St. Sales Offices will be closed on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 in observance of the July 4th holiday.
Bus Service – Event Detours:
On July 4, the City will be closing the Ben Franklin Parkway at 8 pm for the fireworks event. The bus routes that operate between 16th and 23rd Streets and from Arch to Spring Garden Streets will begin detouring at 2 pm and continuing until 5 pm Wednesday, July 5, 2023. Routes 38 and 43 will begin detouring at 6 am on the 4th due to fireworks set-up behind the Art Museum.
Routes: 7, 32, 33, 38, 43, 48, 49
Suburban buses will operate on a Sunday schedule.
Trolley Service
The Trolley Lines will operate on a Sunday schedule with added late-night service.
Broad Street & Market-Frankford Line Service
The Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines will operate on a Sunday schedule.
Welcome America CCT Information
Due to the numerous road closures CCT will have two (2) designated rendezvous points for the events on the Parkway. One (1) South at 2299 Arch St. and the other North at 560 N. 20th St. (20th Brandywine SW Corner).
CCT Reservations has pre-established landmarks with the common name “Welcome America” to book these trips for any customers needing service to/from events on the Parkway; CCT Reservations will not permit trips to be booked to/from the below addresses deemed off limits for vehicle traffic surrounding the events.
| Arch St. 1400 to 1700 | 22nd St. North 1 to 699 |
| Winter St. from 1400 to 2400 | 21st St. North 199 to 699 |
| Vine St. from 1400 to 2400 | 20th St. North 100 to 399 |
| Spring Garden from 1400 to 3099 | 19th St. North 100 to 500 |
| Fairmount from 2100 to 2600 | 18th St. North 1 to 699 |
| 24th St. North 300 to 699 | 17th St. North 1 to 699 |
| JFK Blvd 1600-2400 | 23rd St North 500 to 699 |
Customer Service
The SEPTA Customer Service Call Center (215) 580-7800 will open from 7 am – 7 pm on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
Travel Tips
- On Tuesday, July 4, please refer to the Sunday schedule of the SEPTA service you wish to ride. Routes that do not offer Sunday service will not operate
- The Ben Franklin Parkway is best accessed from the 15th Street Market-Frankford Line Station and Race-Vine or City Hall Broad Street Line Station
- Visit the Fares section for fare and SEPTA Key information
- Download the SEPTA App for iPhone and Android devices. Visit the Google Play or Apple App Store and look for the official SEPTA App.
