San Diego’s public transportation options include bus, trolley, train, taxi, tour bus and rental car. Though bus and trolley routes are plentiful, the train schedule is best-suited to workday commuters (with some Saturday but no Sunday or late evening hours), but well worth the effort.
Trolley
The trolley system and its easily identifiable red trolleys, which pulse along the major corridors of downtown and western East County. The electronic trolley system winds its way to many prime locations on the tourist map (Old Town, Gaslamp, Convention Center, Seaport Village, Fashion Valley Mall, San Ysidro/Tijuana border).
Trolley fares are based on trip distance. Select your correct fare from the chart below, or see the Trolley route map posted on the ticket machines at each station. Some machines require exact change, some accept $1.00 or $5.00 bills. Susan B. Anthony coins are also accepted.
Coaster Trains
North County is accessible via Coaster train, a great way to head north from Downtown or vice versa. As the name hints, The Coaster train runs along the coast from Downtown’s Kettner station all the way up through North County, including stops in the surf and design town of Solana Beach, the old-school beach town of Encinitas, historic Carlsbad and ending in Oceanside.
Fares vary based on the distance traveled; from $3.75 – $5.25 for a one-way regular fare, to $1.75 – $2.50 for Senior (60+) or Disabled passengers. One child, under age 6, per adult can ride free. Onetrip, two-trip, 10-trip tickets and passes are available from ticket machines at each station; each ticket must be validated before boarding (validators are next to each ticket machine).
More information on public transit in San Diego is available through the Metropolitan Transit System at (800) COMMUTE
Bus Operators
Several bus operators work together to form the Metropolitan Transit System.
San Diego Transit Corporation
The Service: SDTC has 29 fixed routes, 7 are express and 22 local. The routes operate over 610 miles, serving about two million people. SDTC covers the cities of San Diego, El Cajon, La Mesa, National City, as well as portions of San Diego County’s unincorporated area. SDTC routes also connect with other regional operators’ routes.
North County Transit District
General Information (619) 233-3004 or (800) 266-6883
InfoExpress (619) 685-4900 or (800) 266-6883
www.sdcommute.com
NCTD Buses carry passengers in the north San Diego County region, which includes the area south to and including Del Mar, east to Escondido, north to the Orange County and Riverside County lines, and includes Camp Pendleton. The region is more than 1,000 square miles in area and has a population of more than 800,000 people.
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