Southern California's Metrolink to Debut Significant Service Increases

Southern California’s Metrolink will soon offer customers greater flexibility, including more mid-day options, to better meet the region’s evolving transportation needs.

Beginning in October, Metrolink is adding 32 weekday trains, accounting for a nearly 23% increase in service.

The new schedule will also streamline connections between lines, making it easier for riders to navigate Metrolink’s six-county service area.

Building on Previous Service Boosts

Last October, Metrolink expanded service and provided similar train options on the Antelope Valley Line, which coincided with the launch of the free Student Adventure Pass.

As a result of the additional service, annual ridership grew by 7% between August 2023 and August 2024 with Student Adventure Pass user data excluded.

The upcoming schedule change represents the next step in Metrolink’s transformation from a conventional commuter service to a robust regional passenger rail connector — an evolution dubbed by CEO Darren Kettle as “Metrolink Reimagined.”

“The pandemic didn’t just change how and where people work,” Kettle said. “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. We’ll still be here for daily nine-to-five commuters, but we’re expanding our model to better accommodate a diverse range of customers, including tourists and day trippers, students, and nontraditional workers.”

Optimizing Service Schedules

In addition to increasing weekday service levels, the new schedule will optimize connections across the system, reducing wait times for most passengers transferring from one line to another and facilitating travel between counties.

The number of connections available throughout the day is increasing by more than 300%, and most customers will experience wait periods of just 10 to 20 minutes.

The operational efficiencies will also allow Metrolink to utilize fewer train sets to run more trains.