Three new websites offer transportation help for papal visit

A trio of new websites will offer transportation alternatives and assistance during Pope Francis' visit in less than two weeks.

On Monday, PennDot and the Pennsylvania Turnpike activated papal511.com to provide details about planned closures, traffic conditions, and directions to get to or avoid papal venues and other information. SEPTA announced late Friday septa.org/fares/papal-map.html, another interactive map that provides detailed information about 18 stations on the SEPTA system. Also Friday, the site PopeBus.com launched. On it people can buy school bus trips from commuter park and rides in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland suburbs to SEPTA regional stations.

"Until this takes off we don't know if we're going to get 80 or 800 or 8,000, but we're ready," said Bob Aube, who launched the site through his bus service business, RYDE.

With as many as one million potentially attending Pope Francis' visit for the World Meeting of Families on Sept. 26 and 27, the region's transportation landscape will be significantly altered by detours, congestion, and zones closed off to cars.

The map posted by PennDot and the Pennsylvania Turnpike shows current road conditions and provides real-time alerts about construction, lane restrictions, accidents, and other incidents.

SEPTA spokeswoman Jerri Williams noted people accustomed to using Regional Rail stations may be surprised to find typical parking areas or walkways won't be available during the weekend.

"Thousands more people will be coming to those stations than they normally do," she said. "It's not going to be a regular day in the suburbs."

Visitors can click on 18 outlying Regional Rail stations on the interactive map for detailed information on parking, walkways, and closed roads. More information, including details about stations in the city, will be added to the map as the papal visit nears, Williams said.

"As there is more information, these maps will be updated," she said.

PopeBus.com offers 100 school buses, each capable of transporting about 50 people, to conduct several runs daily from 52 suburban pickup spots to SEPTA Regional Rail stations. Round-trip ticket costs range from $15 to $49, depending on distance. Aube estimated his service could accommodate about 10,000 passengers daily. All bus passes are being sold online, and customers, for an additional $10, can also receive Regional Rail passes that will allow them to access trains.

Those coming into the city to see the pope may want to consider parking at the airport, even if they are not taking a flight.

Philadelphia International Airport tweeted on Monday that visitors seeking to get into the city could park at the airport and take a SEPTA train into Center City. Trains will begin running every half hour from the airport at 5:30 a.m. on Sept. 26 and 27. Between 5:30 and 8 a.m., train access will be limited to people with papal passes. After 8 a.m., any regular airport fare ticket will work, but it has to be purchased in advance.

215-854-4587@jasmlaughlin

Emily Babay works for Philly.com.