SAN DIEGO – SANTA FE DEPOT

CITY PROFILE

 

CITY CODE: SAN

 

The San Diego Station is located at 1050 Kettner Boulevard, just north of Broadway.

 

This station is the southern terminus of the Coaster and Pacific Surfliners.

 

The station is served by San Diego Trolley’s popular Blue Line linking the station with Old Town, downtown San Diego via C Street, and the San Ysidro International Border via South Bay Communities.

 

The station ticket office is open from 5:15AM to 10:30PM.

Baggage service is open from 5:30AM to 8:30PM.

Waiting room is open from 4:30AM to 1:30AM daily.

 

The trolley’s Orange Line serves the trolley station across the street under the tall green glass building that is commonly known as America Plaza.

 

BLUE LINE:

The Blue Line may be boarded in both directions on the west side of the depot, approximately 150 feet north of the baggage room.  Trains serving the track closest to the station operate to Old Town. The second track from the station is the southbound track; trains on this track operate through Downtown San Diego on most trips, although some trains also serve the Convention Center and Gaslamp Quarter area.

 

Northbound trains operate from 4:30AM to 1:45AM daily, with extra service on Saturday night.

Southbound trains operate from 4:54AM to 11:54PM daily, with two additional trips on Saturday night.

 

On Saturdays, the Blue Line Trolley provides night owl service to San Ysidro at 12:54AM. A second train that involves a transfer between trains across the platform at 12^th & Imperial operates at 3:09AM connecting at 12^th & Imperial with a connecting 3:23AM departure to San Ysidro. This is done to transition from Saturday service to Sunday service.

 

Passengers boarding the trolley needing special assistance should be positioned on the Blue Square on the station platform five minutes before the train arrives in the station. Visually impaired riders should be positioned on the yellow directional mat on the station platform five minutes before the train arrives in the station.

 

Passengers continuing on to Mission Valley on most trips are required to change trains at the Old Town Stations. Retractable steps on older trains that are equipped with step-outs will not deploy at the Old Town Station due to the height of the station platform.

 

Extra service is operated for sporting contests, concerts, and other special events in downtown San Diego, Old Town, and Mission Valley.

 

Orange Line:

 

As noted, the Orange Line boards in the trolley station directly across Kettner Boulevard from the front of the station. This is the station located beneath the tall green glass building that is known as America Plaza transfer station.

 

The last four trips in each direction on the weekend schedule operate on Saturday Night only.

 

Orange Line trains operate eastbound through Downtown San Diego, Southeast San Diego, Encanto, Lemon Grove, La Mesa, and El Cajon to Gillespie Field, near the El Cajon-Santee border.

 

Westbound trains continue on to the Seaport Village, Convention Center, and Gaslamp Quarter areas before returning to the 12^th & Imperial Terminal. The terminal station at 12^th & Imperial is the platform located on the south side of the MTS Office Tower Building.

 

Weekday Eastbound service operates from 4:52AM to 11:52PM

Weekday Westbound Service operates from 5:32AM to 1:47AM

 

Saturday Eastbound Service operates from 4:52AM to 12:22AM

Saturday Westbound Service operates from 6:17AM to 2:17AM

 

Sunday and Holiday Eastbound service operates from 4:52AM to 10:22PM

Sunday and Holiday Westbound Service operates from 6:17AM to 12:17AM

 

NOTE: SUNDAY SCHEDULE IS OPERATED ON NEW YEAR’S DAY, PRESIDENT’S DAY, MEMORIAL DAY, INDEPENDENCE DAY, LABOR DAY, AND THANKSGIVING DAY.

 

A special 30-minute service schedule is operated on Christmas Day on all lines.

 

METROPOLITAN TRANSIT SYSTEM BUS SERVICE:

 

As a result of some recently implemented service changes that are part of the first phase of the Comprehensive Operational Analysis project, which is presently in progress towards implementing the phase 2 service changes, the number of bus routes operating west of Union and State Streets on Broadway has been substantially reduced.  Most bus routes that were servicing the Embarcadero and Seaport Village areas have been relocated and now terminate at either the Civic Center Trolley Station or the Hall of Justice area.  Only those buses, which actually serve the depot, are being listed on this profile.  Route 4 has been shortened back to the 12^th and Imperial Transfer Station and no longer operates through to downtown San Diego or the Embarcadero area.

 

ROUTE 2:

 

Route 2 operates between Pacific Highway and Grape Street, near the Denny’s/China Camp Restaurants complex and Adams Avenue & 30^th Street in the Kensington area.

 

Weekday Service to the Embarcadero operates from 5:06AM to 12:48AM.

Weekend Service to the Embarcadero operates from 5:12AM to 12:17AM.

 

Weekday Service to Kensington operates from 5:33AM to 12:11AM.

Weekend Service to Kensington operates from 5:38AM to 1:08AM.

 

ROUTE 83:

 

Route 83 is a community shuttle that provides service to western downtown San Diego, Little Italy, Mission Hills, and Hillcrest areas via Reynard Way.

 

Weekday Service is provided every hour from 6:36AM and 6:36PM.

Saturday Service is provided every hour from 7:36AM and 4:36PM.

 

ROUTE 210 Express:

 

Route 210 Express is a peak-hour, peak-direction express between Mira Mesa at Camino Santa Fe & Flanders Drive and downtown San Diego via the I-15 freeway transit plazas at El Cajon Boulevard in North Park and University Avenue in City Heights.

 

Morning service to the Embarcadero area consists of five trips between 6:53AM and 8:03AM, every 15 to 20 minutes.

 

Afternoon service to City Heights, North Park, and Mira Mesa consists of five trips, operated every 15 to 30 minutes between 4:09PM and 5:40PM.

 

ROUTE 810 Express:

 

Route 810 Express is a peak hour commuter service between the downtown and south central regions of Escondido and downtown San Diego. Service consists of eight round-trips on weekdays only, most of which are generally operated on a 20-minute headway.  This route connects with the Sprinter in Escondido.

 

Morning service to the Embarcadero area operates every 15 to 20 minutes between 6:17AM and 8:42AM.

 

Afternoon service to Felicita Plaza and Downtown Escondido operates every 20 to 40 minutes between 3:10PM and 6:00PM.

 

ROUTE 820 EXPRESS:

 

Route 820 Express is a peak hour commuter express service between downtown San Diego and central Poway, with four trips each weekday in both directions.

 

Weekday morning service to the Embarcadero operates every 30 minutes between 6:59AM and 8:22AM.

 

Weekday afternoon service to Poway operates every 30 minutes from 4:12PM to 5:39PM.

 

ROUTE 850 Express:

 

Route 850 Express is a peak-hour, peak-direction service that operates from the Doubletree Hotel Resort in Rancho Peñasquitos to the Embarcadero via downtown San Diego.

 

Weekday morning service to the Embarcadero consists of four trips from 6:43AM and 8:15AM.

 

Two additional trips are operated in conjunction with route 860, that service all of the stops for both routes. These trips operate as pre-rush hour service, for those who have early ending shifts.  These trips depart San Diego 2:08PM and 3:08PM.

 

Weekday afternoon service to the Double Tree Hotel Resort in Rancho Peñasquitos consists of four trips from 4:17PM and 5:44PM.

 

ROUTE 860 Express:

 

Route 860 Express is a peak-hour, peak-direction service that operates from Duenda and West Bernardo Drives in Rancho Bernardo to the Embarcadero area via downtown San Diego.  As of September 2005, this route no longer operates to North County Fair. As of January 2008, this route no longer operates north of Duenda Road and West Bernardo Drive to Casa de Las Campanas.

 

Weekday Morning service to the Embarcadero consists of four trips from 6:49AM to 8:19AM.

Weekday Afternoon service to Carmel Mountain Ranch and Rancho Bernardo consists of four trips from 4:13PM and 5:43PM.

 

ROUTE 923:

 

Route 923 is a local route providing service between City College Trolley Station and Orchard Street & Sunset Cliffs Boulevard in the central Ocean Beach area via the Embarcadero, ASW & Liberty Station, and Loma Portal. This route operates along Chatsworth Boulevard and Voltaire Street. Service operates on variable headways ranging from 30 to 60 minutes throughout the day.

 

Weekday Service to Ocean Beach operates from 5:45AM and 7:23PM.

Weekday Service to City College operates from 5:45AM and 7:18PM.

 

Routes 210, 820, 850, and 860 do not provide weekend or Holiday service.

 

Route 83 does not provide Sunday or Holiday service.

 

ROUTE 992 – AIRPORT FLYER SHUTTLE:

 

Route 992 is San Diego’s Airport Flyer Shuttle. Service operates from the Westfield Shoppingtown Horton Plaza in Downtown San Diego to Lindbergh Field via downtown San Diego and the northern Embarcadero Area.

 

Weekday service to Lindbergh Field operates from 5:06AM to 12:06AM.

Weekday service to Horton Plaza operates from 5:29AM to 12:27AM.

 

Weekend service to Lindbergh Field operates from 4:58AM to 11:58PM.

Weekend service to Horton Plaza operates from 5:21AM to 12:20AM.

 

Buses on route 992 are equipped with on-board luggage racks.

 

All routes listed provide either wheelchair lifts or ramps for those passengers needing special assistance.  All routes are equipped with bike racks.

 

Routes 2 and 992 offer Holiday Service only.

 

AMTRAK THRUWAY MOTORCOACH SERVICE TO BAKERSFIELD:

 

The nightly Amtrak Thruway Motor coach connection boards on Kettner Boulevard adjacent to the Front Entrance to the Station.  Service connects with northbound San Joaquin trains in Bakersfield for points in the Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, Northern California, and Northwestern Nevada.  This bus is also the connection for the California Zephyr.

 

PAY PHONES AND VENDING MACHINES:

 

Pay phones are available in the room adjacent to the Men’s Restroom, to the extreme right of the ticket office windows.  The same room has vending machines inside that sell both soft drinks and snacks.

 

SNACK BAR:

 

The Silver Streak Café is located in the southwest corner of the station lobby, serving a wide variety of sandwiches, snacks, beverages, and convenience items. A limited assortment of sundries is also available.  Silver Streak is open from 5:15AM to 9:45PM seven days a week. Hours may vary during special events and high travel periods.

 

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS:

 

Seaport Village is located four blocks south of the depot on Kettner Boulevard.  A variety of restaurants, sports bars, sidewalk cafes, and boutiques are available.

 

The Civic Theatre Complex is the home of the San Diego Opera Company. Civic Theatre is two trolley stops east of the depot on C Street.

 

Westfield Shoppingtown Horton Plaza is also accessible via the Civic Center Station. Horton Plaza consists of department stores, boutiques, sidewalk style kiosks, restaurants, fast food, snack shops, sports bars, and a fourteen-screen movie theatre.

 

San Diego Harbor Excursion is located at 1050 Harbor Drive, three blocks west of the depot. The Harbor Excursion offers dinner cruises, whale watching tours, guided cruise tours of the San Diego Bay, and operates the popular Ferry Boat that operates to the old Ferry Landing on Coronado.

 

Hornblower Cruises and Events are also located at 1050 Harbor Drive.  Hornblower offers dinner cruises and guided Harbor tours seven days a week, and brunch cruises on Sundays. Special cruises with meals are provided at other times of the year.

 

USS Midway Naval Air Museum is located on the south side of the Navy Pier between Broadway and the north entrance of Seaport Village.

 

 

San Diego Cruise Ship Terminal is located on Harbor Drive at the B Street Pier.

The Cruise Ship terminal serves the ships of Holland America, Celebrity, Princess, Norwegian, and Carnival. Other Cruise Lines serve the San Diego terminal on a far less-frequent basis.

 

Balboa Park Museums and the World Famous San Diego Zoo:

 

Although direct bus service to both Balboa Park and the Zoo are no longer available from the depot, these attractions can be reached via the Blue Line Trolley to the City College station. Transfer to Bus route 7 at 11^th & C Street (next to Starbuck’s Coffee).

 

Balboa Park has the popular Spreckel’s Organ Pavilion, the Palm Canyon, and the International Village. The Reuben H. Fleet Space Theatre IMAX and Science Center is located in Balboa Park.

 

Balboa Park is the home of the world famous San Diego Zoo.  The Veterans War Memorial Building is located on Zoo Drive, just north of the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park.

 

Among the Museums in Balboa Park are the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Man, the Aero Space Museum, and more. There are also a number of restaurants and boutiques. In the Florida Canyon, just east of Balboa Park is the San Diego Vellodrome, a Bicycle and Skateboard stadium.

 

Indian Gaming Casinos:

 

The San Diego Metropolitan area consists of three gaming casinos, at Barona Valley Ranch in Lakeside, Viejas Casino and Turf Club in Alpine, and Sycuan Casino in El Cajon.

 

All of these casinos offer shuttle service connections with San Diego Trolley’s Orange and Green Lines at the El Cajon Transit Center Station.  Viejas is also serviced by route 864, which is one of the most popular routes in the San Diego Bus System.

 

Harrah’s Rincon Casino – San Diego North:

 

Harrah’s Casino in Rincon has shuttle service that is provided by motor coach from various San Diego locations, including a number of trolley stations.