Merry Christmas, San Diego! The holidays bring a special kind of magic to our hearts and homes – yet they can also bring shorter opening times, traffic, and less magical elements. However, you don’t need to stress about any of that. We’ve got you covered! Here are the official public transit hours in San Diego on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Wednesday, December 24 – Christmas Eve
Public transit will operate on Weekday (Regular) Service, to accommodate those commuting or finishing last-minute shopping.
- MTS Trolley & Bus: Normal weekday schedules.
- NCTD Coaster & Sprinter: Normal weekday schedules.
- Customer Support: The MTS Transit Store and Trip Planning lines typically close early (around 5:00 PM).
Thursday, December 25 – Christmas Day
Both MTS and NCTD will transition to a Sunday Service Schedule. This means fewer trips and no service on routes that do not normally run on Sundays.
MTS (San Diego Metro Area):
- Trolleys (Blue, Orange, Green, Copper Lines): All lines will run on a 30-minute frequency throughout the day.
- Buses: Most urban and local routes will operate on a Sunday schedule.
The following routes will not run on Christmas Day:
- Rapid Express: Routes 280 and 290.
- Rural Routes: Routes 888, 891, 892, and 894.
- Vintage Trolley (Silver Line): No service.
- MTS Access: Subscription service is cancelled. Passengers must call to arrange individual trips in advance.
NCTD (North County):
- COASTER & SPRINTER: Sunday service schedule.
- BREEZE Buses: Sunday service schedule.
Parking
Parking is free at all MTS and NCTD transit centers. If you’re heading to a holiday event downtown, parking at a station like Old Town or Balboa Ave and taking the trolley is highly recommended to avoid holiday traffic and expensive downtown parking fees.