Metrolink, Amtrak, and Caltrans launch program to make travel easier; additional
Burbank Airport promotion with Southwest Airlines gives airline's passengers opportunity
for free training.
BURBANK, CA - Metrolink, Amtrak and Caltrans are proud to announce a new multi-faceted
program that will allow Southern Californians more train travel options. Under
the new "Rail 2 Rail" program, Amtrak and Metrolink will accept certain
tickets issued from each of their respective rail services - giving both railroads'
passengers more trains to meet their travel needs.
"Rail 2 Rail is about convenience. It's about giving passengers the option
to choose the train that works best with their schedule," said Caltrans Director
Jeff Morales. "But this is only the beginning. Metrolink, Amtrak, and Caltrans
are working together to coordinate their schedules, their fares, and their ticketing
to make the entire train experience easy, economical, and enjoyable."
How Rail 2 Rail Works
The Rail 2 Rail fare integration partnership replaces Metrolink's "Step-Up"
coupon program. Through the "Step-Up" program Metrolink monthly pass
holders on the Ventura and Orange County Lines purchased "Step-Up" coupons,
which allowed them to ride on certain Amtrak trains.
With Rail 2 Rail, those "Step-Up" coupons will no longer be needed.
Metrolink monthly pass holders who use the Orange County or Ventura County Lines
will be able to ride any Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train or Amtrak bus within the
trip limits of their pass for no additional charge.
Similarly, Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner passengers will be able to ride any Metrolink
train within the limits of their ticket at no additional charge.
Additional Rail 2 Rail Benefits
In addition to being able to board whichever train is most convenient for them,
Rail 2 Rail allows Metrolink passengers to use their Orange and Ventura County
Line monthly passes to ride Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner trains within the trip
limits of their pass on weekends. Currently there is no Metrolink service on the
Ventura and Orange County Lines during the weekends.
Another benefit of Rail 2 Rail is that both Metrolink and Amtrak will accept any
of each other's fare media valid for travel between Los Angeles Union Station
and the Burbank Airport station.
Southwest Airlines Promotion
While Rail 2 Rail is a Metrolink/Amtrak/Caltrans partnership, Southwest Airlines
- the premier carrier at Burbank Airport - is helping promote the program among
its passengers by offering them the opportunity to ride between the Burbank Airport
and downtown Los Angeles on either Amtrak or Metrolink for free during the first
90 days of the program.
"The Rail 2 Rail partnership is not just about getting people to Los Angeles
or to the airport, it's about getting people to the places they need and want
to be," said Morales. "Here in California transportation is a quality
of life issue. The State of California is committed to supporting Metrolink's
and Amtrak's cooperative efforts in making connections between destinations more
convenient. This helps to make California a better place for everyone."
More information about Rail 2 Rail is available at the following websites:
www.metrolinktrains.com,
www.amtrak.com.
Metrolink is Southern California's regional commuter rail service and is in its
tenth year of operations. The Southern California Regional Rail Authority, a joint
powers authority made up of an 11-member board representing the transportation
commissions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties,
governs the service. Metrolink continues to be one of the nation's fastest growing
commuter rail services, operating over seven routes through a six-county network
with 507 total route miles.
Amtrak offers service to more than 500 communities in 46 states throughout a 22,000-mile
route system. Acela Express, America's only high-speed rail service, was introduced
on Amtrak's route between Washington, DC and Boston in the fall of 2000. Last
year, the company set all-time records for passenger ridership and overall revenue.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) partners with Amtrak to
provide service on three intercity rail corridors in California. Through a $75
million per year annual state operating assistance program and the largest capital
assistance program in the nation, the State's Division of Rail supports service
between the Bay Area and Sacramento on the Capitol Corridor, between San Francisco/Oakland
and Bakersfield on the San Joaquins and, in Southern California, between San Diego
and Santa Barbara via Los Angeles and Santa Barbara on the Pacific Surfliner.
The California Corridors, operated under the partnership banner, Amtrak California,
are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th heaviest traveled in the nation.
