With more than 30,000 runners and 100,000 spectators attending Sunday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and Half Marathon, the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) is encouraging attendees to take the Trolley to avoid traffic congestion and use the Compass Cloud mobile ticketing app to purchase fares.
Attendees are encouraged to park at SDCCU Stadium station on the Sycuan Green Line where MTS has 5,000 free parking spots and direct service to downtown San Diego’s County Center/Little Italy Station. The first train departs the Stadium at 4:15 a.m., with subsequent trains leaving every 7 minutes from 4:30 to 6:00 a.m. After the race, the County Center/Little Italy Station is steps away from all the festivities at the Waterfront Park.
All transit-related information can be found on the MTS event webpage. Important tips for attendees taking transit include:
- Free Parking! MTS is encouraging attendees to park at Stadium Station (SDCCU) on the Sycuan Green Line, where 5,000 free parking spots are available. Or choose another MTS free park and ride lot.
- Don’t be Late to the Start Line! Trains in all directions will begin running between 4-5 a.m. Best stations for getting to the starting line (at 6th Ave. and Quince) are the Fifth Avenue Station (Orange Line and UC San Diego Blue Line) and the County Center/Little Italy Station (Sycuan Green Line).
- Race Day Shuttle: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon is offering shuttle bus service from the County Center/Little Italy Station to the start line. Runners’ best option is to pre-purchase a shuttle ticket at the RnR Expo and pre-purchase an MTS Day Pass on Compass Cloud, and take the Green Line to County Center/Little Italy. The Start Line Shuttle ticket is NOT valid on MTS services.
- Early Bird Special: All three Trolley lines will have early trains scheduled. Most of the early and high frequency Trolley trips are scheduled on the Sycuan Green Line, which is a direct ride to County Center/Little Italy Station.
o The first Sycuan Green Line train departs Stadium Station toward downtown at 4:15am. Beginning at 4:30am until 6:00am, trains will depart every 7.5 minutes.
o The first Sycuan Green Line train departs Santee Station toward downtown at 4:03am, with departures every 30 minutes throughout the early morning.
- Celebration Time! For those gathering at the finish line, the County Center/Little Italy Station (Sycuan Green Line) is steps away from all the festivities at the Waterfront Park.
- Plan ahead! The race is causing detours for 18 MTS bus routes. Check MTS’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon webpage for impacted routes and stops.
- Spectate Like a Pro! The best viewing locations for the full marathon are along the Trolley’s Green Line at Old Town, Morena/Linda Vista and Fashion Valley. Spectators can watch their runner then hop on a Trolley and beat them to the finish line!
For more information MTS services, visit www.sdmts.com.
