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MTS light rail
The Trolley is the backbone of getting around San Diego without a car: four light-rail lines connect the border, downtown, Old Town, Mission Valley, UTC/La Jolla, SDSU and East County. As of October 1, 2026, fares are higher; exact service hours depend on the line, station and travel date.
Last updated
As of October 1, 2026, most regional adult Trolley fares are $3 one way, with a $7 daily cap and $85 monthly cap through PRONTO. Blue, Green, Orange and Copper Line hours vary by station, direction and day, so there is no single last-train time. Check the official MTS line schedule before a late trip and tap PRONTO before every ride.
There is no systemwide last-train time. The exact final departure depends on the line, station, direction and day of week. Use the official MTS Blue, Green, Orange or Copper Line schedule for your station and travel date rather than relying on a general estimate.
| Line | First Trains | Last Full Runs | Typical Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Line | Check the current timetable | Station- and direction-specific | Check the official schedule |
| Orange Line | Check the current timetable | Station- and direction-specific | Check the official schedule |
| Green Line | Check the current timetable | Station- and direction-specific | Check the official schedule |
| Copper Line | Check the current timetable | Station- and direction-specific | Check the official schedule |
Since October 1, 2026, most regional one-way fares have been $3 for adults and $1.50 for eligible senior, disabled and Medicare riders; standard adult PRONTO caps are $7 daily and $85 monthly. PRONTO LIFE participants retain discounted rates. Tap before every ride, and check the official MTS fare-change page for eligibility and exceptions.
No. Regular Trolley service is not free, though eligible youth can ride through the Youth Opportunity Pass and occasional promotions may waive fares on announced dates. Do not assume an open platform means a free ride: fare inspectors check proof of payment.
Adult one-way fare
$3 since Oct 1, 2026
Adult daily cap
$7 with PRONTO
Adult monthly cap
$85 with PRONTO
Lines
Blue, Green, Orange and Copper
Hours
Line-, station-, direction- and date-specific; check MTS schedules
Payment
PRONTO app, PRONTO card, or contactless tap at the platform validator
Operators change fares and timetables on their own schedule. Every number below is checked against the operator's own page on the date shown — check the source link before you travel.
Adult one-way fare: $3 adult and $1.50 senior/disabled/Medicare one way on most regional services since October 1, 2026
Verified Oct 12, 2026 against MTS — final approved fares effective October 1, 2026 — view the source
Daily and monthly caps: $7 daily and $85 monthly in standard adult PRONTO fare caps since October 1, 2026
Verified Oct 12, 2026 against MTS — final approved fares effective October 1, 2026 — view the source
| Line | Route | Use it for | End-to-end time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Line | San Ysidro (border) ↔ downtown ↔ Old Town ↔ UTC | Border crossings, La Jolla/UTC, Old Town, Little Italy | ~70 min |
| Orange Line | Courthouse ↔ downtown ↔ Lemon Grove ↔ El Cajon | East County, La Mesa Village, Gaslamp | ~45 min |
| Green Line | 12th & Imperial ↔ Mission Valley ↔ SDSU ↔ Santee | Petco Park, Snapdragon Stadium, Fashion Valley, SDSU | ~55 min |
| Copper Line | El Cajon ↔ Santee (shuttle) | East County connections | ~10 min |
| Destination | Take | Get off at | Time from downtown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petco Park (Padres) | Green, Orange or Blue | Gaslamp Quarter or 12th & Imperial | 0–10 min |
| San Diego Airport | Blue/Green to Old Town then free San Diego Flyer shuttle; or paid Route 992 from downtown | Old Town or Santa Fe Depot | Allow extra time for shuttle frequency |
| Old Town | Blue or Green | Old Town Transit Center | 10 min |
| Balboa Park / Zoo | Any line to City College, then bus 7 | City College | 20 min |
| La Jolla / UCSD | Blue Line north | UC San Diego or UTC; continue by bus/rideshare for the Village or Cove | 35–40 min to UCSD/UTC |
| Mission Beach / Pacific Beach | Green to Fashion Valley, then bus 8/9 | Fashion Valley | 40–50 min |
| Tijuana border | Blue Line south | San Ysidro Transit Center | 40 min |
| Snapdragon Stadium / SDSU | Green Line east | Stadium or SDSU Transit Center | 20–25 min |
| Fashion Valley / Mission Valley malls | Green Line | Fashion Valley or Mission Valley Center | 15 min |
| La Mesa Village | Orange Line east | La Mesa Blvd | 25 min |
| Station | Line | Parking | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santee Town Center | Green | Large free lot | East County drivers heading to Padres games |
| El Cajon Transit Center | Orange / Green | Free lot + garage | Downtown commutes, Comic-Con week |
| Grossmont Transit Center | Orange / Green | Free multi-level garage | The most reliable game-day lot |
| Fashion Valley | Green | Free mall parking (time-limited) | Shopping plus a downtown evening |
| Old Town Transit Center | Blue / Green | Small free lot, fills by 9am | Coaster and beach-bus transfers |
| Palomar Street (Chula Vista) | Blue | Free lot | South Bay riders and border trips |
| Iris Avenue | Blue | Free lot | Parking near the border without the wait |
No Trolley line enters the airport terminals. Transfer at Old Town Transit Center to the free San Diego Flyer airport shuttle when it is operating, or travel through downtown and use the paid MTS Route 992. Check actual airport-shuttle schedules and allow time for terminal traffic, luggage, and an early departure; do not confuse the free Flyer with the paid 992 bus.
San Diego uses the PRONTO fare system. Download the PRONTO app, add a virtual card and scan the QR code at the platform validator, or buy a PRONTO card from a station machine. You can also tap a contactless credit card or phone wallet, but bank-card taps do not earn PRONTO fare caps. As of October 1, 2026, standard adult PRONTO caps are $7 daily and $85 monthly.
The last Trolley depends on the line, station, direction and day of week. MTS publishes separate Blue, Green, Orange and Copper Line timetables and updates them when service changes. Check the official schedule for your exact station before a late trip rather than planning around one systemwide cutoff.
Instead of squinting at the system map, here's the practical version — the stops most people actually search for, and the line that serves them.
There's no Trolley station at San Diego International. Ride the Blue or Green Line to Middletown or the Santa Fe Depot and take the free Route 992 connection or the airport shuttle loop; from the Old Town Transit Center, the 992 and airport flyer buses also connect. Budget 20 extra minutes versus a rideshare.
Most suburban stations have free park-and-ride lots — Santee Town Center, El Cajon Transit Center, Grossmont, Fashion Valley, Old Town and Palomar Street are the biggest. On Padres game days and during Comic-Con, outer lots fill by mid-morning; park at Grossmont or Santee and ride in rather than paying $40+ downtown.
The Green Line is the Padres express: ride to the Gaslamp Quarter station (directly across from the ballpark's northwest corner) or 12th & Imperial (two blocks east). From Old Town, take the Green Line straight through — no transfer. From La Jolla/UTC, ride the Blue Line to Santa Fe Depot and switch to the Green Line one stop east. MTS may add post-game service; check the event-day schedule and current PRONTO cap before traveling.
For downtown-anchored trips the Trolley often wins on cost, especially when parking is involved. The standard adult fare changes on October 1, 2026, so compare the current PRONTO fare with the total cost of parking or rideshare for your travel date.
The Trolley is a normal urban light-rail system: clean, well-used and generally safe during the day and early evening, with sheriff's deputies and fare inspectors riding regularly. The stretches riders flag most often are the late-night Blue Line south of downtown and the 12th & Imperial platform after 10pm. Standard precautions cover it — stay in the front cars near the operator at night, keep bags in view, and use the well-lit central platforms rather than the far ends.
There is no single last-train time. Final service varies by Blue, Green, Orange or Copper Line, station, direction and day. Check the official MTS line schedule for your exact trip.
The cutoff is route-specific, not systemwide. Use the official MTS schedule for your line, boarding station, direction and travel date, especially for a late-night return.
The standard adult one-way fare is $2.50 through September 30, 2026. Beginning October 1, most regional adult one-way fares are $3, with standard PRONTO caps of $7 daily and $85 monthly. Discounted programs and some services differ.
No. Regular service requires a valid fare. Eligible riders 18 and under can use the Youth Opportunity Pass, and MTS occasionally announces limited free-ride promotions.
No. Service has an overnight gap, and the final departure varies by line, station, direction and day. Check the official MTS timetable for your exact trip.
Tap a PRONTO card, scan a PRONTO app virtual card, or tap a contactless bank card or phone wallet at the platform validator before boarding.
Not directly. Take the Blue or Green Line to Santa Fe Depot or Middletown and connect to MTS Route 992 for the airport terminals.
The Blue Line reaches UC San Diego and UTC, not La Jolla Village, the Cove or the Shores. Continue by Route 30 or rideshare for those coastal destinations.
Yes — ride the Blue Line to San Ysidro/Beyer Blvd, the last stop, then walk across at the PedWest or PedEast crossing.
MTS posts the system map at every station and in the PRONTO app, but the short version is three main lines: Blue runs border–downtown–Old Town–UTC, Orange runs downtown–Lemon Grove–El Cajon, and Green runs 12th & Imperial–Mission Valley–SDSU–Santee, with transfers at Santa Fe Depot, Gaslamp Quarter, 12th & Imperial and Grossmont.
Frequency varies by line, station, day and time. Check the official Blue, Green, Orange or Copper Line schedule and a live departure tool for your trip.
Yes during the day and early evening — it's a well-used system with sheriff's deputies and fare inspectors riding regularly. Late at night, ride the front cars near the operator and wait on the central, well-lit part of the platform.
Not directly. Ride the Green Line to Fashion Valley and transfer to bus 8 or 9 for Mission Beach and Pacific Beach, or the Blue/Green Line to Old Town and take the beach buses from there. Coronado is reached by the ferry from the Santa Fe Depot area instead.
Yes, luggage rides free with no size limit — use the low-floor middle section. That's what makes the Blue or Green Line to Middletown plus the free Route 992 bus a realistic airport route.
Yes. Stations are open-gate but you must tap a Pronto card, the PRONTO app QR code or a contactless card at the platform validator before you board. Inspectors check mid-route and citations cost far more than the fare.
Park-and-ride lots at Santee, El Cajon, Grossmont, Old Town, Palomar Street and Iris Avenue are free. Grossmont's garage is the most reliable on Padres game days when the closer lots fill by mid-morning.
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