38,000 register for SEPTA's papal transit lottery

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- SEPTA released the total number of entries it received on Monday for its papal visit transit pass lottery.

The final number, 38,013, was released early Tuesday morning, after the 24-hour online registration period closed.

SEPTA had said Monday that demand was running lower than expected for chances to buy up to ten of the special Regional Rail passes for Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia on September 26th and 27th.

SEPTA is selling a total of 350,000 passes for the weekend - 175,000 for both Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27. The passes are $10.

SEPTA said lottery winners would be notified later this week.

It was not immediately clear what the agency would do with any extra tickets after sales are complete.

An earlier attempt to sell the passes on Monday, July 20th, resulted in the crash of SEPTA's website, leading to the decision to hold the lottery.