Crowded trains expected due to rush hour and Padres home game—fans advised to travel early
San Diego – With large crowds expected at the San Diego Chargers first game of the 2016 season at Qualcomm Stadium Friday night, the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) will run extra trains and activate its mobile ticketing option called mTicket to speed up boarding.
MTS will boost the number of pre- and post-game Green Line trains, which provide direct service to Qualcomm Stadium from downtown and Santee. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. and increased service begins at 3:15 p.m. between Old Town and Qualcomm Stadium. After the game, extra Green Line service will be operating in both directions as needed. Chargers fans are strongly encouraged to travel early as trains will be crowded or at capacity after 4 p.m. Passengers attempting to board trains after 4 p.m. should expect delays as trains reach capacity at stations closest to the stadium.
For the third consecutive season MTS will be offering mTicket. The mobile ticketing app allows fans to avoid Trolley ticket lines and purchase tickets at any time before the game right on their smartphones. And as a bonus, mTicket holders can by-pass the Trolley line after the game through the mTicket express lane on the west side of the ramp. Multiple mTickets can be purchased on one smartphone too, making it easy for families traveling to the game together. For more information, visit www.sdmts.com/mobile-ticketing.
In addition to standard one-way and day passes, MTS has printed a limited quantity of commemorative San Diego Charger game day passes. The $6 commemorative day passes are sold at the Transit Store, and at ticket booths at all Green Line Trolley stations between Old Town and Grantville. Commemorative day passes provide unlimited rides on all Trolley lines and most MTS bus routes.
Finding the best place to park and ride the Trolley is also important! Prime park and ride locations for the game are:
•Grantville Trolley Station: 404 free parking spots (4 minutes to stadium)
•Old Town Transit Center: 412 free parking spots (14 minutes to stadium)
•Hazard Center Station: 1,500 free parking spots (lower level and after 5 p.m. only; 6 minutes to stadium)
•El Cajon Transit Center: 469 free parking spots (23 minutes to stadium)
MTS operates 95 bus routes and three Trolley lines on 53 miles of double-tracked railway. Every weekday more than 300,000 passenger trips are taken on MTS bus and Trolley services in 10 cities and the county. In FY 2016, MTS served 92.6 million riders. For more information on how you can use public transportation and save money, go to www.sdmts.com.
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