New Special Event Line takes fans to the heart of Comic-Con activity
Download News Conference B-roll and Photos
San Diego- After a highly anticipated three-year wait, Comic-Con returns to San Diego this weekend. With over 200,000 people in attendance, the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) gives attendees and fans a traffic-free way get to the event and attractions outside Comic-Con. To accommodate the large crowds, MTS will be expanding service from July 21-24 with a new Special Event Trolley line, added late-night service and discounted multi-day passes for event goers.
“"Comic-Con is always an exciting time for our region. In past years, we've seen nearly a quarter million more trips on our system by the end of the convention,” said Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, MTS Vice Chair and Mayor of National City. “We want people to have a great time, including their journey to and from the event. By utilizing the Trolley to get to the Convention Center and Gaslamp Quarter, fans will be able to save money, time and make their experience easy and traffic-free.”
The main Comic-Con Trolley stations are:
- Convention Center – Served by Green Line and new Special Event Line
- Gaslamp Quarter – Served by Green Line and new Special Event Line
- 12th & Imperial – Served by all MTS Trolley Lines
Getting to Comic-Con:
- Special Event Line: NEW! A special Trolley line will operate between the Balboa Avenue Transit Center and 12th & Imperial Transit Center every 15 minutes, from Thursday July 21, through Sunday, July 24, to help with extra Comic-Con passengers.
- UC San Diego Blue Line: Service will run every 7.5 minutes between San Ysidro and Downtown, and every 15 minutes from Downtown to UTC.
- Orange Line: Service will run every 15 minutes most of the day Thursday-Sunday
- Green Line: Service will run every 15 minutes most of the day Thursday- Sunday. If heading to Santee, Green Line service ends at the Gillespie Field Station, where riders can transfer to a Trolley Shuttle to Santee.
- Download Trolley Map
Park and Ride:
Riders can park for free at major MTS Park and Ride lots throughout the region. Main parking lots include:
- Balboa Avenue (UC San Diego Blue Line & Special Event Line) 227 free spots
- Tecolote Road (UC San Diego Blue Line & Special Event Line) 279 free spots
- Old Town Transit Center (UC San Diego Blue Line, Green Line & Special Event Line) 412 free spots
- Nobel Drive (UC San Diego Blue Line): 289 free spots
- Hazard Center (Green Line – Sat and Sun only): 1,500 free spots
- El Cajon Transit Center (Green & Orange Line): 469 free spots
- Massachusetts Avenue Station (Orange Line): 241 free spots
- Palm Avenue Station (UC San Diego Blue Line): 499 free spots
- Bayfront/E Street Station (UC San Diego Blue Line): 267 free spots
Discounted Comic-Con Day Passes:
- Discounted SDCC fares: Riders can buy multi-day MTS transit passes (up to 5 days) on the PRONTO app or at a Trolley ticket machine, and enjoy a discount of up to 33%. Riders are encouraged to download their pass in advance to avoid long lines and delays on event days. This promotion applies to Comic-Con days only, see pass details for day restrictions.
- There will be no manual sales of tickets at this year's Comic-Con event.
- Discounted one-way fares are available for senior riders.
- People 18 and under with a registered Youth PRONTO card or app account can also ride free with the Youth Opportunity Pass.
MTS also has 22 bus routes with stops in the downtown area including Rapid 215 (SDSU – downtown) and Rapid 235 (Escondido – downtown). Rapid 215 runs every 15 minutes most of the day with stops along the mid-city corridor. Rapid 235 runs every 15 minutes most of the day with stops along the I-15 corridor.
For additional transit information on getting to and from Comic-Con, including safety tips, visit sdmts.com/comic-con.
MTS operates more than 100 bus routes and three Trolley lines in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of San Diego. Frequencies and spans have been restored to near-pre-COVID-19 levels. Updated schedules can be accessed on the MTS website.
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