Metrolink has officially announced its new service schedule which will add more trains to existing lines and make it easier to transfer from train to train.
The regional passenger rail service will add 32 weekday trains, a roughly 23% increase, beginning Oct. 21. The updated schedule will also “optimize” connections across the system, making it so riders don’t have to wait nearly as long to transfer between Metrolink’s different lines.
The new-and-improved Metrolink schedule was first reported exclusively by KTLA.com back in June.
Metrolink officials said the number of connections available throughout the weekday will increase by more than 300% when the new schedule launches in October, and most transferring riders will only have to wait between 10 to 20 minutes for their connecting train.
Currently, someone who arrives at Union Station from one of the Metrolink lines may have to wait an hour or longer to transfer to another.
The updated scheduling and increased number of trains will vastly reduce transfer times moving forward, officials said.
The biggest changes will be coming to Metrolink’s San Bernardino, Orange County, and Inland Empire-Orange County (IEOC) lines.
Sixteen new trains will be added to the San Bernardino Line on weekdays, including ten round-trips from Los Angeles Union Station to Covina.
Orange County will see seven new trains added to the mix during weekdays, operating at least as far south as Irvine.
The IEOC line will have four new trains on weekdays, and the final weekend train from Oceanside to San Bernardino has been shifted later into the evening to allow passengers more time to visit the coastline before returning home.
The Ventura County and 91/Perris Valley lines will add two new weekday trains, while one Riverside Line trip that was “underutilized” has been removed from service. Metrolink’s “codeshare” partnership will remain in place on trips between L.A. and Ventura, allowing riders to use both services on the Ventura County Line.
No new trains are being added to the Antelope Valley Line, but eight trains that previously terminated at the Via Princessa Station will now go one stop further to the new Vista Canyon Station.
The new schedule will be the next step in Metrolink’s planned transformation from a commuter-focused service to a general passenger rail system, something CEO Darren Kettle has referred to as “Metrolink Reimagined.”
“The pandemic didn’t just change how and where people work,” Kettle said in a news release issued Monday. “It changed how they travel and interact with transit systems. To ensure Metrolink remains a valuable resource for the communities we serve, we are reimagining our role within our region’s broader transportation landscape.”
Kettle said Metrolink will still be a reliable option for daily commuters, but its model will be updated to accommodate a wider range of customers, including “tourists and daytrippers, students and nontraditional workers.”
Last year, Metrolink expanded service on its Antelope Valley Line and said a 7% increase in ridership followed. Metrolink has also extended its Student Adventure Pass, which allows any student in K-12, trade schools or colleges, to travel anywhere on its 545-mile service area free of charge.
As ridership and fares have dwindled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Metrolink leaders hope improved service and increased frequency will bring back old riders and encourage new ones to try out the system.
“Customers and community members have been asking for more frequent trains, midday options and better connections, and we are listening,” said Larry McCallon, Metrolink board chair and Highland mayor pro tem.
When the new schedule goes into effect in October, many existing Metrolink routes will be shifted to earlier or later in the day and stops might not align with what’s currently offered. Travelers are encouraged to view the latest schedule update before planning their next trip.