TAKE TROLLEY EARLY IF YOU’RE GOING TO HOLIDAY BOWL PARADE AND GAME DEC. 27

MTS urges fans to be on board the Trolley at least  3 hours before game and 2 hours before Parade

December 26, 2012 (San Diego) –The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) will expand Trolley service on December 27 to accommodate the increased ridership to the Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade and Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl game at Qualcomm Stadium.  Even with the extra service, fans will need to begin their trip to these special events extra-early given the huge crowds going to the Parade in the morning and the game in the afternoon.

Expanded Green Line for Parade:

Parade-goers boarding Green Line stations west of Qualcomm will enjoy extra service to downtown between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.   Destination stations for parade viewing are America Plaza (Blue & Orange) or Santa Fe Depot (Orange & Green).

There will also be extra service returning to Mission Valley after the Parade between 11:45 am through 12:45 p.m.

Holiday Bowl Pre Game Service:  

Starting at 1:55 p.m., enhanced Green Line service begins from the 12^th & Imperial Transit Center and continues until 6:10 p.m.  MTS Trolley urges all fans to board Trolleys bound for Qualcomm between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. in order to be in their seats to see the pregame ceremonies at 6:15 p.m. and the 6:45 p.m. kick-off between Baylor University and UCLA. 

Fans can park for free at many MTS park-and-rides to avoid traffic and save money while enjoying the events, but lots near the Stadium such as Grantville, Hazard Center (Lower Level only), Morena/Linda Vista, Old Town, 70th Street, and Grossmont are expected to fill up by 5:00 p.m. or before, while park-and-ride lots at stations further out like El Cajon Transit Center, Gillespie Field and Santee Town Center, or on the Orange and Blue Lines are not expected to fill to capacity.

Fans that start their trip on a Blue or Orange Line can transfer to the Green Line in downtown San Diego either at 12^th & Imperial Transit Center or Santa Fe Depot.  Fans boarding in East County can transfer from the Orange Line to the Green Line at the Grossmont Center Station.

Every rider age 6 and older must have a valid Trolley one-way ticket or Day Pass. Commemorative Day Passes are on sale now at the Transit Store. On game day Commemorative Day Passes will be available at select Trolley stations kiosks and accept only cash.  A regular Day Pass on Compass Card can be purchased at all stations ticket vending machines using cash, credit or debit card for $7. Once you have a Compass Card, the cost of a 1-Day Pass is $5.

Coaster riders who purchase the $12 RegionPlus Day Pass can transfer to any Trolley at Old Town. Coaster riders who purchase an online Coaster round-trip ticket must also purchase a Trolley Day Pass at Old Town before boarding the Trolley. 

Expanded Green Line - Post Green Line Service

MTS expects to provide almost 20,000 fans a ride to and from Qualcomm Stadium and urges fans to be patient and expect at least a 60-minute wait at the Qualcomm Stadium station after the game.    Enhanced Green Line service will begin as soon as the game ends, with departures approximately every 5 to 7 minutes. Expanded service will continue until the station is cleared. Coaster riders should allow plenty of travel time after the game to return to Old Town to catch their return train.  The last east-bound trolley departure from Qualcomm to Santee will be at 11:37 p.m. The last west-bound Trolley to Old Town and downtown will be at 12:30 a.m.

Bowl Game Travel Tips:

• Avoid rush hour congestion, travel 2 to 3 hours early, to allow plenty of time to get to the stadium and pre-game festivities.
• Enjoy post-game presentations and avoid the crowds leaving the stadium immediately after the game.
• Purchase a Day Pass before boarding to expedite your post-game trip. 
• Fans staying in downtown or Mission Valley hotels are encouraged to walk to the closest Trolley station.
• Park-and-ride lots closer to Qualcomm Stadium fill up first.  Plan to arrive early; since the game is on a weekday, many park-and-ride lots will already be full with regular commuters.  (Cars parked in unauthorized lots could be towed.)   The locations of all Trolley Station park-and-rides are posted on: http://www.sdmts.com/Trolley/holidayBowl.asp.

MTS Bus and Rail Routes Serve Popular Visitor Destinations

Visitors in town for the game can also take MTS Bus and Trolley routes to most of the region’s popular visitor attractions such as Balboa Park (Route 3, 7 and 120), the San Diego Zoo (Route 7), area beach communities (Routes 8 and 9 to Mission Beach and Pacific Beach; Route 30 to Pacific Beach and La Jolla; Route 901 to Coronado, Silver Strand, and Imperial Beach); Old Town State Historic Park (Green Line and  Routes 8, 9, 10, 28, 30, 35, 44, 88, 105, 150) and SeaWorld (Route 9).  

Day Passes provide unlimited rides on all San Diego Trolley routes and most MTS buses.  One-day passes are sold on MTS Buses.  One, two, three and four-day Day Passes on Compass Cards are sold at all Trolley ticket vending machines and at The Transit Store at 102 Broadway in downtown San Diego. Purchase price will include a $2 fee for the first Compass Card. To purchase an “empty card” to start your trip on an MTS bus go to any Albertsons Grocery Store or The Transit Store.  With a Compass Card, it’s only $5 to reload a 1-Day Pass on the Bus or at a Trolley Station. With proper care, a Compass Card can last up to $5 years.

For route and schedule information for all San Diego’s public transit bus and rail routes:

• Visit www.sdmts.com
• Call 511; TTY/TDD at (619) 685-4900
• Call InfoExpress (automated information system) at (619) 685-6283
• You can text to get arrival times for the next MTS Bus or Trolley route. Using your cell phone, simply text the bus stop’s or trolley station’s unique ID number (posted on bus route and trolley information signs) to GoMTS (46687).  Within seconds, the arrival times for routes serving that location will arrive (message and data rates may apply). Smartphone users can also download the free GOMTS app.

Service Advisories:

MTS routes will operate on a reduced service schedules on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day:

•  MTS Trolley’s Blue, Green, and Orange Lines will operate on a 30-minute schedule on December 25, 2012 and on their Sunday schedule on January 1, 2013.
• MTS Buses will operate on their Sunday schedule for both holidays.

www.sdvintagetrolley.com.