Coaster (rail service)

For the former service, see Coaster (Southern Pacific Railroad train).

COASTER
A Coaster train near Encinitas in March 2021
Overview
Service typeCommuter rail
LocaleSan Diego County, California, United States
First serviceFebruary 27, 1995 (1995-02-27)
Current operator(s)North County Transit District
Former operator(s)
Ridership2,900 (weekdays, Q2 2024)[1]
Annual ridership831,800 (2023)[2]
Websitegonctd.com/coaster
Route
TerminiOceanside
San Diego
Stops8[3]
Distance travelled41 mi (66 km)[4]
Average journey time1 hour, 1 minute[3]
Train number(s)630-699
Line(s) usedSurf Line
Technical
Rolling stock7 locomotives, 28 coaches[4]
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed90 mph (140 km/h) (top)[5]
40 mph (64 km/h) (average)
Track owner(s)San Diego Association of Governments and North County Transit District
Route map
Map COASTER highlighted in teal
Legend
Amtrak
to Los Angeles
&
Metrolink
to San Bernardino
Maintenance facility
 Oceanside
Metrolink (California) Amtrak
Sprinter
to Escondido
 Carlsbad Village
Carlsbad Poinsettia
Encinitas
Solana Beach
Amtrak
 Del Mar Fairgrounds
(planned, 2028[6])
Zone 1
Zone 2
 Sorrento Valley
Zone 2
Zone 3
Blue Line
to Westfield UTC
Green Line
to El Cajon
 Old Town San Diego
Amtrak
San Diego
Amtrak
Blue Line
to San Ysidro
 Convention Center
(planned, 2025[7])
Green Line
to 12th & Imperial
Storage yard
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible
This diagram:

Coaster (stylized in all caps) (reporting marks NCTC, SDNX) is a commuter rail service in the central and northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States, operated by the North County Transit District (NCTD).

The 41-mile (66 km) commuter rail line features eight stops, with a travel time of about one hour and one minute end-to-end. The service operates primarily during weekday peak periods, with limited midday, weekend, and holiday service.

Coaster first entered service on February 27, 1995, and has since grown in ridership and capacity. In 2023, the line had a ridership of 831,800, or about 2,900 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

  1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Coaster Schedule" (PDF). North County Transit District. June 9, 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 11, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "COASTER Fact Sheet" (PDF). North County Transit District (Press release). March 22, 2021.
  5. ^ "Rail Safety Tips". North County Transit District. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  6. ^ "Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program Sixth Round Selected Projects – Project Detail Summary" (PDF). California State Transportation Agency. April 24, 2023. p. 11. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  7. ^ Diehl, Phil (June 27, 2021). "Transit district to increase Coaster commuter train service this fall". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2023.