Can You Live in Philadelphia Without a Car?

Yes, you can live in Philadelphia without a car, especially in Center City. With walkable neighborhoods, SEPTA subway and bus services, regional trains, and bike-sharing options, many everyday destinations are accessible without driving. Located at 1125 Sansom Street in Midtown Village, The Collins Apartments puts residents close to restaurants, shopping, public transit, and some of Philadelphia’s most popular attractions.

At The Collins, you’re in the heart of Midtown Village, where excitement is always just around the corner, from street festivals to happy hours to cultural stops. Experience open-concept living just steps away from SEPTA’s subway lines, providing easy access to the best of downtown. Whether you’re looking for a one- or two-bedroom home, The Collins offers a variety of loft-style floor plans and spacious two-bedroom bi-level options.

Is Center City Philadelphia Walkable?

Yes, Center City Philadelphia is very walkable. In fact, Philadelphia was named America’s most walkable city in 2026 – for the fourth year in a row by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. We can attribute a lot of the city’s walkability to William Penn’s grid street plan. Philly’s compact size, short blocks, pre-automobile development, and dense mix of neighborhoods also contribute to this accolade.

From The Collins Apartments, many of Center City’s most exciting spots are within walking distance. With an ideal location in Midtown Village, these apartments put residents in the center of the action. They can walk to plenty of bars and restaurants like McGillins Olde Ale House, Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse, El Vez, and many more. Historic and cultural spots like Reading Terminal Market, City Hall, and the Liberty Bell are also within walking distance.

Getting Around Philadelphia Using SEPTA

SEPTA Metro: Rapid Transit Lines

The SEPTA Metro is Philadelphia’s color-coded and lettered rapid transit network that unifies subways, elevated trains, and trolleys that run throughout the city. Here is the basic breakdown of this extensive system:

• Market-Frankford Line (L): An east-west subway-elevated line running between the Frankford Transit Center and the 69th Street Transit Center via Center City.
• Broad Street Line (B): A north-south subway line running from Fern Rock Transit Center down to NRG Station/Sports Complex.
• Norristown High Speed Line (M): An interurban rail line connecting Norristown and Upper Darby Township.
• Subway-Surface Trolleys (T): Includes routes operating underground through Center City and on street-level tracks in West Philadelphia and Delaware County.
• Route 15 Trolley & Media-Sharon Hill Lines (G / D): Additional historic and suburban trolley/light rail routes integrated into the system.

There are several Metro stops near The Collins Apartments that make commuting around the city a breeze. The Walnut-Locust Station is about a third of a mile from The Collins and can take you north or south along the B, also referred to as the Broad Street Line. The 13th Street Station, which is about a fifth of a mile from The Collins, will put you on the L, also known as the Market-Frankford Line. There are also plenty of bus routes you can access from 13th Street.

SEPTA Bus: Over 100 Routes

One of the best ways to get around Philadelphia is by bus. SEPTA has over 100 bus routes that provide ground transportation throughout the city and surrounding region. There are dozens of bus stops around The Collins that can take you where you need to go. Some of these bus lines even run late, so you can have access whenever needed.

How Do You Pay for SEPTA?

There are plenty of ways to pay for your SEPTA rides! Contactless payment (credit/debit card or Apple/Google/Samsung Pay) is available for travel on bus, Metro, and Regional Rail (unfortunately, this payment method is not available for travel to/from New Jersey. Another option is the SEPTA Key. This is a reloadable, contactless chip card with options to load Passes and/or Travel Wallet funds for seamless travel. This option is perfect for riders who plan on using SEPTA often.

Different SEPTA transportation networks have different fares, ranging from $2.90 (base fare on Bus and Metro) to $13 (maximum fare on Regional Rail). Learn more about fares and pricing on SEPTA’s website.

Traveling Beyond Philadelphia by Regional Rail and PATCO

Need to head out of the city? SEPTA and PATCO can connect you to surrounding suburbs in Delaware, New Jersey, and other parts of Pennsylvania.

SEPTA Regional Rail

The Collins Apartments is located very close to both Jefferson Station (0.4 miles away) and Suburban Station (0.6 miles away). Both of these stations are hubs for public transportation around the city as well as the entire northeast region. SEPTA operates 13 Regional Rail lines connecting Philadelphia’s Center City to the surrounding suburbs in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.

• Airport Line: Temple University to Airport Terminals E & F
• Chestnut Hill East Line: 30th Street Station to Chestnut Hill East
• Chestnut Hill West Line: Temple University to Chestnut Hill West
• Cynwyd Line: Suburban Station to Cynwyd (weekdays only)
• Fox Chase Line: 30th Street Station to Fox Chase
• Lansdale/Doylestown Line: 30th Street Station to Doylestown
• Manayunk/Norristown Line: Penn Medicine Station to Elm Street (Norristown)
• Media/Wawa Line: Temple University to Wawa Station
• Paoli/Thorndale Line: Temple University to Thorndale
• Trenton Line: Temple University to Trenton Transit Center
• Warminster Line: Penn Medicine Station to Warminster
• West Trenton Line: Penn Medicine Station to West Trenton
• Wilmington/Newark Line: Temple University to Newark

From Jefferson Station, you can ride any of these lines except for the Cynwyd Line. From Suburban, you can ride all 13 of these Regional Rail lines.

PATCO Speedline to New Jersey

The PATCO Speedline, commonly referred to as the PATCO High Speed Line, is a rapid transit route operated by the Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO), connecting Philadelphia with Lindenwold in Camden County, NJ. The closest PATCO Speedline station to The Collins is the 12/13th & Locust St. Station, which is only one-tenth of a mile away. From this line, you can head to one of the 8 South Jersey stops. If you ride to the last stop, Lindenwold, you can connect to the Atlantic City Rail Line that will take you even further south towards Atlantic City.

Biking Around Philadelphia and Exploring the City on Two Wheels

According to Walk Score, The Collins Apartments has a bike score of 87 – meaning that it is very bikeable. Biking in Center City is easy and enjoyable thanks to a growing network of protected bike lanes, off-street trails, and the Indego Bike Share system.

If you don’t have your own two wheels to store in the bicycle storage space at The Collins, there are plenty of rentable bikes you can hop on thanks to Indego Bike Share. There are plenty of bike dock stations around the city, including one at 12th and Chestnut, about one block from The Collins.

Biking is a great way to stay in shape, reduce your carbon footprint, and get to where you need to go. And if you love biking recreationally, Philadelphia has great trails that will show you the beauty of the city. Check out some of these great local trails:

• Forbidden Drive in Wissahickon Valley Park: Very wooded and beautiful Manayunk-area bike trail
• Kelly Drive and Martin Luther King Drive Loop: An 8-mile paved loop starting and ending near the Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Manayunk Canal Towpath: Part of the Schuylkill River Trail in Manayunk along the Schuylkill Canal
• Schuylkill Banks: Also part of the Schuylkill River Trail that starts in Center City
• Delaware River Trail: Stretches along Philly’s Central Delaware River Waterfront

How to Get to Popular Philadelphia Destinations Without a Car

Philadelphia’s best spots are easy to get to without a car when you live at The Collins Apartments.

Destination	Suggested transportation
Reading Terminal Market	Walking (0.3 miles from The Collins)
Philadelphia City Hall	Walking (0.4 miles from The Collins)
Rittenhouse Square	Walking (0.6 miles from The Collins)
University City	Market-Frankford Line (get on at the 13th Street station)
South Philadelphia Sports Complex	Broad Street Line (get on at the Walnut-Locust Station)
South Jersey	PATCO (get on at the 12/13th & Locust St Station)
Philadelphia International Airport	SEPTA Airport Line (take the Regional Rail from Jefferson Station)

Why The Collins Apartments Is a Great Home Base for Car-Free Living

Philadelphia is walkable, bikeable, and very accessible through public transportation. The Collins Apartments has an ideal location that makes your everyday and special occasion destinations simple to get to. No matter if you’re commuting to work, meeting up with friends at a restaurant, taking a scenic bike ride, or traveling outside of the city for a trip, The Collins Apartments serve as your ultimate home base.

Interested in seeing The Collins for yourself and taking a tour? Visit our website or give our team a call! We can’t wait to welcome you home.

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