The first Santa Monica train to pull into the city since 1953 rolled into service in May 2016, connecting Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles.
Travel from downtown LA to Santa Monica on the Santa Monica train E Line (Expo) serves popular destinations such as: USC, Exposition Park (including the California Science Center and Natural History Museum), Crenshaw District, Culver City, Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade.
Regular fare is $1.75 and is good for two hours of unlimited transfers in one direction. Learn more about Metro Fares and Passes.
The westernmost station is at 4th Street and Colorado Avenue - depositing passengers within walking distance of Santa Monica's best attractions: the Santa Monica Pier, the Third Street Promenade, and Santa Monica Place.
Best of all - the train can make the 15-mile trek from downtown to Santa Monica in just 46 minutes - even during rush hour. It's a testament to Los Angeles' notorious traffic that this is a feat completed at a maximum route speed of 55 mph, although it generally runs much slower.
The Santa Monica train is a good alternative to the usually congested 10/Santa Monica freeway.
Stations:
Trains run every 12 minutes at most times of the day with service beginning around 4 a.m. weekdays and ending around midnight. Friday and Saturday nights, the Expo Line will run until 2 a.m.
Parking is available at three stations: Expo/Sepulveda (260 spaces), Expo/Bundy (250 spaces), and 17th Street/Santa Monica College (70 spaces). The fee is expected to be $2 a day for drivers using the Metro Rail.
There is a paved bike path along much of the train line between Culver City and Palms, and between Overland Avenue and Colorado/17th Street station in Santa Monica.
For more information and rail schedules, visit the Metro E Line (Expo).