K Bus Schedule: Routes, Times & Stops
Searching for the K bus schedule? In Philadelphia, SEPTA Bus K runs between Ridge–Midvale and Arrott Transit Center, serving Germantown, Chelten Avenue, North Philadelphia and the Roosevelt Boulevard area.
San Francisco also operates a different K Ingleside Bus during designated Muni Metro substitution periods. This guide helps you identify the right K bus, check actual timetable examples, find stops and route maps, compare fares, track live arrivals and avoid riding in the wrong direction.
What Is the K Bus Schedule?
The most relevant Philadelphia service is SEPTA Bus K, Ridge–Midvale to Arrott Transit Center. Its current published PDF timetable is effective August 23, 2026, and includes weekday, Saturday and Sunday departures.
SEPTA classifies Bus K as operating every 30 minutes or less on weekdays from 6 AM to 9 PM. This is a frequent-service period, not the complete operating span: the detailed timetable includes earlier and later trips.
K Bus Guide
Which K Bus Are You Looking For?
The letter K is used in several transit contexts. The key distinction is whether you are using a Philadelphia lettered bus route, a San Francisco rail-substitution bus or another operator entirely.
Philadelphia — SEPTA Bus K
Route: Ridge–Midvale to Arrott Transit Center.
Service area: East Falls, Germantown, West Oak Lane, East Oak Lane, Feltonville, Crescentville and Frankford-area connections.
Travel days: Weekday, Saturday and Sunday timetables.
Fare: $2.90 regular bus fare.
SEPTA Bus KSan Francisco — Muni K Ingleside Bus
Route: K Ingleside Bus substitution service.
Service area: San Jose Avenue, Ocean Avenue, West Portal, Upper Market and downtown San Francisco.
Main purpose: Bus coverage during designated periods outside normal Muni Metro rail operation.
Fare: $2.85 with Clipper, MuniMobile or contactless; $3 cash under the published adult fare structure.
Muni K Ingleside BusKMetro — Kalamazoo, Michigan
KMetro is the name used by Kalamazoo Metro Transit. It is an agency name rather than automatically being a bus route called K.
Search for the actual numbered Kalamazoo Metro route using the official route and tracking system.
Kalamazoo MetroOther K Bus Searches
A search may refer to a school bus, private shuttle, K Street bus stop, a lettered local route or another city’s transportation network.
If your destination is not Philadelphia or San Francisco, search with the full city and operating agency name before trusting a timetable.
SEPTA K Bus Schedule: Actual Weekday Departure Examples
The following examples are taken from SEPTA’s official August 23, 2026 Route K PDF. They show selected early weekday trips in opposite directions, with actual published timepoints.
These examples are useful for understanding the route, but they are not a complete list of every departure. Always check the current official PDF or SEPTA app for your intended travel date.
Westbound: Arrott Transit Center → Ridge–Midvale
| Stop / timepoint | Published weekday trip |
|---|---|
| Arrott Transit Center | 4:25 AM |
| Tower Boulevard & Roosevelt Boulevard | 4:31 AM |
| 5th Street & Godfrey Avenue | 4:39 AM |
| 66th Avenue & Broad Street | 4:43 AM |
| Chew & Chelten Avenues | 4:51 AM |
| Chelten & Wayne Avenues | 4:55 AM |
| Ridge & Midvale Avenues | 5:04 AM |
Eastbound: Ridge–Midvale → Arrott Transit Center
| Stop / timepoint | Published weekday trip |
|---|---|
| Ridge & Midvale Avenues | 5:15 AM |
| Chelten & Wayne Avenues | 5:24 AM |
| Wyncote Avenue & Wister Street | 5:31 AM |
| 66th Avenue & York Road | 5:36 AM |
| 5th Street & Godfrey Avenue | 5:41 AM |
| Roosevelt Boulevard & Friends Hospital | 5:53 AM |
| Arrott Transit Center | 5:58 AM |
SEPTA K Bus Route Map: Major Stops in Each Direction
Bus K uses different directional timepoints. The westbound timetable is labeled “To Ridge–Midvale”, while the eastbound timetable is labeled “To Arrott Transit Center.”
These are the published major timepoints, not every bus stop or a scale-accurate street map. Some opposite-direction stops use different intersections. Use SEPTA’s live stop list to confirm the exact boarding location.
Neighborhoods and Landmarks Along the K Route
Western terminal area, with nearby East Falls and Queen Lane connections.
Useful for Chelten, Wayne Avenue, neighborhood shopping and nearby rail connections.
Connections around 66th Avenue, Broad Street and York Road.
Useful for stops around 5th Street, Front Street and the northeastern part of the corridor.
Includes Tower Boulevard, Friends Hospital area and nearby Northeast Philadelphia destinations.
Eastern Route K terminal with SEPTA Metro and other bus connections.
How Often Does SEPTA Bus K Run?
SEPTA marks Bus K as a frequent weekday route. Its published timetable gives separate weekday, Saturday and Sunday trip tables.
Published frequency standard between 6 AM and 9 PM. Specific departures may be more frequent.
The current K PDF contains Saturday service in each direction. Check the table for your stop.
Sunday departures have their own timing pattern. Check special holiday rules too.
When Bus Frequency Changes
Bars are illustrative labels of service-pattern categories, not measured real-time reliability or a calculation of actual departures. Only the weekday daytime ≤30-minute statement is the published frequency guarantee for the stated period.
What About First and Last Buses?
Do not interpret “6 AM to 9 PM” as the complete operating span. The August 2026 timetable includes earlier terminal departures and trips that continue after midnight. Read the final trip in the correct direction, and check whether it serves the full route.
K Bus Ticket Price, SEPTA Key and Free Transfers
SEPTA’s current regular Bus and Metro fare is $2.90 per ride. Your payment method matters because contactless and SEPTA Key users can receive free eligible transfers.
Credit, debit or supported mobile wallet. Up to two qualifying free transfers within two hours.
Tap your SEPTA Key card. Qualifying transfers are included when the same fare medium is used.
Exact fare required. Cash bus fares do not include the free transfer benefit.
With a fare-paying adult under SEPTA rules.
Valid SEPTA Senior Fare Card required.
Approved Reduced Fare credential required.
Published card fee, refundable to Travel Wallet when properly registered.
How the Two-Hour Free Transfer Works
For example, a trip using K followed by other eligible SEPTA Bus or Metro services within two hours can cost $2.90 in total when the same accepted contactless credential or SEPTA Key card is used throughout.
What About SEPTA Key Tix?
SEPTA ended new Key Tix sales in March 2026 and stopped accepting previously purchased Key Tix after August 28, 2026. For October 2026 travel, use currently accepted payment options such as SEPTA Key, contactless payment or cash rather than relying on an older Key Tix instruction.
Official SEPTA Fares & Transfers Official Ways to PayImportant Bus K Transfer Locations
Bus K is useful for connecting northwestern Philadelphia neighborhoods with northern and northeastern transit corridors. Your best transfer point depends on the actual street intersection and direction.
Eastern terminal with connections to SEPTA Metro’s L service and other local buses. Confirm the current platform, stop and route destination.
A published K timepoint in both directions, useful for checking nearby north-south connecting services.
Useful for Germantown-area travel and connections involving nearby rail stations and other bus routes.
The correct timepoint differs by direction. Confirm where the bus actually boards before crossing the street.
Route K passes the Roosevelt Boulevard area, where temporary stop changes may affect the correct boarding corner.
Western terminal area useful for East Falls and nearby travel toward other bus or Regional Rail connections.
Some nearby connections also involve Route 57’s Godfrey and North Philadelphia service areas. Our Route 57 schedule, fares and live-arrival guide can help you identify the Philadelphia version of that route and verify its current stopping pattern.
Where Is the K Bus? Map and Stop Lookup
SEPTA’s official Route K map shows the full corridor from Ridge–Midvale through Germantown, Chelten Avenue, Broad Street, Godfrey Avenue, Roosevelt Boulevard and Arrott Transit Center.
Example Map: Arrott Transit Center, Philadelphia
This map locates the K bus’s eastern terminal area. For the complete line, SEPTA’s route map is more useful than a single Google Maps location pin.
How to Find the Exact K Bus Stop
- Open the SEPTA route page or trip planner.
- Select Bus K and your destination direction.
- Search your boarding intersection or address.
- Identify the correct street side and stop ID.
- Check whether an active alert has moved the stop.
- Review a live prediction before walking to the stop.
How to Track SEPTA K Bus Arrivals in Real Time
Scheduled time is the planned timetable. Live arrival is an updated estimate based on bus-location and real-time data where available. Predictions may change because of traffic, construction, canceled trips or GPS issues.
Use the official app or real-time system map.
Search the letter K under bus routes.
Pick Arrott or Ridge–Midvale.
Confirm the precise stop and intersection.
Refresh the prediction before leaving.
SEPTA K Bus Schedule by Text Message
SEPTA also provides scheduled bus information by text. Its published text-schedule instructions use the stop ID and the number 41411.
Use the exact stop number posted at the bus stop or found through the SEPTA route tools.
Send SEPTA followed by the stop number to 41411 using the agency’s supported message format.
Review the returned scheduled arrivals. When several routes serve the stop, use the supported route-specific lookup to narrow the results.
Muni K Ingleside Bus Schedule: Times, Stops and Fare
If you are in San Francisco, your search may refer to the K Ingleside Bus, which is separate from Philadelphia SEPTA K.
SFMTA operates K Ingleside as a Muni Metro line and provides K Ingleside Bus service during designated early-morning and other substitution periods.
Published K Ingleside Bus early-morning window.
Published weekend early-morning window.
Clipper, MuniMobile or accepted contactless payment.
Published cash fare for regular Muni service.
Muni K Bus Major Service Areas
The current official Muni K Ingleside Bus page lists San Jose Avenue & Geneva Avenue and Steuart Street & Mission Street among the route terminals. The exact direction and stop sequence should be selected in SFMTA’s schedule tool.
Important Muni K Bus Stop IDs
| Stop | Published stop ID |
|---|---|
| San Jose Avenue & Geneva Avenue | 16260 |
| Market Street & Castro Street, inbound | 15665 |
| Steuart Street & Mission Street | 16497 |
Does the K Bus Run on Sundays and Holidays?
Philadelphia SEPTA Bus K has published Saturday and Sunday timetables. The appropriate holiday timetable depends on the specific date and any SEPTA special-service announcement.
Special Weekday Timetables
SEPTA’s holiday guidance identifies alternate schedules for Route K on selected dates, including:
- Friday, November 27, 2026 — day after Thanksgiving.
- Wednesday, December 23, 2026.
- Thursday, December 24, 2026 — Christmas Eve.
- December 28–31, 2026.
- Monday, January 18, 2027 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- Monday, February 15, 2027 — Presidents Day.
Other major holidays may operate using Sunday service. Always consult SEPTA’s current holiday page because an alternate timetable may change departure times even when the route number remains the same.
K Bus Alerts, Detours and Temporary Stop Closures
SEPTA Route K can be affected by road construction, special events, traffic, vehicle cancellations and temporary stop closures. Use the current alert feed before relying on an older schedule screenshot.
SEPTA’s Route K notices have identified an eastbound stop discontinuation in the Friends Hospital area during construction. Confirm the currently available replacement stop.
Construction, special events or road closures may change the normal route or boarding location temporarily.
Check the bus bay, Metro connection and service notices before making a time-sensitive transfer.
SEPTA K Bus Accessibility, Wheelchairs and Reduced Fares
SEPTA states that all fixed-route buses are ADA-accessible. Vehicles have wheelchair ramps or lifts, and bus operators can lower the bus to make boarding easier when requested.
Ask the operator for the ramp or lift. Confirm the boarding surface and whether a construction notice has moved the stop.
An accessible bus does not guarantee every temporary bus-stop location is equally accessible. Review curb, sidewalk and street-crossing conditions.
Eligible riders with disabilities can use approved reduced-fare credentials. SEPTA Access paratransit has separate eligibility and booking rules.
SEPTA Accessibility Contacts
Help with fixed-route trip information and rider questions.
Paratransit eligibility, reduced-fare program guidance and accessible travel information.
How to Ride the SEPTA K Bus Step by Step
Confirm SEPTA Bus K in Philadelphia.
Choose Arrott or Ridge–Midvale.
Identify the exact boarding corner.
Use SEPTA Key, contactless or cash.
Refresh arrivals and current alerts.
Before-Boarding Checklist
- Confirm whether your K bus is in Philadelphia or San Francisco.
- Open the correct official operating-agency website.
- Check the timetable effective date.
- Select weekday, Saturday, Sunday or holiday service.
- Confirm the correct direction and terminal destination.
- Locate the exact stop or transit-center bay.
- Check the first or last trip if traveling early or late.
- Prepare fare and understand transfer conditions.
- Check the live arrival prediction before walking out.
- Review active detours and relocated stops.
- Arrive about 5–10 minutes early when possible.
- Allow more time for medical appointments and transfers.
What to Do When Your K Bus Is Late or Missing
Check whether the trip has started, whether GPS data is available and whether the bus is operating on a detour. Reopen the official schedule for the next planned departure.
Compare the PDF’s effective date, your service day and whether the app is displaying a live prediction instead of a scheduled time.
Confirm the full bus destination and stop ID. A westbound K stop may differ from the eastbound stop at the same general intersection.
Use the official trip planner to check another bus, Metro or Regional Rail alternative. Do not assume a late short-turn K trip reaches the far terminal.
Read temporary detour notices, check whether the stop is closed and verify whether the approaching bus was in service.
Check the two-hour window and make sure you used the same contactless credential or SEPTA Key card for the transfer.
Official K Bus Schedule, Fare, Map and Tracker Resources
Use the operating-agency links below for the most current service information. SEPTA controls Philadelphia K bus trips; SFMTA controls San Francisco K Ingleside Bus operations.
Official route page, current schedule, directions, map and notices.
Open Route KPublished weekday, Saturday and Sunday tables effective August 23, 2026.
Open K PDFLive bus locations and stop-level information where available.
Open Live MapOrigin, destination, travel date, transfers and approximate trip duration.
Plan a SEPTA TripRegular fares, Key, contactless payment, free transfers and reduced fares.
Official Fare InformationTemporary stop closures, detours, construction and service interruptions.
Check SEPTA AlertsSan Francisco’s separate K bus, stop IDs, schedules and live map.
Official Muni K BusDirection-specific early-morning and special-service departures.
Official SFMTA K Bus TimesInformation reviewed: October 9, 2026. BusSchedule.us is an independent information website and does not operate SEPTA, SFMTA or KMetro services, control departures, sell official tickets or guarantee live predictions.
K Bus Schedule FAQs
What is the K bus schedule?
The Philadelphia K bus is SEPTA Route K between Ridge–Midvale and Arrott Transit Center. San Francisco also has a separate Muni K Ingleside Bus service. Confirm your city before checking times.
Where does SEPTA Bus K go?
SEPTA K serves the corridor between Ridge–Midvale and Arrott Transit Center, including Germantown, Chelten Avenue, Godfrey Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard areas.
What time does the SEPTA K bus start?
The August 23, 2026 weekday timetable includes a 4:25 AM departure from Arrott Transit Center toward Ridge–Midvale and a 5:15 AM departure from Ridge–Midvale toward Arrott. Check your actual stop for its first departure.
What time is the last K bus?
Last trips differ by direction and service day. SEPTA’s Route K PDF includes after-midnight trips, but some do not travel the full route. Use the final timepoint served by the trip you plan to take.
Does SEPTA Bus K run on weekends?
Yes. The current SEPTA K PDF includes separate Saturday and Sunday timetables. Weekend frequency and departure times differ from the weekday schedule.
How much is the K bus fare?
The current regular SEPTA Bus and Metro fare is $2.90. SEPTA Key and qualifying contactless payments include up to two free transfers within two hours; cash does not include that transfer benefit.
How often does SEPTA Bus K run?
SEPTA advertises service every 30 minutes or less on weekdays between 6 AM and 9 PM. Check the detailed timetable for early morning, late night and weekend departures.
How can I track the K bus live?
Use SEPTA’s official real-time map or mobile app. Select Bus K, choose the direction and exact stop, then review the available live arrival prediction and service alerts.
Is San Francisco’s K bus the same as SEPTA K?
No. San Francisco’s Muni K Ingleside Bus operates as a rail-substitution service during designated periods. It uses different routes, stops, timetables and Muni fares.
Where can I download the K bus route map?
Open SEPTA’s official Route K page or the current K timetable PDF for the route map, directional timepoints, service-day tables and customer-service information.