The $100 million system will take three years to install, so SEPTA riders won't immediately shift from their tokens, passes, tickets, and cash.
For most bus, subway, and trolley riders, electronic fares won't mean a big change in commuting habits - new card readers will simply replace old subway turnstiles and bus fare stanchions.
For rail passengers, though, electronic fares will alter their traveling experience. The big question is, will new be better?
The stakes are considerable: Regional Rail's 118,000 daily passengers account for 13 percent of SEPTA's riders and 25 percent of its revenue.
One of the biggest changes for rail riders will be gates and turnstiles in Center City train stations to herd passengers past electronic fare-readers.
At the other end of their trips, riders will need to "tag in" or "tag out" with a smart card for their fares to be deducted. That may be done at stationary readers on a train platform or by conductors with handheld devices on trains.
Either way, it's sure to mean a change for riders used to rushing to and from trains and simply presenting a pass or ticket to a conductor.
And the zones that determine how much rail riders pay may also change as part of the shift to electronic payment. Then there's the issue of how to accommodate occasional riders and out-of-town visitors.
"Regional Rail is the biggest challenge, for sure," said Leo Bagley, assistant director of the Montgomery County Planning Commission and a member of a regional advisory group helping SEPTA plan the new system.
"We're all in favor of making it somehow easier, and I think we're getting there," Bagley said. "SEPTA is still struggling with some things like fare structures and transfers. There are still more issues to decide."
