Riding the metrolink

[ODB]

When I worked in L.A., every month or so i would get to flex my hours and take public transpo from north OC. Metrolink in Fullerton to Union Station, then the subway to the end of the Red Line, then a bus to my office door. Took me longer than driving and cost a heckuva lot more than gas at that time, but i always looked forward to being able to relax with a book or newspaper on my way to and from work. I bet the cost would be a wash these days, given where gas has gone.

[Rob]

Also keep in mind that your Metrolink train ticket is also a one day pass for any OCTA bus, which also have bike racks.

I used to ride the train every day from The La Sierra station in Riverside to the Orange station and then ride a few miles to Adrenaline. It was WAYYYY better than driving in rush hour traffic on the 91 everyday and also cheaper considering the gas prices. After work I had a 30 minute wait for the train so I would grab a beer at the pub right down the street from the train station and then kick back on the train. The scenery you see while on the train is pretty nice too, you don't get a chance to see the stuff you would if you were in a auto.

I have these sites bookmarked on my Moto Q, makes it really easy to find bus/train times wherever you are.

http://www.metrolinktrains.com/schedules/
http://www.octa.net/schedules_maps.aspx
http://www.riversidetransit.com/bus_info/schedules.htm

Another great tool is Google Maps, you can put in your starting and ending locations, chose avoid highways for bike rides, or click on the "Use Public Transit" option to show you how you can get there using the bus/train.

If you are going to be using the bus to get somewhere a one way pass is 1.25 and an all day pass is 3.00 for any combination of buses.

[Rockinthecasbah]

I get free octa fare with my titan ID card so the bius part is covered I also get 50% off monthly passes through school if I dont buy a parking permit that leaves me only driving to work on the weekends and cuts my driving in over half

[Rob]

You got it made! Screw the oil companies!

[Rockinthecasbah]

thats what im thinking ! ill be on the train tommorow

[mottmcfly]

Here's my thought. It costs me roughly $9.00 a day in gas alone to travel from Pasadena to Downtown LA. That's $180 a Month. The monthly pass for the Metro link is $62. There's $118.00 in savings a month. If I do this full time and give up the downtown parking space, that's an additional $80 a month I'll be saving. That brings it to $198 a month or $2376 a year.

It's crazy

[Rockinthecasbah]

well i made it today next time i will bring my SS, the bus sucks

[BrahMa]

So, I'm taking the wife to a concert near the SD Convention Center on Thursday night. We live right near the Tustin station, and I'm trying to figure out how we could take the train down there. Leaving around 5:45 - 6:00 from OC, and then leaving SD around 10:30. Is this feasible?

[Rob]

Originally Posted by BrahMa

So, I'm taking the wife to a concert near the SD Convention Center on Thursday night. We live right near the Tustin station, and I'm trying to figure out how we could take the train down there. Leaving around 5:45 - 6:00 from OC, and then leaving SD around 10:30. Is this feasible?

There's no train's that late at night. Latest Amtrak is 8:54 from Solana Beach.

You could make it an overnighter if you really wanted to ride the train...

[bighit8]

Hey Just wondering ( a little off subject) But does the Metro link take you to some fun spots in L.A.? I want to take my kids on the train and go have some lunch ect..

[mottmcfly]

Originally Posted by bighit8

Hey Just wondering ( a little off subject) But does the Metro link take you to some fun spots in L.A.? I want to take my kids on the train and go have some lunch ect..

Here's a map of all the stops.

http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/maps/rail_map.pdf

[Rockinthecasbah]

all went smoothly on my first ride except for the stupid busses I wetn on 26 instead of 25 and missed my train and had to wait for 2.5 hours for the next one lame, I need to get my SS finished to ride to class,

[mottmcfly]

I've taken the Metrolink from Sierra Madre to Downtown LA for two days now and it's been a really positive experience so far.

[ohyeah89]

Originally Posted by bighit8

Hey Just wondering ( a little off subject) But does the Metro link take you to some fun spots in L.A.? I want to take my kids on the train and go have some lunch ect..

I remember one time when when I was a kid my mom took us downtown and we rode the subway (it was SUCH a novel concept to us, growing up in socal) I don't remember quite WHERE we took it but I remember it being "SOOOoOOO COOL" getting to ride the subway! I want to say we went to Alvera Street? That's a cool place with a lot of culture to take kids, and ESPECIALLY for yummy food!

[Pugz]

How can you tell what time the train gets to your destination? When I look at the schedule (Leaving Fullerton to San Juan Capistrano) I see that I can catch the 6:19 am train but I don't see where it tells you the time it gets to the San Juan Capistrano station.


Next month I am going to start taking the train everyday and bringing my road bike to ride to work from the station. I would also like to try riding to work once or twice a week but will have to wait and see about that.

[duke777]

Originally Posted by bighit8

Hey Just wondering ( a little off subject) But does the Metro link take you to some fun spots in L.A.? I want to take my kids on the train and go have some lunch ect..

Hey danny once you get to the Union station you can take the red line to Pershing Square and there is grand central market, cool please to eat and see. Or take it all the way to Wilshire western and you are in Korean Town. Or the Red line has 2 trains and the other goes all the way to hollywood.

Alvera street is pretty cool and it's only across the street from Union station.

Also take a taxi to San Antonio winery for lunch, good food and cool place. They open for lunch only.

There really are TONS of options just need to dig for it.

Ah also there is the financial district/bunker hill. The jewelery district, the old library. Farmers market on Wednesdays on third street, San Vincent street..........all this is within walking distance of red line pershing square station.


Of course if you take the other train/bus you can get to china town and dodger stadium and even pasadena on gold line.

BTW if you purchased a metrolink ticket you can use it as the the metro ticket e.g. red and gold line. You don't have to buy separate metro ticket. Check metro.net.

[duke777]

Originally Posted by Pugz

How can you tell what time the train gets to your destination? When I look at the schedule (Leaving Fullerton to San Juan Capistrano) I see that I can catch the 6:19 am train but I don't see where it tells you the time it gets to the San Juan Capistrano station.


Next month I am going to start taking the train everyday and bringing my road bike to ride to work from the station. I would also like to try riding to work once or twice a week but will have to wait and see about that.

I'm pretty sure that's end of the service for that line. I would call them. Going to LA in the morning there are tones of trains but going the other way there are very very limited choices.

[denmother]

Originally Posted by ohyeah89

I remember one time when when I was a kid my mom took us downtown and we rode the subway (it was SUCH a novel concept to us, growing up in socal) I don't remember quite WHERE we took it but I remember it being "SOOOoOOO COOL" getting to ride the subway! I want to say we went to Alvera Street? That's a cool place with a lot of culture to take kids, and ESPECIALLY for yummy food!

Olivera Street is right across the street from Union Station!!! So when you get off the train, you just walk across Alameda.

Originally Posted by Pugz

How can you tell what time the train gets to your destination? When I look at the schedule (Leaving Fullerton to San Juan Capistrano) I see that I can catch the 6:19 am train but I don't see where it tells you the time it gets to the San Juan Capistrano station.


Next month I am going to start taking the train everyday and bringing my road bike to ride to work from the station. I would also like to try riding to work once or twice a week but will have to wait and see about that.

At the top of the schedule is the departure time. Each station is listed on the left with the corresponding departure/arrival time. The bottom half of the schedule are the departure times in reverse.