After 4 years of taking 4 buses a day (or two busses and two trains) I was a little burnt on SEPTA after high school. I would avoid Erie as it gets dicey at times. I recommend sticking to the R8 if possible. 20 minutes to get into town.

Hi, Igor!

I've been offline for ages - nearly a month - gasp! - thus the late reply.

I think that the 53 has a shorter and more pleasant ride than the H or the 23 for the ride I took which was from Erie to Lincoln Drive when I lived in Mount Airy.

That said, I agree with Ezra that the R8 is a shorter and even more pleasant ride into Center City. Given the shorter train schedules (fewer trains running) though, I find it's important to have alternatives to the train.

The H bus crosses Germantown at Mount Pleasant ... you can walk over to some restaurants like North by Northwest, Fit for Life, etc. or buy a transfer pass (60 cents or not needed at all if you have a transpass) and take the 23 bus to points north of that intersection.

I haven't used any of the cat clinics yet although I intend to try the Chestnut Hill one because it was recommended here. We've recently moved, and we haven't wanted to overwhelm Louise, the cat, with the move AND a vet visit so close together, timewise.

Got to run, but did want to get back re: your main queries.

Dana

Mt Airy ends at Stenton Avenue. The area between Stenton and Cheltenham is officially "Cedarbrook", not Mt Airy.

I realize I'm responding to an old message... but if you're taking the 53 and you have a TransPass anyway, consider getting off at Wayne Junction and transferring to regional rail... Wayne Junction is a zone 1 station so it is covered by a TransPass. I find I get to work faster this way and I don't have to transfer at lovely Erie.