MTS Trolley and Bus Enhanced Service Schedule for Holidays and NYE

Late-night Trolley service planned for New Year’s Eve

San Diego – San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) bus and Trolley services will operate modified schedules for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period. MTS will also be running late-night Trolley service out of downtown San Diego to accommodate people ringing in the New Year.

MTS is also offering a special holiday promotion with the “Friends Ride Free” special fare on Christmas and New Year’s Days. Any paying passenger can bring one friend along to ride for free on any MTS Trolley or bus route on these two days.

MTS modified scheduling is as follows:

Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24: All Trolley lines and MTS local, urban, express, Rapid and Rapid Express bus routes will operate normal weekday schedules.

Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25:  All Trolley lines will operate on a half-hour frequency. There will be Sunday service on Rapid 201/202, 204, 215 and 235, urban and local bus routes, and Express Route 20. No service will be provided on Rapid Express 280 or 290 and Rapid 237, Sorrento Valley COASTER Connection, other Express bus routes, or the Vintage Trolley (Silver Line).  Rural Route 891 will operate on Monday, Dec. 28 instead of on Christmas.

Monday, Dec. 28 through Thursday, Dec. 31: Rapid Express 280 and 290 will operate on a modified service schedule with decreased frequency. All other bus routes and the Trolley will operate on a regular weekday schedule.

New Year’s Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31: Regular weekday service will be available on all three Trolley lines. Extra trains have been added to the schedule past midnight. Times for the last trains departing downtown San Diego are as follows:

• Green Line (from 12th & Imperial Transit Center to SDSU): 12:36 a.m., 1:36 a.m. and 2:36 a.m.
• Blue Line (from America Plaza to San Ysidro): 12:28 a.m., 1:28 a.m. and 2:28 a.m.
• Orange Line (from America Plaza to El Cajon): 12:31 a.m., 1:31 a.m. and 2:31 a.m.

Route 7, which runs from downtown San Diego to La Mesa via University Avenue, will add a late-night trip out of downtown departing at 2:07 a.m. from Front St. and A St. Route 30, which runs from Old Town Transit Center to UTC via the beach communities, will add two late night trips departing from Old Town Transit Center at 1 and 2 a.m. 

All other routes will operate on a normal weekday schedule.

New Year’s Day, Friday, Jan. 1:  There will be Sunday service on Trolley lines, Rapid 201/202, 204, 215, urban and local bus routes and Express Route 20 on New Year’s Day. No service will be provided on Rapid 237, Rapid Express 280 or 290, Sorrento Valley COASTER Connection, other Express bus routes or the Vintage Trolley (Silver Line). Rural Route 891 will operate on Monday, Jan. 4 instead of on New Year’s Day.

MTS Access subscriptions are cancelled on Friday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day, and also on Friday, Jan. 1, New Year’s Day. Passengers with subscriptions who require transportation on those days must call two to three days in advance to arrange their trip.

Customer Service: The MTS Information & Trip Planning Office, Customer Service Call Center, the Compass Card Call Center and the Transit Store will all close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24, remain closed on Christmas Day, and resume normal operating hours on Saturday, Dec. 26. The MTS Information & Trip Planning Office, Customer Service Call Center, Compass Card Call Center, and the Transit Store will all close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31, remain closed on New Year’s Day, and resume normal operating hours on Saturday, Jan. 2. The Transit Store is located at Broadway and 1st in downtown San Diego.

For detailed holiday service schedules visit www.sdmts.com/schedules-real-time-service-notices/holiday-services.  

MTS operates 95 bus routes and three Trolley lines on 53 miles of double-tracked railway. Every weekday more than 300,000 passenger trips are taken on MTS bus and Trolley services. MTS set a new record in FY 2015 with 96.7 million riders. For more information on how you can use public transportation and save money, go to www.sdmts.com.  

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