New Azusa Gold line Station (Photo – Staff).
This last weekend I boarded the Gold Line near my apartment in Pasadena, and I was giddy to see “Azusa” on the screen displaying next train information.
By Marc Corti
We know that the Gold Line Extension to Azusa is not opening until Saturday, March 5, though Metro has been running/testing trains to the new schedule along the entire right away for the last several months. However, not much has been known of what exactly the train schedule along the Foothill Extension will be.
Union Station to Citrus College in 49 min.
While visiting Metro’s website, Metro very discretely has posted a new Gold Line schedule “effective 2/21/2016.” This schedule has the Foothill Extension timetable included! It appears Metro anticipates it taking approximately 49 minutes to get between Union Station and APU/Citrus College Station.
Commemorative slab at the last Gold Line Foothill extension (Photo – Staff).
Summary of the new service
Below is only a summary of the new Foothill Extension service (check the link below for the schedule’s most accurate information.) Also, for Gold Line trains traveling between Pasadena and Union Station only, their schedule may have changed slightly even though train intervals/frequency have not.
Also, it’s important to mention that not every train departing Union Station will terminate in Azusa. About every other Gold Line northbound train departing Union Station will go all the way to Azusa. Obviously, every northbound departing Gold Line train will go to Sierra Madre Villa Station in Pasadena. Make sure to check the destination on the front of the train before boarding if you are indeed traveling to Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale, Azusa Downtown or APU/Citrus College stations.
First glimpse of the new Gold Line schedule with the Foothill Extension stations to Azusa (Photo – Staff, Marc Corti).
– Monday through Friday: Southbound (Azusa to Union Station)
- 3:36am, first train departs APU/Citrus College Station and arrives at Union Station at 5am
It does seem like that first train takes a long time to get to Union Station. Fortunately, subsequent trains are scheduled to only take 49 minutes to get from Azusa to Union Station.
- The next two trains depart at 4:20am and 4:35am and arrive at Union Station at 5:09am and 5:24am respectively.
- From 4:48am to 7:50pm, Gold Line trains depart APU/Citrus College station every 12 minutes.
- From 8pm to 12:40am, Gold Line trains depart every 20 minutes.
- 12:40am, last train departs APU/Citrus College Station bound for Union Station (Monday – Thursday)
- 1:50am, Friday night and early Saturday morning only, last train departs APU/Citrus College station bound for Union Station.
– Monday through Friday: Northbound (Union Station to Azusa)
- 4:45am, first train departs Union Station and arrives at APU/Citrus College station at 5:33am
- Effectively, Gold Line trains bound for Azusa will depart Union Station every 12 minutes.
- During rush hour, a Gold Line train will depart Union Station every 6 minutes. Half of those departures will terminate at Sierra Madre Villa Station in Pasadena.
- 12:17am, last train departs Union Station bound for APU/Citrus College (Monday to Thursday)
- 2:12am, Friday night and early Saturday morning only, last train departs Union Station bound for APU/Citrus College.
– Weekend and Holiday Schedule: Southbound (Azusa to Union Station)
- 3:36am, first train departs APU/Citrus College Station and arrives at Union Station at 5am
- 4:28am and 4:45am the next two trains depart arriving at Union Station at 5:17am and 5:34 respectively.
- From 4:45am to about 8pm, the trains will run every 15 minutes
- 8pm to 12:40am, trains depart for Union Station every 20 minutes
- 12:40am, last train departs APU/Citrus College station bound for Union Station (Sunday and Holiday)
- 1:50am, Saturday night early Sunday morning only, last train departs APU/Citrus College station bound for Union Station
– Weekend and Holiday Schedule: Northbound (Union Station to Azusa)
- 4:45am, first train departs Union Station and arrives at APU/Citrus College station at 5:33am
- From 5:08am to 9am, every Gold Line train departing Union Station will terminate in Azusa; with trains leaving about every 15 minutes.
- After 9am, Gold Line trains will depart Union Station every 7 or 8 minutes, but only every OTHER Gold Line train will terminate in Azusa.
- From 9:02pm, Gold Line trains that will terminate in Azusa will depart Union Station every 20 minutes
- 12:17am, last train departs Union Station bound for Azusa (Sunday & Holiday)
- 2:12am, Saturday night and early Sunday morning only, last train departs Union Station bound for APU/Citrus College
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*If you want to see the official Metro Gold Line schedule once the Foothill Extension opens on Saturday, March 5, click HERE.
Marc Corti is the Events Manager at Colorado Boulevard. He’s a current candidate for Master of Business Administration at Pepperdine University. He also holds a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Southern California. Marc is passionate about technology and for mass public transportation – specifically rail and bus rapid transit.
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