AIR
San Diego International Airport (SAN) a midsize airport with good domestic and Mexico flights, is just a 10 minute ride north of downtown. Super Shuttle (800-554-3146) provides frequent service from the airport. Car Rentals: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty serve the airport. Taxis are just outside the main terminal.
TRAINS
Nicely restored Santa Fe Station located at 1050 Kettner Boulevard downtown, is the perfect intermodal transportation center for Amtrak train service, Coaster commuter rail transit, adjacent to a San Diego Trolley Station, large taxi depot and San Diego Cruise Port is only 1 block west. Santa Fe Station will be a hub of California High Speed Rail System featuring San Francisco-Los Angeles-San Diego corridor. See this important article about Interstate High Speed Rail.
Santa Fe Train Station, San Diego
Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner provides breathtaking views on nearly half the Pacific Coast route between San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. With over a dozen daily round-trips, the Business car, Café car, and three Coach cars rival European trains for comfort in 2 hours 45 minute San Diego-Los Angeles trip time. In the next few years, Pacific Surfliner route will be upgraded to support higher average speed and train frequency.
TRANSIT
San Diego Trolley, a light rail transit system, is the least expensive and fun way to popular destinations without commuter hassles. The Blue line ends right at the Mexico border, where you can walk across. So purchase a 1-4 Day Pass at $5-$12 and enjoy these routes to:
Blue: Old Town Center, Santa Fe Depot, Seaport Village, Convention Center, Gaslamp Quarter, 12th & Imperial, Pacific Fleet, San Ysidro-Tijuana
Red: Old Town Center, Fashion Valley, Mission Valley, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego State Univ., Grossmont, El Cajon, Santee Town Center
Orange: 12th & Imperial, Gaslamp Quarter, Convention Center, Seaport Village, Santa Fe Depot, Civic Center, City College, Euclid Avenue, Lemon Grove, Grossmont, El Cajon
Tijuana Trolley at Tijuana
On San Diego Charger football days, a special trolley runs 12th & Imperial Transit Center to Old Town and then to Qualcomm Football Stadium. San Diego Trolley system will expand northwards alongside I-5 Freeway with 8 new stations in route to UCSD University Towne Center opening in two phases 2014-16.
Coaster commuter rail transit travels Mon-Fri 11 times each way between Santa Fe Station, Old Town Center, Sorrento Valley, Solano Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad Poinsetta, Carlsbad Village and Oceanside. Coaster runs a reduced schedule on weekends with pricing based on distance.
Sprinter Light Rail Transit travels between Oceanside, El Camino Real, Vista Transit Center, Palomar College, San Marcos Civic Center, Cal State San Marcos, Escondido Transit Center
San Diego Freeway Network is extensive west to the beach, north to the mountains, east to the desert and south to the US-Mexico border. Carpool lanes, metered entrances, freeway status signs have been added to help smooth flow in this fast growing Metroplex. Allow extra time on the clogged 5, 8, 15 and 805 freeways during morning and evening commute hours. Residents refer to freeways and bridges mostly by number, but there are exceptions so you’ll want to keep this list handy:
San Diego Freeway
Ocean Beach/Mission Valley Freeway
Escondido Freeway
Soledad Freeway
South Bay Freeway
Ted Williams Freeway
San Vicente Freeway
Coronado Bridge
Anza Freeway
Martin Luther King, Jr. Freeway
Cabrillo Freeway
Jacob Dekema Freeway
Otay Mesa Freeway
BLACK CULTURAL TRAVEL MADE EASY