Transportation

Families living in Philadelphia County and Suburban families within 10 miles of both FCS campuses have a variety of transportation options. Please click the tabs to learn more. 

The school districts listed below will provide school bus transportation to Friends’ Central School campuses. Their contact information is provided. If you have questions about your route, or eligibility, please contact the district directly.

There are no bus options available to families living outside of the 10-mile radius. We recommend looking into SEPTA Regional Rail or other options or carpool. 

Yes, please complete the transportation form annually here. 

Families with students riding public school bus transportation are required to submit an Act 372 form to their School District's Transportation Department annually. Access to this form will be on the School District Transportation webpage with an "Act 372" or "Non-Public School Transportation" title. At this time, not every school has implemented this new form. Please check with your local school district to see if this form is required. 

If you intend on using School District transportation in September of the following academic year, please complete this form by mid-June or at the time you make your determination so we can alert your school district of your intentions. 

The School District of Philadelphia is the only district that offers a program. Please click here to learn more about the Parent Flat Rate Program. Families are not eligible if they utilize the PhillyTrans bus service or Student Fare Card. Please contact SDoP if you are unsure of your eligibility status. 

School District & FCS Busing do not run a late bus. The Overbrook shuttle runs at 5:20 and 5:40 pm to the Regional Rail station. 

All services provided are free of cost. 

We view the bus as an extension of the school day, meaning the same behavior guidelines apply to our students as they ride. We expect that students are respectful to one another and their drivers. If we learn about behavior that is not acceptable for our community, we will communicate with the student and their family. There could be moments where students take a break from using the bus if they cannot follow safe bus riding guidelines. When the bus is in motion, all bus passengers will wear seatbelts when available, stay in their seats, face forward, and keep all arms, hands, and feet to themselves. Please note all buses are equipped with cameras and the video is used to monitor driver and rider compliance. More information about bus riding expectations will be shared with parents/caregivers and students at the start of the school year.

Public school district buses do pick up on days FCS is open but the public school system has a scheduled closure.

​On weather-related delayed opening days, PhillyTrans buses will pick up at times that mirror the delay. 2-hour delays will result in a 2-hour later pickup time. If a public school district is on an opening delay, public school district busing pick up will mirror the delay, regardless of FCS's opening time. If a public school district is closed due to weather issues, but FCS remains open, there will be no public school district busing. 

Additional questions? Contact JB Bowie, Transportation Manager, at jbbowie@friendscentral.org or 610.247.3520.

School districts provide school bus transportation to Friends’ Central School campuses. Each School District is unique, and their websites provide details regarding getting signed up. If you have questions about your route, or eligibility, please contact the district directly.

If you intend on using School District transportation in September of the following academic year, please complete this form by mid-June or at the time you make your determination so we can alert your school district of your intentions. 

• Families with students riding public school bus transportation are required to submit an Act 372 form to their School District's Transportation Department annually. Access to this form will be on the School District Transportation webpage with an "Act 372" or "Non-Public School Transportation" title. At this time, not every school has implemented this new form. Please check with your local school district to see if this form is required. 
• School districts will contact families directly to process requests for busing. Families should receive route information annually no later than the last week of August. If you do not hear from your school district by the last week in August please contact the Transportation Manager, jbowie@friendscentral.org.  
• Please note that Lower Merion School District sends route information to FCS for distribution via email.

The school districts listed below will provide school bus transportation to Friends’ Central School campuses. Their contact information is provided. If you have questions about your route, or eligibility, please contact the district directly.

Friends' Central sponsors an Inter-Campus shuttle between the City Avenue and Lower School campuses in the morning and afternoon. There is no fee for this service.

• Morning: the City Ave campus to Lower School campus shuttle departs at 8:05 am
• Morning: the Lower School campus to City Ave campus shuttle departs at 7:55 am
• Afternoon: the Lower School campus to City Ave campus shuttle departs when loaded (approximately 3 pm).  The commute takes 15 to 20 minutes of travel time depending on traffic.
• Afternoon: The City Ave campus to Lower School campus shuttle departs at 3:20 pm.  The commute takes 15 to 20 minutes of travel time depending on traffic.

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). Friends’ Central 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 until 8:15 am. In the afternoon, the bus does three single runs departing at 3:20 pm, 5:20 pm, and 5:40 pm. There is no fee for this service. Note: In the morning, a bus will be available for dispatch to meet the SEPTA R5 8:39 am arrival. Please call 610.247.3520 as soon as you are aware you will need this service.

• SEPTA Student Fare Cards are bus passes. Rail passes can also be loaded on the issued card by stopping  a designated ticket counter and paying the SDoP negotiated fee of approximately $1 per trip.
• Students eligible for SDoP Student Fare Cards can pick them up and sign for them in the Upper School and Middle School Administrative Offices.
• Directions and FAQs for Student Fare Cards can be found on this SDoP web page. 

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.

After registering and submitting payment online here, students must contact David Sexton to pick up their pass before parking on campus. On-campus parking passes are $65 each for the full school year.

If you are interested in any of the transportation methods listed above, please fill out this form. If you are riding one of the FCS buses our Transportation Manager or PhillyTrans driver will reach out to you to confirm. The school district will reach out directly for public school district busing. If you do not hear from your school district by the last week in August please contact the Transportation Manager, jbowie@friendscentral.org. 

The School District of Philadelphia (SDoP) provides a hybrid transportation service which includes buses and SEPTA Student Fare Cards. The only form of transportation for SDoP students grades 9 through 12 is SEPTA Student Fare Cards (see SEPTA information below).  

If you intend on using School District transportation in September of the following academic year, please complete this form by mid-June or at the time you make your determination so we can alert your school district of your intentions. 

• Bus service is offered to students in grades 1-8.  Middle School students can choose between bus transportation or SEPTA Student Fare Cards (seee SEPTA information below).
• Families with students riding public school bus transportation are required to submit an Act 372 form to their School District's Transportation Department annually. Access to this form will be on the School District Transportation webpage with an "Act 372" or "Non-Public School Transportation" title. At this time, not every school has implemented this new form. Please check with your local school district to see if this form is required. 
• SDoP will contact families directly to process requests for busing. Families should receive route information annually no later than the last week of August. If you do not hear from your school district by the last week in August please contact the Transportation Manager, jbowie@friendscentral.org. 

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). Friends’ Central 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 until 8:15 am. In the afternoon, the bus does three single runs departing at 3:20 pm, 5:20 pm, and 5:40 pm. There is no fee for this service. Note: In the morning, a bus will be available for dispatch to meet the SEPTA R5 8:39 am arrival. Please call 610.247.3520 as soon as you are aware you will need this service.

• SEPTA Student Fare Cards are bus passes. Rail passes can also be loaded on the issued card by stopping  a designated ticket counter and paying the SDoP negotiated fee of approximately $1 per trip.
• Students eligible for SDoP Student Fare Cards can pick them up and sign for them in the Upper School and Middle School Administrative Offices.
• Directions and FAQs for Student Fare Cards can be found on this SDoP web page. 

Friends' Central sponsors an Inter-Campus shuttle between the City Avenue and Lower School campuses in the morning and afternoon. There is no fee for this service.

• Morning: the City Ave campus to Lower School campus shuttle departs at 8:05 am
• Morning: the Lower School campus to City Ave campus shuttle departs at 7:55 am
• Afternoon: the Lower School campus to City Ave campus shuttle departs when loaded (approximately 3 pm).  The commute takes 15 to 20 minutes of travel time depending on traffic.
• Afternoon: The City Ave campus to Lower School campus shuttle departs at 3:20 pm.  The commute takes 15 to 20 minutes of travel time depending on traffic.

FCS has partnered with PhillyTrans Bus Company to provide free Route Busing for School District of Philadelphia students in Nursery through 12th grade within the following geographic areas below. Buses will pick up at an agreed upon corner near your home in the following designated areas. There is no fee for this service. 

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

We are pleased to let you know that Friends’ Central School has implemented a GPS system on City Route buses. This system allows parents to see the location of their bus. The App is accessible from any internet-enabled device (smartphone, tablet, PC). To sign up, go to www.WheresTheBus.Com, and choose Friends’ Central School from the drop-down menu, and enter the requested information. Please enter your student’s Bus # and a Pick-up time of 7AM for morning and Drop-Off time of 2PM for afternoon. Enter “FCS Lower School or FCS Middle School” for School Building. If there are two students in the family, it is only necessary to enter one. You will be provided your student's bus number as part of a route information package delivered by your student's bus driver. We are excited to be able to offer what we hope will be a significant help to Friends’ Central families.

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.

After registering and submitting payment online here, students must contact David Sexton to pick up their pass before parking on campus. On-campus parking passes are $65 each for the full school year.

If you are interested in any of the transportation methods listed above, please fill out this form. If you are riding one of the FCS buses our Transportation Manager or PhillyTrans driver will reach out to you to confirm. The school district will reach out directly for public school district busing. If you do not hear from your school district by the last week in August please contact the Transportation Manager, jbowie@friendscentral.org.