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The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority — also known as SEPTA — is the nation’s sixth-largest public transit system. Its most extensive service: the 280-mile Regional Rail commuter network, a collection of 14 lines serving 35 million yearly riders from more than 150 stations throughout Philadelphia and the Countryside.
One of the (many) great things about the Regional Rail network is how easy it is to visit the city when you’re in the surrounding counties and, conversely, to check out the counties while you’re in the city. Pop on a train in Center City, and you can be in Doylestown, Bucks County in 80 minutes. Hop aboard in Malvern, Chester County, and you can disembark in West Philly in under an hour.
And that makes accessing some of the region’s best breweries a breeze. If you’re adding a stop at one of the Greater Philadelphia Craft Beer Trail breweries to your itinerary, it couldn’t be easier to expand your geographic circle, with 15 craft breweries located within a short five-minute walk of a SEPTA Regional Rail station. (For those counting at home, it’s five breweries in the city and 10 breweries in the countryside.)
Below is your handy guide to every brewery in the Philadelphia region located within a quick five-minute stroll of a Regional Rail station, along with a few suggestions of other great spots to visit nearby (think: shopping and entertainment, a relaxing hiking trail, a sunny park, a quaint main street, or a fascinating museum or historic site).
For more about riding SEPTA’s Regional Rail, check its official website.
A three-minute walk from Jefferson Station
Iron Hill Brewery is a Philly craft beer icon, and nothing beats the atmosphere of its 12th & Market Street location in the heart of Center City East. On offer: Philly-centric beers, outdoor seating facing City Hall, an open kitchen and giant windows peering into the on-site brewery.
Nearby: Just two blocks from Broad Street, all of Center City is at your disposal, but don’t miss in-the-know favorites like The Gayborhood and historic Jewelers’ Row.
Where: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Center City, 1150 Market Street
A four-minute walk from Suburban Station
If you’re headed into the city to be in the middle of it all, there’s no better stop for a beer than at Victory Brewing Company’s Center City location right on the Ben Franklin Parkway. Opened in 2021, the expansive 14,000-square-foot taproom features two indoor bars, a pet-friendly outdoor bar, a beer garden, sidewalk seating and a rooftop patio overlooking some of Philly’s most iconic buildings.
Nearby: There is more than one can see in a day around Victory’s Center City locale near Suburban Station, but be sure to catch some of Philly’s most popular attractions, including LOVE Park, The Franklin Institute and the Schuylkill River Trail.
Where: Victory Brewing Company Philadelphia, 1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
A five-minute walk from the Chestnut Hill West Station
Iron Hill’s Chestnut Hill brewpub — located in the center of the cobblestoned Germantown Avenue corridor — offers handcrafted beers and an expanded menu in a casual yet upscale setting.
Nearby: Leafy Chestnut Hill has been a favored getaway from Center City for centuries, and there is plenty to explore, including shops along friendly Germantown Avenue, stunning foliage and greenery (depending on the season) at Morris Arboretum & Gardens, and the art collections at Woodmere Art Museum.
Where: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Chestnut Hill, 8400 Germantown Avenue
A five-minute walk from Wayne Junction
Serving small-batch brews with whimsical feline names, Attic Brewing Company is a laid-back, comfy spot in historic Germantown to have a beer, with a plethora of cozy couches, as well as kitschy art adorning the walls (and on the bar).
Nearby: Nearby is expansive Wissahickon Valley Park, sprawling Awbury Arboretum (and the Philly Goat Project farm), and historic Cliveden mansion.
Note: In addition to the Lansdale/Doylestown Line, Attic Brewing is also accessible on the Chestnut Hill East, Fox Chase and Warminster lines, all of which also stop at Wayne Junction.
Where: Attic Brewing Company, 137 Berkley Street
A one-minute walk from Glenside Station
If good pub fare is as important to you as good pub beers, catch the Lansdale/Doylestown line to The Ways Restaurant and Brewery in Glenside run by Way brothers Steven, an experienced chef serving up clever bar food and unique tortilla creations, and Tim, an aficionado of rare and altbiers weaned in the Weyerbacher Brewing family.
Nearby: Glenside is a busy suburban city with plenty to see and do, including perusing the paintings and sculptures at Moody Jones Gallery, taking a leafy ramble around Curtis Arboretum or catching a touring band at the 1,400-capacity Keswick Theatre concert hall.
Where: The Ways Restaurant & Brewery, 11 S. Easton Road, Glenside
A three-minute walk from Ambler Station
The shopping district in the heart of Ambler surrounds one of the loveliest main street corridors in Montco. That’s the small-town front-porch vibe Forest & Main Brewing (and its beers) evoke, even after moving from its original location to both a brewpub and production brewery closer to the action.
Nearby: Take time to explore the rest of the charming main street Ambler retail district along East Butler Avenue and West Butler Pike, see a show at Act II Playhouse, and visit the Continental Army encampment and museum at Hope Lodge & Mather Mill in Fort Washington.
Where: Forest & Main Brewing Company, 33 E. Butler Avenue, Ambler
A one-minute walk North Wales Station
Warm-weather months are the perfect time to visit North Penn Valley’s Ten7 Brewing, founded by a former law enforcement officer and named for the police code for an officer who is off duty. Guests can share award-winning beers under the spot’s covered 1,500-square-foot beer pavilion with walls open to the elements across the road from North Wales Station.
Nearby: While you’re in Montco, spend some of your time sampling the vino at Boyd’s Cardinal Hollow Winery or touring the 275-year-old still-operating Peter Wentz Farmstead.
Where: Ten7 Brewing Company, 510 Beaver Street, North Wales
A three-minute walk from the Lansdale Station
Not just a name but also a way of life, Well Crafted Beer Company operates a friendly brewpub in the suburban beer mecca of Lansdale, a 5,000-square-foot space that’s half brewhouse and half restaurant and taproom. On offer: a 20-tap bar, a live music stage, a beer garden and a robust bottle shop.
Nearby: If you’re looking for more action in the area, take a short trip over to Merrymead Farm, a working dairy farm, ice creamery and market. Or spend some time indoors away from the elements at nearly-100-store Montgomery Mall.
Where: Well Crafted Beer Co. Lansdale Brewpub, 310 Madison Street, Lansdale
A five-minute walk from the Lansdale Station
There is no better reason to hop a train to Lansdale than for the “All Beer Flights” at Round Guys Brewing, a sample flight that includes every beer available on draft — upwards of 16 from its seven-barrel system — served on an overflowing barrel stave. Pair it with the spot’s exceptional Buffalo wings on its spacious outdoor patio, if the weather permits.
Nearby: Take a short trip over to Merrymead Farm, a working dairy farm, ice creamery and market, or spend some time indoors away from the elements at nearly 100-store Montgomery Mall or with open skating at Hatfield Ice World.
Where: Round Guys Brewing Company, 324 W. Main Street, Lansdale
A four-minute walk from the Manayunk Station
A favorite spot in Manayunk, Fat Lady Brewing is an inclusion-forward, body-positive space with a circus ambiance, including a circus snack concession stand; a regular speakeasy; burlesque, drag and vaudeville nights; and 12 taps of big top-themed beers in a relaxing 115-seat space.
Nearby: While the name Manayunk is derived from the Lenape word for “where we go to drink,” there is plenty else to see and do here, including shopping along Main Street Manayunk, visiting famous graves at Laurel Hill Cemetery and strolling along the beautiful Manayunk Canal Towpath.
Where: Fat Lady Brewing, 4323 Main Street
A one-minute walk from the Lansdowne Station
Serving beers made at its popular Hatboro brewpub, Crooked Eye Brewery’s Delco location is inside Jamey’s House of Music an intimate concert venue that features a dozen taps to pick from in the restaurant or while taking in a show.
Nearby: Take a quick trip to spots like Cobbs Creek Park (home of Philadelphia’s oldest golf course and Laura Sims Skate House), beautiful 200-acre Mount Moriah Cemetery and live music spot Lansdowne Folk Club.
Where: Crooked Eye Brewery at Jamey's House of Music, 32 S. Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne
A one-minute walk from Swarthmore Station
Take a break from the brewery scene at Jersey Shore fave Ship Bottom’s Swarthmore location. The spot is part blendery (where beer is blended, not brewed) and part barrel house (with beers slow-aged in barrels creating hints of spirits like bourbon or tequila). Also available: a unique hard seltzer bar where you can build your own boozy seltzers.
Nearby: There’s a lot to do in this section of the Main Line to extend your day, including a visit to Scott Arboretum on the campus of Swarthmore College, shopping and entertainment in the borough of Media, or a hike along the Leiper-Smedley Trail in Crum Woods.
Where: Ship Bottom Brewery - Blendery & Barrel House, 5 Park Avenue, Swarthmore
A three-minute walk from Ardmore Station
Just across Lancaster Avenue from Ardmore Station and a five-minute stroll down from their quaint BrewCafé, Tired Hands Brewing’s Fermentaria is a true brewpub set in an old trolley repair shop, a large space for nearly 200 to enjoy “strange and beautiful” beers from 10 taps and its own Mexican-leaning menu featuring tacos, ceviche and small plates.
Nearby: Straddling the Montco and Delco lines, Ardmore is a bustling Main Line town with plenty to see and do, including shopping at Suburban Square (one of America’s first shopping centers) or catching a live show at the Ardmore Music Hall.
Where: Tired Hands Fermentaria Tap Room, 35 Cricket Terrace, Ardmore
A one-minute walk from the Berwyn Station
La Cabra Brewing is The Goat (literally — that’s what the brewery’s moniker translates to from Spanish), and patrons agree when sampling their 14 stainless steel-fermented, oak barrel-aged beers on tap served alongside a plethora of Latinx-inspired dishes like empanadas and Cubanos.
Nearby: More fun sites to visit include the century-old Footlighters’ Theater and the General Warren Inne, which serves fine and casual fare in a building dating back to 1745.
Where: La Cabra Brewing, 642 Lancaster Avenue, Berwyn
A two-minute walk from Elkins Park Station
The taproom at Cheshire Brewing Company (from the founders of J.J. Ratigan Brewing), located inside Elkins Park’s Creekside Market & Tap food hall, offers interesting beer styles and creations from the Pottstown brewer not found in many other spots, as well as exciting rotating guest taps, plenty of hall seating and a spot right next to Creekside Deli.
Nearby: While you’re in Elkins Park, you can visit the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Beth Sholom Synagogue, Bradley Cooper’s childhood arthouse cinema Hiway Theater in Jenkintown and the 2.5-mile out-and-back trail at Tookany Creek Park.
Where: Cheshire Brewing Co., 7909 High School Road, Elkins Park
The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia), overnight hotel accommodations and choose-your-own-adventure perks.
Next stop: the Philly beer scene...