One of Southern California’s most popular ways to travel the coast will be completely paused for a weekend next month. The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner will not operate anywhere along its corridor between San Diego and San Luis Obispo on Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11, because of scheduled track closures.
The interruption affects the full 351-mile Pacific Surfliner route, which connects San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County, with well-known coastal stretches along the way.
No train service — and no bus bridge
Unlike some temporary rail disruptions, this closure will not include a bus bridge, meaning Amtrak will not run substitute buses to cover the suspended train segments. Regular Amtrak Connection Bus routes will still run where they are normally scheduled, but passengers will not be able to make their usual rail-to-bus connections during the closure. The Pacific Surfliner is advising travelers to make alternative arrangements for the weekend.
What travelers should do
If you were planning a weekend getaway, concert trip, campus visit or coastal day out on Oct. 10 or 11, it is worth adjusting your plans now. Travelers may need to consider driving, intercity buses, rideshares or other regional rail and transit options depending on their origin and destination.
Passengers who already have tickets should check Amtrak and the Pacific Surfliner’s travel-advisory page for updates, ticket guidance and any changes to the closure schedule. The operator also recommends checking real-time status through its website, app or official social-media alerts before traveling.
The closure comes after other recent service modifications on the Pacific Surfliner route, including weather-related delays and periodic construction-related changes in the San Diego area. But this upcoming closure is notable because it suspends all Pacific Surfliner train service along the corridor for two full days.
