Starting June 1, Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train service will be partially restored along the Central Coast, with one train in each direction extending up to San Luis Obispo daily. An additional train will also be extended from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara/Goleta. Additional bus service will continue to provide more options north of Santa Barbara.
The Los Angeles - San Diego - San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, which oversees the Pacific Surfliner, has been working closely with Amtrak to respond to changes related to COVID-19. Both trains and buses continue to operate as essential services and provide options for those who must travel.
A reduced, temporary Pacific Surfliner schedulewent into effect March 23 in response to the local and statewide shelter-in-place mandates and to address a significant drop in passenger ridership. The reduced schedule included two trains and one bus in operation up to Santa Barbara/Goleta in each direction. San Luis Obispo service was preserved through limited Amtrak Thruway bus connections from Santa Barbara, with two daily trips in each direction, to ensure basic intercity transportation for communities along the Pacific Surfliner route.
The new adjustments beginning next month are the first steps to restoring PacificSurfliner service, and will bring back 100 miles of service along the 351-mile coastal rail corridor. This route is especially crucial to the San Luis Obispo region, as a portion of airline service to and from the area have been suspended.
“We will continue to take necessary actions in the best interest of the communities we serve, while also protecting the safety of our passengers and crews,” LOSSAN Agency Managing Director Donna DeMartino said. “We are excited to restore service to this large portion of our rail corridor, and we remain dedicated to returning to the robust service that we’ve provided in the past.”
Beginning June 1, the following adjustments will be in effect:
- Southbound Train 774 will depart San Luis Obispo at 6:55 a.m. and arrive in San Diego at 3:28 p.m., serving stations in between.
- Two southbound buses will provide connections from San Luis Obispo to Trains 768 and 796, which originate in Goleta/Santa Barbara.
- Northbound Train 777 will depart San Diego at 12:05 p.m. and arrive in San Luis Obispo at 8:36 p.m., serving stations in between.
- Northbound train 785 will depart San Diego at 3:58 p.m. and arrive in Goleta at 10:04 p.m., serving stations in between.
- Two northbound buses will provide connections to San Luis Obispo from trains 763 and 785, which terminate in Santa Barbara/Goleta.
The Coat Starlight, a long-distance Amtrak train, continues to operate one trip daily in each direction through San Luis Obispo.
Amtrak has also increased the frequency of cleaning services on board for the safety of passengers and crews. Additionally, passengers are required to wear facial coverings at train stations and on trains. Those who are traveling should check and adhere to local public health orders in effect for the areas in which they start and end their trip.
For more information on Amtrak Pacific Surfliner's scheduling updates, click here.
