San Diego – The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and the North County Transit – San Diego Railroad (NCTD) announced plans to offer free transit rides and extended late-night service on New Year’s Eve, giving the region a safe, convenient and affordable way to celebrate and get home.
“We want everyone to enjoy New Year’s Eve and celebrate responsibly,” said Stephen Whitburn, MTS Board Chair and San Diego City Councilmember. “By offering free rides and expanded service, we’re making it easier to celebrate, plan ahead, and get home safely.”
Complimentary rides will be available after 6 p.m. on Dec. 31 on all MTS buses and Trolley lines, as well as on NCTD’s COASTER, SPRINTER, BREEZE fixed-route services, LIFT and NCTD+.
“Transit is the reliable, stress-free option to get you where you need to go this New Year’s Eve,” said NCTD Board Chair and Carlsbad Mayor Pro Tempore Priya Bhat-Patel. “Take advantage of extra late-night trains and free rides to celebrate safely!”
Both agencies will operate additional late-night service from Downtown San Diego on the MTS Trolley and NCTD COASTER, with NCTD also extending SPRINTER service between Escondido and Oceanside.
MTS will run late-night Trolley service on the UC San Diego Blue Line, Orange Line, Copper Line and Green Line past 1 a.m., with several trips to UTC, San Ysidro, El Cajon and Santee. Full schedules are available at sdmts.com/newyearseve. Extended late-night Trolley service is sponsored by BriceHouse, Inc.
NCTD’s final COASTER train will depart Santa Fe Depot at 1:20 a.m. The last SPRINTER train will leave the Escondido Transit Center at 1:33 a.m. and the Oceanside Transit Center at 2:33 a.m. For complete schedules, visit GoNCTD.com/NewYearsEve.
About MTS
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates 93 bus routes and four Trolley lines in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of San Diego. MTS is a leader in advancing initiatives to create a greener, cleaner and better-connected transit system in San Diego. Each weekday, more than 250,000 passenger trips are taken throughout the MTS system, taking people to work, school, health appointments and other essential trips. In FY 2025, MTS served more than 81 million riders. For service schedule updates, news, alerts and more information on how you can use public transportation, go to www.sdmts.com.
About NCTD
The North County Transit District is a public transportation agency providing critical multi-modal services throughout North San Diego County and into downtown San Diego. NCTD is designated as a rail common carrier by the Surface Transportation Board based on the movement of interstate commerce on the tracks and the Railroad of Record by the Federal Railroad Administration responsible for safety over the entire San Diego portion of the LOSSAN corridor, the nation’s second largest passenger rail network. NCTD’s system includes BREEZE buses (with FLEX service), COASTER commuter trains, SPRINTER hybrid rail trains, LIFT paratransit service, and NCTD+ On-demand and is one of only three public transit agencies in the nation to operate heavy rail, hybrid rail, and bus service. For more information visit: GoNCTD.com.
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