San Clemente Goes on Fast Track With Its New Metrolink Station : Transportation: It has become the 10th stop on the 87-mile commuter railroad route between Oceanside and Los Angeles.

Starting today, San Clemente residents can park their cars for a buck in North Beach and take the train to Los Angeles.

The new station at 1850 Avenida Estacion here will be the 10th stop on Metrolink’s 87-mile regional line that runs from Oceanside to Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles-bound trains run three times in the morning and return three times in the evening. The stops are: Oceanside, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Irvine, Santa Ana, Orange, Anaheim, Fullerton, the City of Commerce and Los Angeles Union Station.

Round-trip from San Clemente to Union Station costs $16. Monthly passes go from $144 to $240, depending on the length of the trip.

Officials say that despite stiff competition from the Southern California car culture, Metrolink ridership totaled about 58,000 people last month, an all-time high.

The Southern California Regional Rail Authority, which runs Metrolink, anticipates opening another station on the same line between Norwalk and Santa Fe Springs at 12700 Imperial Highway in July, spokesman Francisco Oaxaca said.

The company also plans to open another line around October, between Riverside and Irvine, paralleling the Riverside Freeway. The new line will intersect the current line in the city of Orange, which will serve as a transfer point.

Metrolink admits, however, that persuading seasoned drivers to take the train is a challenge.

Southern California “has such a well-developed freeway system,” Oaxaca said. “People’s decisions as to where to live and build a business are based on where the freeway ramps are. We have to convince them it’s just as convenient to take the train.”

To attract San Clemente riders, Metrolink arranged for the local Route 394 bus to provide free connecting service to and from the station.

Parking at the rail’s other stations is free, but because of San Clemente’s beach access problems, the city decided to charge residents $30 a year or $1 a day to park at the station. The $30 annual fee is an incentive to buy a long-term parking permit.

Metrolink “is less expensive than Amtrak for the same trip and about half to a third the cost of driving your own car, if you count parking, gas, frequency of repairs, elevated insurance premium and depreciation to your car,” Oaxaca said.

“The added benefits of the train are you can take a nap, read a book or talk on your cellular phone,” Oaxaca said. “You don’t have to deal with the stress of traffic, so you can be in a better mood when you get home.”

The Los Angeles-bound trains will leave at 5:13, 5:55 and 7:08 a.m. The returning trains run at 5:56, 7:03 and 7:55 p.m.

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Another Link Metrolink opens a new station today in San Clemente with three peak hour commuter trains. The station’s amenities and train schedule:

Parking: $1 per day or $30 for annual permit ($45 for non-San Clemente residents)

Tickets: An automatic vending machine sells all types of Metrolink tickets.

Shelter: Commuters wait for train on outside platform or underneath a canopy

Buses: OCTA bus lines 91 and 394 connects with the station. Call 714-636-RIDE or 800-636-RIDE from south Orange County for connecting bus service information.

To Los Angeles:

No. 601: 5:13 a.m.

No. 603: 5:55 a.m.

No. 605: 7:08 a.m.

From Los Angeles:

No. 604: 5:56 p.m.

No. 606: 7:03 p.m.

No. 608: 7:55 p.m.