The station was opened on June 7, 1936, along with
8th & Market and
Franklin Square in Philadelphia and
Broadway in Camden, as part of
Bridge Line rapid transit service. The Bridge Line closed on December 28, 1968, for conversion into the
PATCO Speedline. The section between Lindenwold and City Hall opened on January 4, 1969, followed a few weeks later by the section between City Hall and Philadelphia on February 14. City Hall is one of the least utilized stations on the PATCO line. Originally constructed with long corridors under 5th Street leading to both Arch Street and Cooper Street, the station featured separate entrances at the north and south corners of Cooper Street and 5th Street. However, due to consistently low ridership, these corridors have been closed. There are three stairways at the northeast, southwest and southeast corners of Market Street and 5th Street. The northeast stairway is designated for emergency use only. The stairway at the southeast corner (inside Roosevelt Park) opened in 2023 as part of a PATCO project to improve
accessiblity at the station. An elevator was also added at southeast corner along with an elevator connecting the platform and mezzanine. In August 2022, PATCO discontinued 24-hour service at City Hall station, citing low ridership, safety concerns, and the proximity of Broadway station as factors in the decision. == References ==