Transportation

Route Busing: Friends' Central provides route busing through our partner Phillytrans. The current routes cover the following geographic areas:

• West Philadelphia
• Center City bordered by 2nd St/Christian St/22nd St and Fairmount

Center City routes are designed for Lower School students ( Pre-K through grade 5) and are a free service.

Overbrook Shuttle: Friends’ Central also sponsors a shuttle to the Overbrook Station and 63rd and Malvern Bus Depot. This shuttle runs a continuous loop in the morning, starting at 7:45 am and running until 8:45 am. In the afternoon, the bus departs at 3:20 pm and 5:40 pm.

Inter-Campus Shuttle: Friends' Central also sponsors an Inter-Campus shuttle between the City Avenue and Lower School campuses in the morning and afternoon. There is a fee for this service.

For more information or if you have questions about Friends' Central busing, please email JB Bowie, Director of Transportation, at jbbowie@friendscentral.org / 610.247.3520. To view pricing information and to register for FCS operated buses, please click here.

Friends' Central operates an Inter-Campus shuttle between the City Avenue and Lower School campuses in the morning and afternoon. There is a fee for this service.

For more information or if you have questions about Friends' Central busing, please email JB Bowie, Director of Transportation, at jbbowie@friendscentral.org / 610.247.3520. To view pricing information and to register for FCS operated buses, please click here.

FCS notifies school districts of eligible FCS students annually in July and as required during the academic year. School districts then contact families directly to process requests for busing. Families should receive route information annually no later than the third week of August.

• Please note that Lower Merion School District sends routes to FCS for distribution via email.
• The School District of Philadelphia (SDoP) provides SEPTA Bus Transpasses for students in grades 9 through 12. Transpasses are bus passes that can be converted to rail passes at a SEPTA ticket counter.  There is a fee associated with converting a bus pass to a rail pass. 
• SDoP Transpasses are distributed from the front desk of the Main Building.

The school districts listed below will provide school bus transportation to Friends’ Central School campuses. Their contact information can be found in the Transportation section of the relevant school district's website. If you have questions about your route, or eligibility, please contact the district directly.

If you have any questions about Public School busing, please contact JB Bowie, FCS Transportation Manager at jbbowie@friendscentral.org / 610.247.3520

Friends' Central's City Avenue campus is conveniently located within a short commuting distance of both the SEPTA Overbrook Train Station (with service from Paoli-Thorndale through Philadelphia), and SEPTA's 63rd and Malvern Bus Depot (one block from Overbrook Train Station). There is a regular, no-fee shuttle service that runs a continuous loop in the morning, starting at 7:45 am and running until 8:45 am. In the afternoon, the bus departs at 3:20 pm and 5:40 pm.

Upper School students of legal age with a valid driver's license may choose to drive to Friends' Central. There is limited on-campus parking. Seniors (and Juniors after Spring Break) can apply for on-campus parking permit for a fee.