Amtrak and the Los Angeles–San Diego–San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency (LOSSAN) announced the addition of a new daily Pacific Surfliner roundtrip between San Diego and Los Angeles, expanding service along one of the nation’s busiest intercity passenger rail corridors.
The new roundtrip takes effect Jan. 26, 2026, increasing the total number of daily Surfliner roundtrips between Los Angeles and San Diego to 13. Officials said the expanded schedule is intended to reduce wait times between departures and provide travelers with greater flexibility for commuting, business travel and leisure trips along the Southern California coast.
The Pacific Surfliner is operated by Amtrak under contract with the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency, a joint powers authority representing transportation agencies across Southern California. The corridor is the second-busiest intercity passenger rail route in the United States.
“This added service represents a significant step forward for mobility in Southern California,” said LOSSAN Agency Chair and Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung. “With the 13th roundtrip, riders have more options for commuting, business travel and leisure trips along our coast.”
LOSSAN Managing Director Jason Jewell said the service increase restores pre-pandemic levels between Los Angeles and San Diego and reflects continued growth in passenger demand.
The expanded schedule includes 13 daily roundtrips between Los Angeles and San Diego, five daily roundtrips between San Diego and Goleta, and two full-corridor daily roundtrips operating between San Diego and San Luis Obispo.
Funding for the additional service includes a $27.1 million grant awarded through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Restoration and Enhancement Program. To mark the service expansion, Amtrak is offering a limited-time promotional fare, providing a 20 percent discount on Pacific Surfliner travel for trips booked between Jan. 26 and March 13, 2026.
The Pacific Surfliner route spans approximately 351 miles and serves 29 stations between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. Trains feature reclining seats with power outlets, complimentary Wi-Fi, bicycle accommodations, luggage storage and an onboard Market Café.
The service expansion follows a strong year for Amtrak nationwide. The passenger railroad reported more than 34.5 million riders during fiscal year 2025, marking the second consecutive year of record ridership. Amtrak also reported $2.7 billion in ticket revenue during the fiscal year, the highest in company history, and said it invested approximately $5.5 billion in capital projects across its national network, including improvements to infrastructure, stations, railcars and safety systems.
In fiscal year 2025, Amtrak operated an average of around 73 intercity trains per day on eight permanent routes serving California, with more than 8.8 million passengers boarding or alighting in the state. Ridership on state-supported corridor services such as the Pacific Surfliner, Capitol Corridor, and Gold Runner (formerly San Joaquins) contributed significantly to this total, with sponsoring partners providing approximately $152.0 million in operating support for those routes during the year. At the same time, several long-distance trains including the California Zephyr, Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, and the Texas Eagle through-cars continued to connect California with destinations across the western and central United States.
The Pacific Surfliner was one of the busiest state-supported services in California, operating 12 daily roundtrips between Los Angeles and San Diego and beyond, while the Capitol Corridor provided frequent service between Sacramento and the Bay Area. Together these corridors and other routes helped sustain intercity rail travel across major urban and regional centers in California, reinforcing the role of passenger rail in connecting communities and supporting economic activity throughout the state in 2025
