| Surf Line | |
|---|---|
 The southbound San Diegan passes through Capistrano Beach, California on the Surf Line in April 1973. | |
| Overview | |
| Owner | BNSF Railway (Los Angeles-Fullerton) SCRRA (Tracks, Fullerton-OC/SD County line) OCTA (right of way) NCTD (OC/SD County line-San Diego) |
| Locale | Southern California |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 34 (11 Amtrak stations, 23 commuter rail stations) |
| Service | |
| Type | Inter-city rail Higher-speed rail Commuter rail |
| System | Amtrak (through SCRRA) NCTD BNSF Railway |
| Operator(s) | Amtrak (Amtrak California) Metrolink Coaster |
| Ridership | 1,517,425 (FY23)  -7.1%[a][1] |
| History | |
| Opened | 1882 (first section) 1885 (final section) |
| Technical | |
| Track length | 128 mi (206 km) |
| Number of tracks | 1-4 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Electrification | Overhead line, 25 kV 60 Hz AC (Los Angeles-Anaheim, 2030-2033)[b] |
The Surf Line is a railroad line that runs from San Diego to Orange County along California's Pacific coast. It was so named because much of the line is near the Pacific Ocean, within less than 100 feet (30 m) in some places. It is the second busiest passenger rail corridor in the United States after the Northeast Corridor.
The tracks are now owned by Metrolink in Orange County and the North County Transit District (NCTD) in San Diego County[c] and hosts Metrolink's Orange County Line and Inland Empire–Orange County Line, San Diego County's Coaster, and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner passenger trains. BNSF Railway operates freight over the line using trackage rights.
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- ^ "Amtrak Fiscal Year 2023 Ridership" (PDF). Amtrak. November 27, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.