San Diego Trolley

San Diego Trolley
Name	San Diego Trolley
Caption	A Siemens SD-100 LRV at 12th & Imperial Transit Center.
Locale	San Diego County, California
Transit type	Light rail
Began operation	July 26, 1981
System length	65.1 mi
Stations	62
Ridership	▲ 27,400,000 (2023)
Operator	San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
Vehicles	130 LRVs
Track gauge	sg
El	Overhead catenary, 600 V DC

Contents

History
Operations
Lines and stations
Rolling stock
Future expansion
See also

San Diego Trolley is a light rail system operating in San Diego County, California. Operated by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, it is the second-busiest light rail system in the United States and the primary rail component of the region's public transportation network. The system opened in 1981 and has since expanded to three lines serving Downtown San Diego, the U.S.-Mexico border, and eastern suburbs.

History

The system's origins trace to the 1960s with studies by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board. Initial construction was funded in part by a grant from the Urban Mass Transportation Administration, utilizing the right-of-way of the former San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway. The inaugural Blue Line began service from Downtown San Diego to the San Ysidro border crossing, becoming the first modern light rail line in North America to directly connect an international border. Subsequent expansions included the Orange Line to eastern communities like El Cajon and the Green Line serving Mission Valley and San Diego State University.

Operations

Daily service is managed by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System with frequent headways, especially on the Blue Line which operates 24 hours on weekends. The system integrates with an extensive network of MTS bus routes and the Coaster commuter rail. Fares are collected via the regional PRONTO smart card system, with enforcement conducted by Transit Enforcement officers. Major maintenance and storage facilities are located at the SDCCU Stadium site and in South San Diego.

Lines and stations

The network consists of three color-coded lines sharing a central corridor through Downtown San Diego. The **Blue Line** runs from America Plaza near the Santa Fe Depot south to the San Ysidro Transit Center, serving key stations like the 12th & Imperial Transit Center and Gaslamp Quarter. The **Green Line** travels from Santee Town Center west through San Diego State University and Mission Valley to 12th & Imperial Transit Center. The **Orange Line** connects Courthouse in downtown with eastern termini at Arnele Avenue in El Cajon and, via a shared route, SDCCU Stadium.

Rolling stock

The fleet primarily consists of Siemens light rail vehicles (LRVs). The original fleet of Siemens-Duewag U2 cars, some acquired secondhand from the Frankfurt U-Bahn, has been largely retired. Current active vehicles include the Siemens SD-100 and the newer, low-floor Siemens S700. All vehicles are electrically powered via overhead catenary and operate on standard gauge track. Fleet maintenance is performed at the SDCCU Stadium yard facility.

Future expansion

Several major expansion projects are in various planning stages. The **Mid-Coast Trolley** extension of the Blue Line to UC San Diego and University City is under construction. Long-range plans in the Regional Transportation Plan include a potential new line serving the Naval Base San Diego and Barrio Logan communities, as well as studies for a line along the I-15 corridor to northern San Diego County. These projects are subject to funding from agencies like the Federal Transit Administration.