A FlixBus out of Richmond, Va., is scheduled to pull in about 12:20 a.m. Friday as the first arrival at Philadelphia’s new intercity bus terminal.
Inside the old Greyhound station at 10th and Filbert Streets, travelers will find 189 chairs for waiting out of the cold, rain, and heat.
For nearly three years after the bus line abandoned the station in a cost-cutting move, interstate passengers have caught Greyhound, Peter Pan, and FlixBus at curbside, now on Spring Garden Street between Second Street and Columbus Avenue.
Though Greyhound’s iconic running dog logo remains on one side, the terminal building has a new name: The Philadelphia Parking Authority Transportation Center.
PPA managed the $5 million makeover of the station and will run it, in partnership with the city’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems.
As of Friday, the open-air Spring Garden bus center will no longer be used. Some curbside service will continue at Schuylkill Avenue between Walnut and Chestnut Streets through the end of May, city officials said.
The new station, situated on a little over an acre of property, has 11 bus bays behind the building, up from nine.
Inside, there are a waiting room, vending machines with food, drink and personal travel items; restrooms; bus ticket counters; offices and a space for drivers to rest between trips. (There’s even a roughed-out room for a small cafe in the future.)
With more windows and lighting, the station feels airy compared to the bunkerlike vibe of the former place.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and city leaders pushed to have a presentable, temporary intercity bus terminal ready in time to welcome visitors to Philadelphia for FIFA’s World Cup, other sporting events, and the 250th birthday of the United States.
PPA got involved last October, and in December, the city and the authority formalized a working agreement.
PPA has a 10-year lease agreement with the property’s owner, 1001-1025 West Filbert Street L.L.C., with an option to extend it.
At a committee meeting last year, Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. marveled at how quickly the plan came together, complimenting Rich Lazer, the PPA executive director, OTIS and city planners.
“You can’t put that genie back in the bottle. I know you can cooperate now,” Jones said. “That’s the expectation from now on. It is truly impressive.”
Construction, which included installing a new heating and cooling system and plumbing, began in January.
And the tale is not over yet.
City officials still are looking for a permanent intercity bus station and say they have chosen three options, narrowed from more than 200 possible locations studied.
Meanwhile, the Filbert Street station will be up and running for at least 10 years.