UPDATE: If you use the Uber app to go to, from, or just around during the Eagles parade, $20 split over two rides will be free, thanks to Miller Lite, which happens to be the official beer of the Eagles.
The deal is only available for rides that begin or end in Miller Lite’s designated ‘parade area.’ Enter the code PHILLYPARADE from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday in the Uber app to get two $10 credits.
Original story:
What’s the best way to get to Philadelphia for the Eagles victory parade?
If you don’t want to pay a dime, you can hop on the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines, both of which will be free all day on Thursday, Feb. 8.
Independence Blue Cross is sponsoring free SEPTA service all day in celebration of the Eagles’ to help fans get into the city to see the parade—which follows a route that closely corresponds with some of that train service for the three miles or so it will run up Broad Street.
It’s just one of the latest benefits to fall on Philly since the stories Eagles 41-33 Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.
“It’s nice to be a winner, after not being a winner for so long,” Mayor Jim Kenney said at a press conference Tuesday to announce details for the upcoming Feb. 8 Eagles Super Bowl victory parade.
Kenney was optimistic that Thursday’s parade will be more peaceful than the spontaneous Sunday night celebrations that saw some serious property damage in Center City, and said overall fans have been peaceful.
On Thursday, with the parade beginning at Broad and Pattison in South Philly at 11 a.m., proceeding up to City Hall and on to the Art Museum for a ceremony on the steps beside the Rocky statue at 1 p.m. and running for an estimated 90 minutes, the city is hoping most fans will continue to peacefully celebrate the Eagles’ victory.
If you want to see anything on the Art Museums steps, you’d better get there early.
For those out of the estimated million-plus Eagles fans who don’t get there in time, 14 Jumbotrons will be lined down the Parkway, from Eakins Oval to City Hall, the City said.
In addition to free city transit on two subways, SEPTA is planning to maximize service on all other lines with as many vehicles and staff as possible, they said. (See sidebar).
The city is treating the parade day as a major holiday. Trash pickup will be suspended one day on Thursday, and traffic closures will be put in places all along the parade route on Feb. 8.
Residents can sign up for city text alerts about the parade by texting ReadyEagles to 888-777.
Visit phila.gov for more information about street closures and parking restrictions.
SEPTA preps for thousands of riders
SEPTA is maxing out service options for the expected masses of people coming to the Eagles parade, general manager Jeffrey Knueppel said at a press conference Tuesday morning.
“It’s kind of going to be like an all-day rush hour,” Knueppel said, who asserted that the city will be better prepared than they were during the 2008 Phillies World Series parade, which he acknowledged was not handled appropriately. He’s expecting around 2.2 million people for the Super Bowl victory parade, he said.
For the Eagles parade on Feb. 8, Knueppel expects SEPTA services to be transporting roughly half a million people. Trains on the Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines will be free and be running every 5 to 7 minutes all day. Each line is expected to transport some 30,000 people an hour at the peak of the parade.
There will be increased services across all modes of transit, but there will be some restrictions.
Instead of special event specific tickets, like the Pope passes for the World Meeting of Families, Knueppel will be accepting regular weekly and monthly Trailpasses and sell some 50,000 Independence Passes for $10 apiece, which will be accepted to transport the ticketholder all day.
Those will be the only tickets available to access SEPTA, a step SEPTA took to control the number of people riding the transit so they do not exceed their capacity, Knueppel said.
“We’re trying to make this so there’s a reasonable chance you’re going to make it if you come in on SEPTA,” he said.
City Hall, 5th Street, University City and Temple University stations will be closed, with more to possibly be added, all to prevent overcrowding.
The Chestnut Hill West and Bala Cynwyd Regional Rail lines will be canceled entirely on Feb. 8.
Due to running at maximum capacity all day, Regional Rail service will end completely on Feb. 8 at 9 p.m. to give SEPTA adequate time to re-prepare equipment for Friday morning rush hour, Knueppel said.
CCT is operating a regular service day.
Visit SEPTA.org for more info.
