Metrolink Adds 2 More Trains Per Day for Orange County

Orange County commuters who take standing-room-only trains to and from Los Angeles will get some relief starting Monday.

In response to rapidly increasing ridership, Metrolink is adding two trains--one in the morning and another in late afternoon--bringing the daily total to eight, the Orange County Transportation Authority said Thursday.

“The new trains will be especially helpful to south Orange County riders who, before now, had to leave early in the morning to get to L.A. Union Station,” said Sarah L. Catz, Metrolink’s board chairwoman. “Now they can take a later train and still arrive to work on time.”

Since the commuter rail service was inaugurated in March, 1994, its passenger count has risen to 3,000 people a day from 2,000, said Metrolink spokeswoman Elaine Beno.

The new trains will provide capacity for 303 additional passengers each way, she said, and will also give commuters more scheduling flexibility.

The new morning train will depart from the Metrolink station in Irvine at 7:09 a.m., arriving at Los Angeles Union Station at 8:14.

In the afternoon, a new train will leave Los Angeles Union Station at 3:39 p.m. and will pull into San Juan Capistrano, the end of the line, at 4:54 p.m.

Also new on Monday will be an added stop in Norwalk.

The Metrolink Orange County Line is a $7.2-million annual operation funded my Measure M and passenger fares, which are based on the length of the trip. The round-trip fare from San Juan Capistrano to Los Angeles is $14.

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Two New Trains

Beginning Monday, Metrolink will add two trains to its schedule through Orange County, bringing the daily total to eight.

Morning Service

NEW TRAIN Station Train 601 Train 603 Train 681** Train 605 Oceanside 4:55 a.m. 5:30 a.m. * 6:51 a.m. San Clemente 5:15 5:50 * 7:11 San Juan 5:24 5:59 * 7:20 Capistrano Irvine 5:37 6:14 7:09 a.m. 7:33 Santa Ana 5:47 6:23 7:20 7:44 Orange 5:52 6:28 7:26 7:49 Anaheim 5:56 6:32 7:29 7:53 Fullerton 6:04 6:40 7:38 8:01 Norwalk/Santa Fe 6:13 6:49 7:47 8:10 Springs Commerce * 6:57 * * Los Angeles Union 6:41 7:20 8:14 8:38 Station

Evening Service

NEW TRAIN Station Train 684** Train 604 Train 606 Train 608 Los Angeles Union 3:39 p.m. 4:35 p.m. 5:37 p.m. 6:29 p.m. Station Commerce * * 5:53 * Norwalk/Santa Fe 4:02 5:01 6:03 6:52 Springs Fullerton 4:11 5:10 6:12 7:01 Anaheim 4:19 5:18 6:20 7:10 Orange 4:23 5:22 6:24 7:14 Santa Ana 4:28 5:26 6:28 7:18 Irvine 4:39 5:37 6:39 7:29 San Juan 4:54 5:49 6:52 7:41 Capistrano San Clemente * 6:01 7:04 7:53 Oceanside * 6:26 7:29 8:18

* No service ** New service