Clockwise from top: The newly opened Ardmore Train Station, seen from Station Road; outbound platform on the Suburban Square side; elevators from inbound and outbound platforms open onto well-lit tunnel underneath the tracks, seen from the south side; the outside waiting area on the inbound platform with skylight and wood planking; interior waiting room with south-facing windows, bathrooms, water fountain and electronic arrivals board.

Six Years in the Making

It took six years and 59 million dollars, but the renovated Ardmore Train Station reopened on Monday, March 23, to the great relief of commuters and nearby businesses. The station and an adjacent 90-bay parking lot that has also reopened serve both SEPTA and AMTRAK riders.

Local businesses are hoping the reopening will take some pressure off their bottom line. The closure impacted foot traffic in the area and cost many of them a significant chunk of their customer base.

The new station lays on a slew of improvements including better lighting; train-level platforms for easier and faster boarding; elevators, ramps and other ADA-compliant features; a temperature-controlled indoor waiting room with south-facing windows, two bathrooms and a water fountain; and an outdoor covered platform with skylights and exposed wooden planking.

Throughout construction SEPTA was burdened with a seemingly endless series of delays, including a pandemic, supply chain disruptions and – just as the work was nearing completion last fall – draconian cuts to SEPTA’s budget and transit services when the state Legislature failed to fully fund its operating budget. A reprieve came only after Gov. Josh Shapiro authorized use of money set aside for capital projects to pay for the agency’s day-to-day expenses.

The station reopening follows the recent presentation of design plans for the transformation of Ardmore’s nearby Schauffele Plaza and an adjacent parking lot into a verdant town square. Both projects are elements of the township’s ambitious Ardmore Master Plan of 2023, which envisions the station area as a regional transit hub, serving as a gateway to Suburban Square, downtown Ardmore and the greater Main Line. Long-range planning includes construction of a multi-modal, muti-use parking garage with ground-level retail and access to national and regional rail service as well as local bus lines.