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Skip Interstate 8 and 'ride the rails' with the Padres-wrapped TrolleyEast County News Service
March 25, 2026 (San Diego) -- With the San Diego Padres set to kick off the 2026 season at Petco Park tomorrow afternoon (March 26, first pitch set for 1:10 p.m.), baseball fans in Santee, El Cajon, Lemon Grove, La Mesa, San Carlos and beyond are being urged to dodge the inevitable Interstate 8 gridlock.
With sellout crowds expected all weekend, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System is ramping up Green and Orange Line service to ensure East County fans spend more time in their seats and less time hunting for pricey parking spots.
Last season, an average of 8,000 fans rode the Trolley to Padres games on sellout dates, MTS reports, and this year MTS is ready to meet growing demand with ramped up service throughout the season.
And be sure to keep an eye out for a splash of brown and gold arriving at your local station. To celebrate the 2026 season, MTS and the Padres on Wednesday (March 25) unveiled a new Trolley wrap featuring key players from the current roster.
Both the Green Line (Santee/SDSU/La Mesa) and the Orange Line (El Cajon/Lemon Grove) will run every 15 minutes or better before the game.
After the final out, trains will depart the 12th & Imperial Transit Center every 15 minutes. Fans can also catch extra Green Line service from the Gaslamp Quarter Station to help clear the post-game crowds quickly.
Verified East County "Park & Ride" Hubs
MTS officials recomment avoiding the stress of downtown traffic by leaving your car at one of these high-capacity, free MTS lots:
El Cajon Transit Center: 400+ free parking spots (Serves Green & Orange Lines).
Amaya Drive (La Mesa): 230 free parking spots (Serves Green & Orange Lines).
Grossmont Transit Center: 220 free parking spots (Serves Green & Orange Lines).
Note: While Santee Town Center is a major boarding point, MTS officially recommends the hubs above for the highest volume of available gameday parking.
MTS officials said to skip the ticket machine entirely, you can now simply tap your credit card, smartphone or smartwatch on any station validator. A one-way trip is $2.50 (valid for two hours). If bringing kids, two children (12 and under) ride free with every paying adult.
PRONTO Users: If you use the app, load at least $5 for a round-trip. Just remember that every passenger needs their own separate payment method -- you cannot "multi-tap" for friends on a single card or account.
MTS operates 93 bus routes and four Trolley lines in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of San Diego. Each weekday, more than 250,000 passenger trips are taken throughout the MTS system. In FY 2025, MTS served more than 81 million riders.
For service schedule updates, news, alerts and more information on using public transportation, visit www.sdmts.com.
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