I really loved most of the transit centers in San Diego California. Old town center is a great way to travel SD's old town area. They're reliable and affordable. read more

One of the greatest locations next to old town in san diego, which is a great town full of unique history, stores, and food. The old town transit center is nice and provides free parking to use the trolleys, something so rare nowadays, and the trolleys themselves only cost about $2.50, which is also a price that can't be beat. One of my favorite things to do is utilize the transit to get to shows and venues like at the Gaslamp, the convention, or even Petco Park. Used it this weekend for survivor series, and it was such a lifesaver with parking, convenience, and easy access to get to the venue and back. I loved it, and I wish we had this exact smooth service in L.A.; ours sucks. There's no sugar coating that. L.A. needs to learn from San Diego and take notes. read more

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For one of the many statipns that has been used for some of the greatest from the Ringiling Brothers Circus that would park at the station walking the elephants to the Sports Arena. Old Town is one of the busiest for the start of the years of trains came through Old Town Transit Center. Travel to the Old Town Trolley Transit when you travel on the Green line that takes you through the valley with the Blue line that takes you from the border into the Old Town Transit Center. With the many bus lines you can connect to the station has been one you have the walk over to the state park that is close by. Old Town Station is one of the largest stations you can find parking over in the large parking area where you can connect with the many buses that go out to the city and the many areas of Point Loma and Midway. Travel through the Old Town Transit with one of the many places you can get to the presidio with the historical park of San Diego. Old Town Transit now the new Greyhound Stop that you can catch the bus to the Oceanside main station. Being a Yelp Elite Reviewer travel to the station is one of the best using the many services travel on the trolley and the busses the best way to travel. Saving money in travel the best prices for passes the fares some of the best . read more

I'm a sucker for a train ride and for the past 12 years my wife and I have visited San Diego and driven past the train station, not giving it a second glance. Then a colleague who lives in the area suggested that we try the Coaster while in town. We did a little research and found it to be an inexpensive option to get up the coast. This transit center is a connection point for several trains and busses, not just the Coaster. It can be a little confusing if you're not familiar with the area, but there are signs that point out which track you need to be on for which train and the busses are clearly marked. There's also a good amount of parking, so you can leave you vehicle and hop on the train. It's a fun way to get around! read more

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I like to jump on the San Diego Trolley from this location because I am too cheap to pay high parking prices for an event. I stay in Old Town often and this is the closest MTS pickup location. Plus there is free parking at the nearby Park and Ride (if you can find a spot). I usually ride the MTS downtown to a Padres game or to the convention center. It is easy to jump on and off the Trolley once you figure out how to ride it. The nice thing about this Transit Center is that you can walk over to Old Town after you get off and grab a bite or visit some of the shops there. The bad thing about this area is that it can be a little sketchy late hours. There is an MTS employee at this location that helps explain how to purchase a Pronto Card to ride. San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (or MTS) is a public transit system for San Diego County and is one of the oldest transit systems in Southern California. The Trolley takes you all over San Diego to locations like Downtown San Diego, El Cajon, San Diego State University and to the border at San Ysidro. Old Town Transit Center opens from 6am-9pm. Overnight parking is not allowed in the park and ride. The Amtrak and the Coaster commuter rail service also makes stops here. read more

Old Town Transit Center - San Diego Trolley - Train Stations Near Me - San Diego, California

When I lived in San Diego, the trolley system was really limited. I heard good things and with my usual Amtrak being down for track maintenance, I found a charter bus that would drop me at the Old Town trolley stop. I still needed to get downtown, and the trolley seemed like the best option. Plenty of signage, and I appreciated that there are MTS employees on site to answer questions (perfect for a first timer like me). Got my ticket and was on my way in minutes. After my first positive experience, ended using the trolley the next day to get to Fashion Valley. Had a similar positive experience, and o appreciate the friendly MTS employees! read more

The name of this center is obviously telling you where it's located, and also meaning if you took the trolley here then you get to visit old town, I don't know if it was a coincidence, but every time I stopped here, something happened near the sidewalk, always a lot of cop cars or ambulances, someone either having a heart attack or car accident or worse. I guess I can drive to old town, but the scenic route from trolley wasn't bad read more

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Need access to free parking when heading to downtown or some remote spot in or around town (like the border). Checkout the Old Town Transit Center. Conveniently located in a central part of town with easy access to/ from both 5 & 8 freeways. Did I mention free parking? Hop on a bus, trolley or Coaster for $2.50 and off you go. Some of the parking is under the transition bridge from 5 south to 8 East which offers some shade and cover from the elements for your vehicle. It's well lit for evening events or early morning transit needs. Did I mention it's free? There is security on hand as well as MTS employees to assist with ticket purchases and general information. Super helpful for anyone not familiar with the public transportation system in San Diego. This parking lot also offers easy access to Old Town. With a plethora of shops, restaurants and museums. Did I mention parking is free? Keep on Yelp'n! read more

Old Town Transit Center - Looking north from the platform - Train Stations Near Me - San Diego, California

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"Oh oh oh cha cha! And if you love the life you're livin' (oh) And go ahead and dive right in it (uh, uh) Shake it, shake it like you mean it Do a little dance" I seem to have neglected to review this tram station in San Diego and if you are looking to ride a bus to seaworld or explore the nearby area this is your starting point. Take the 8 or 9 for that. 35 or 8 gets you to the dog beach and some nearby hotels if you later on want to have some fun with your pups. You can also take the Green line to Santee area as well as the old Qualcomm stadium. If you are lucky you can also get on or off Amtrak here. I am not sure why people are upset but as a tourist. This is a good access point to a lot of cool transportation options. I'd come here again if I can. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3gGG6zNJsk read more

What a mess just to get to this transit stop, but once you are here, you are set to go. This was my first time using the transit system in San Diego and I did my research beforehand so I knew what to do. Hint, use the app and set everything up, I mean...create an account, activate card, deposit funds, get your QR code and you are all set, took maybe ten minutes max to get it all set up. This specific transit station is kind of free flowing and self explanatory. Like most transit stations, just make yourself aware of your surroundings and read the signs. Once you figure it out, you'll be all good. Or download Citymapper and it will tell you which way you need to go if you can't figure it out. Scanning your phone to enter and exit is a breeze. Once you scan you just kind of wait for your train and can kind of get lost in thought. Do be mindful of how close you get to the tracks, you don't want to be too close before the train pulls up. Enter the train, and then you are on your way. On my return trip, the train I took didn't come all the way to here, so I can't tell you what it is like once you return to the station. read more

So it looks like I reviewed this station about 10 years ago (wow), but after a recent visit I remembered how convenient it is to get on/off the Surfliner from here rather than downtown. I love the easy freeway access and not having to navigate the streets of downtown... such a stress reliever. Don't expect too much here aside from hoping on a train, some self-serve kiosks, a small shop that serves snacks that's open during the day (and maybe at night too) and close proximity to Old Town if you want to slug a margarita or three before or after your train ride. I mean, what else do you need? It's a train station! read more

My family and I took the train from San Diego back home to Seattle in 2107. Ticket purchase was easy. This was our second train trip we've tried so far. We rode the double decker Amtrak. Thankfully, it was not crowded in our section. We had a peaceful ride. The seats were pretty comfortable. It was a great experience however, I'd rather fly! read more

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There's not much to it and it feels desolate after dark until you kind of get used to it, but I reckon it mostly does what it's supposed to. Certainly I was happy to stay at the long-gone, ultra cheap America's Best Value Inn nearby and have many transit options. Bus destinations from here include Point Loma, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla and Hillcrest. If you happen to be from someplace more transit-friendly like New York, check schedules in advance so you're not there at 8pm waiting for a bus that shut down at 7. read more

Not the cleanest station but I get in good cardio and hip work dodging the homeless people and other characters on the way to the airport. I take the Coaster or Amtrak from North County to Old Town Transit Center and then the San Diego Flyer (read review) to the airport. Heck of a lot cheaper than Uber, Lyft, one way car rental, or parking. I do the reverse to get back home. It's walking distance to Old Town so convenient to stopping by for a margarita, beer , or other beverage. Giant parking lot which I think is still free. read more

This is a pretty busy hub as it services several different modes of transportation such as Amtrak, Coaster, MTS blue and green trolley lines. You can also catch a local bus (8, 9, 10, 28, 30, 35, 44, 83, 84, 88, 105), Flyer, Greyhound, or FlixBus. The pickup location for the buses might change from time to time, but they always have good signage. The last time I was here to catch a FlixBus, it was across the street from the tracks, on the other side of Congress St. Always be aware of your surroundings as this is a popular hangout location for the unhoused. read more

Old Town Transit Center - Train Stations Near Me - San Diego, California

Pros - lots of public parking nearby and clean enough. Cons - no waiting area therefore nothing indoor if it's raining and no bathroom. So basically don't drink a lot and get hear super early. read more

Old Town Transit Center is the perfect place to park when visiting Old Town. It is also the perfect hub to park and ride when going to a Padres game. Drive to Old Town Transit, jump on a trolley and take the short ride to Petco Park. Parking is free! read more

This is a great place to catch the trolley. They have good parking and you can buy your tickets from a machine, which makes it so easy. The transit guys were very helpful also. We had a great conductor who was hilarious and kept joking with us all the way up the coast. read more

Not good. One person sort of helped me but there was no one else to get me to the right platform. Missed my train. Lost an hour after flying all day. Hire some people to work at this busy station!!!! San Diego pretends they want people to take public transportation but they dropped the ball. read more

I am becoming such a constant fixture to San Diego that I am currently learning the transit system. I even bought an electric scooter to avoid worrying about parking in downtown. This particular station is epic for me, as it's a hub for not only trains and busses, but the trolley system as well. I have a lot to figure out, so I've been making various trips down. My goal is to not need a vehicle or rely on Uber when I'm in town. Overall, this is a very nice, clean station in a sweet location! I was here at night and felt completely safe. I'll keep you posted on how much I can do from here. Aside from fun activities such as arena shows, I am practicing and planning, to see if I can use mass transit if I get relocated in employment to San Diego (if you read my Agavos Group review, you'll know I'm up to something). read more

This is a quaint little transit center but they really could have better signs for people waiting for trains in the dark. It was odd that the northbound train was leaving from the western platform and even more annoying that I walked with my suitcase all the way to the ADA ramp only to have the train arrive and not stop anywhere near that platform. Then the conductor pointed to a train car 200 ft away indicating that was where economy class was. As I was walking away from her with my ADA walking device I let her know that there needs to be better information for those with mobility issues. She said something back at me but I was already hobbling quickly to that economy car so as not to miss the 40 min delayed train. Note this station/Amtrak trains are not ADA compliant and you will not be able to easily board an Amtrak train here without assistance. read more

Ehh what's to say it's a transit stop lol you can catch a bus a trolley and the train all in one stop! It's decently clean but there was a noticeable amount of unhoused individuals using benches as beds and one had a partial tent set up by a bush...don't get me wrong I completely understand the unhoused issues go beyond anything current available resources can do to cure the issue...my issue was I was dropping my 23 y/o daughter off to catch the 610AM train to Los Angeles and there was not a single security officer in sight...so we waited in the car until 5 minutes before train arrival and then we got out and headed to the platform where the train would stop. The different platforms are clearly marked so you know where to be for the train or where to be to catch the trolley. The parking lot is large but poorly lit. The train was on time and quick to load up and take off! read more

I love the way that the public safety officers stand around and talk to each other when there is a drunk, belligerent and half naked man with his pants falling down about 30 ft from them. As the guy starts to walk their way they both start walking away from him. It also appears there are several people living in their vehicles in the parking lot. read more

I like this stop since it is close to Old Town. If you are feeling touristy you cam abandon your trip and check out Old Town the shops and the eatery. This is an open area that one does not see too many homeless people. I would say that its clean. An added bonus is that you cam also catch the surf liner so you are covered. It is a major stop so you can also take the MYS buses that can take you about just anywhere you want to go from the beaches to Mission Valley and all the way to El Cajon and Santee. I say use the public transportation once in a while to avoid the traffic but most importantly reduce your carbon footprint. read more

Old Town Transit Center - Reducing carbon foot print - Train Stations Near Me - San Diego, California

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San Diego Trolley system has done a decent job to make trail-based transportation accessible throughout the city. Since Goodyear has wiped out rails century ago, San Diego works with what it can. First, I've been living here before the first trolley and have been taking the trolley for decades. Second, there are several stations you can park and ride. Why park and ride? Because traffic can be daunting. And you want to get your steps in. And today is green day. Third, bike clubs park here. Run clubs meet here and you can get to most locations from here while being safe. If you are traveling North for beach access, then you take the NCTD coaster. What is the coaster? Well, the railway is shared with San Diego Trolley, Coaster and Amtrak. Always check the MTS Trip Planner to make sure you are in the right rail. Moving along... Thirdly, to travel east or south, you must cross under the bridge at Old Town Station. Period. Fourthly, I appreciate that every station has an in-person Trolley Concierge to assist you. Some days can be competitive because everybody gets confused on how to purchase tickets. The trolley DOES NOT make this easy even for an expert like me. So ask anyone on the platform. People will help. Fifthly, each trolley station has time stamps of expected trolley arrival. No more twindling thumbs of wondering. Sixthly (is this a word)? I'm currently at Old Town. I dropped my car at the mechanic 5 minute walk. I'm catching the trolley to the movie theater at Grossmont. Only 34 freakin' minutes ride. I see the city, relax in a/c, learn new routes, and avoid all road rage. Seventhly, an all day pass is $6 bucks. For the entire city. Eighthly, (is this a word)? For the most part, there are no characters on the trolley. Or they mask their skills. Easy ride, no frills. Ninthly, every time I have guests... We have a trolley day. Either to Tijuana, the mega outlet, downtown San Diego, the hood, the movies or Chicano Park, to SDSU or Embarcadero. No need to rent a car. We can make it happen. Tenthly, when you get to your trolley stop, hurry up and press the button! On the right side! Or you'll be riding to the next stop. All trolleys are wheelchair accessible, announce each stop ahead of time in English and Spanish, are 98% clean, air conditioned run on time, and still requires face coverings while riding. Enjoy! read more

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The security here is absolutely wonderful, there are so many different Avenues and options for transportation I was actually overwhelmed. I have found that you can get to Sycuan Casino, North County, Orange County, La, Mexico, or anywhere you need to go in California and all of your transportation needs are all in one place. There is some undesirable people around the area that are into drugs and or other things however there is police everywhere and security everywhere so you can feel safe read more

Old Town Transit Center - Train Stations Near Me - San Diego, California

The old town transit center was very resourceful. Very easy to get to Petco park from here. The parking is free. You buy a round trip ticket for about $7, take the green line and it leaves you right around the corner from Petco Park. There was also a MTS employee out and about and she was helping people get to their destination. She went above and beyond, even communicated to travelers which side of the platform to go to for the rail line. read more

This transportation hub near Old Town San Diego serves passenger rail (Amtrak and Coaster), MTS busses, and the San Diego Trolley light rail. San Diego Trolley tours also stop here. We've used the Transit Center to park and take the San Diego Trolley downtown. When we lived in La Jolla, we'd take the #30 bus to here and transfer to the Trolley, a cross town bus to Hillcrest, or an Amtrak train north. read more

Out of towners and tourists in your own city BEWARE. Better scout it before you buy any transit passes. No help to be found. No train schedules posted on the Coaster platform and no directions regarding which platform for which train schedules. We bought the SD Fair tripper pass and missed our train because we ran to the wrong platform that actually had the information we needed posted. Almost no ease of crossing to make access to the appropriate platform. We had to run back all the way around and through the parking lot. Never doing this again. read more

Took the first Surfliner to LA from OLT. Use the track closest to the buses. There is signage closer to departure time. There are some benches to sit as well. No complaints! read more

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I am a fan of public transportation and often take public transportation back at home. So it isn't a surprise to me that I would take the train while vacationing in San Diego. The transit center is located in Old Town, which is a great stop to check out historical culture, food, picture taking, etc. There is plenty of parking (free) at this transit center and there are also bike lockers available. One negative thing I do have to mention about this location is that there are bums that are around (but honestly that is just anywhere), so do be careful and hide your valuables to avoid unwanted attention (or be a potential target). Anyways, my husband and I decided to take the train to the Qualcomm stadium this past Saturday for a football game. We were staying at Old Town Inn (dog friendly and pretty good rates) and walked over to the station (about a 5 minute walk). It cost $2.50 per one way or you can purchase a day pass for $6. We ended up getting the day pass because the person at the booth who sold us the pass told us that there will be a long line to purchase a one way back from the stadium. So we decided for peace of mind, we would just pay the extra $1 (but I do have to say that there was not a long line to purchase a one way pass back, but a long line to wait to catch the train back to the station). The train seem slow getting to the stadium, but was faster on the way back. Seems like a lot of people take the train to the stadium (why not when you can avoid paying $25 for parking and avoid the fight out of the parking lot after the game), which made me feel safe and not scared (you never know about the type of people that do get onto the train, let's just be honest). The train ride to and from was just fine for us. But do know that because a lot of people do take the train for the game, it is crowded. We were lucky to get seats on both ways but there were plenty of people standing the whole way. Also just want to mention that passes were checked upon exiting the Qualcomm stadium stop and getting back on after the game. So be sure to buy a pass! read more

Old Town Transit Center - 1 Day- Day Pass, $6 - Train Stations Near Me - San Diego, California

So it's a transit center... But it has a mini mart! So when we were there, some guy was seriously blazing... Not a deal breaker, but I guess his mom's basement was otherwise being used, so he had to smoke here. The usual eclectic mix of nerds, druggies, homeless, smellies, socialites, and a perpetually 90s grunge guy with a guitar slung over his shoulder joined the nondescript masses of people and tourists. The Trolley was on time and clean. We had our tickets checked by a rent-a-cop with a real gun... Awesome. Overall, it's public transit, not a delicious thanksgiving dinner. But it'll get you where you need to go. In our case, it was several bars for Happy hour, and the green line delivered without passion, pretense, or prejudice. All are welcome at the trough of transportation. Just make sure you pay your fare, and hold on tight. I'm not catching You when you fall. read more

Old Town Transit Center - Choo ga choo ga choo choo!!! - Train Stations Near Me - San Diego, California

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The San Diego equivalent of Los Angeles Union Station, with plentiful transit connections. Very easy to connect to the San Diego Trolley, Amtrak, and so on. The FlixBus (which is also a great way to get to Anaheim or LA) boards from the white curb from the southeast corner of Congress and Telegraph. Fairly clean for a transit center. Some Old Town restaurants are within walking distance, if you have a layover. In many ways, San Diego's public transit is more innovative than Los Angeles, though LA is trying to make up for lost time. The Amtrak to LA is a wonderful stress-reliever and traffic buster. Why people still insist on driving themselves from San Diego to LA and vice versa is beyond me. read more

With all the public transport stoping at Old Town station it gets confusing for 1st time riders, there is a lot of other knowledgeable riders and you can ask them questions, everybody is happy to help to get your way around. Sings and schedules are posted on the boards also all the information is online, to get your ticket use the automatic machines it accepts credit cards and cash, there is a small convenience store to buy drinks, snacks, etc. To safely cross from one side to the other there is a under pass Is a main station, from here you can go to many areas in SD, old town is within walking distance if you want to visit Winter time gets cold as there is nothing to block the cold wind blowing. Security personnel are around. Trolley track 1, 2 Coaster track 3 Amtrack track 4 MTS Buses on both sides read more

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If it's your first time here, it can get a little overwhelming, like the feeling you get when you're at the airport for the first time. This transit center in particular is very big as there's Amtrak, coaster, buses, and trolley. I was picking up my guest and got a little confused as to which side of the tracks she will be coming from. After asking around, I realized I was on the right side, as the Amtrak comes from both directions. If you are on the wrong side, you have to walk under the tunnel to reach the other side. It's wonderful that we have access to public transportation and can use these services. They have a free parking structure too which is a plus. Although it can be confusing if it's your first time, it's worth it. The ticket from San Diego to OC is around $25, one way. read more

Old Town Transit Center - The Amtrak is the closest to the big parking lot and goes in both directions. - Train Stations Near Me - San Diego, California

Important transportation hub, particularly for Mission Valley. Not much in terms of amenities but there is a convenience store. No public restroom. Fair amount of shade. THE stop for Old Town. read more

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The best thing about the old own transit center is the location and the number of connections you can make. You can take the Coaster, Amtrak, MTS Trolley or MTS Buses from this location and they offer bike lockers. Taxis are waiting and it's easy to call a Lyft or an Uber. My biggest complaint is the lack of public restrooms. You can pay to use the restroom inside the convenience store, but if you have the time, I suggest a short walk to Old Town to use the public facilities. read more

Taking the Coaster for the first time. $5.50 one way all the way to Oceanside. Plenty of seats and fantastic view. Free 24 hour parking, too. Not having to deal with the I-5 traffic; Priceless. read more

Old Town Transit Center - Sitting on the left side northbound for the ocean view. - Train Stations Near Me - San Diego, California

What can I say about this Transit Center other than it was busy not only with trolleys but buses as well. It was clean, well maintained with a small convenient store. What I liked most about this location is that it is across the street from "Old Town". This location also has a clean bright underground walk way that separates the buses from the trolleys. read more

Old Town Transit Center - Store - Train Stations Near Me - San Diego, California

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A simple review for a simple transit center. Lots of parking but during the week may be hard to find because of the large government facility next door illegally uses the transit parking. Shame shame. Other than that I have no problem with this center except that it does tend to attract some of the unsavory transient people. Maybe they read the sign as transient center vice transit center. This is the stop where I get off to go to work when I commute to work. I have had numerous run ins with some nutty folk. I would say maybe there needs to be more transit authority officers at this location. Otherwise trains and trollies run mostly on time. There is clear signs telling what trollies/coaster goes where and lots of room to wait for your train. Choo choo read more