After years of planning and a major setback in 2025, a reliable commuter rail connection between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties appears to be back on track. While a previous proposal to extend Metrolink service to the South Coast fell through last year, transportation officials have pivoted to a new plan using Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains. If final approvals are secured, the service could begin as early as April 2026.
Shifting from Metrolink to Amtrak
The original plan to bring Metrolink to Santa Barbara was derailed primarily by Union Pacific Railroad. The railroad company, which owns the tracks north of Moorpark, was unable to negotiate a new track sharing agreement due to the workload from its multi-billion dollar merger with Norfolk Southern. Because Amtrak already has an existing agreement with Union Pacific, officials from the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) and the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) decided that expanding the Pacific Surfliner service was a faster and more cost effective alternative.
The proposed schedule is designed specifically for the thousands of Ventura County residents who commute to Santa Barbara for work. A new morning train would depart Moorpark at 6:31 a.m., reaching downtown Santa Barbara at 7:56 a.m. and Goleta at 8:11 a.m. This timeline is an improvement over previous attempts, which often arrived too early for standard work shifts. In the afternoon, a return trip would depart Goleta at 2:33 p.m., with additional evening options available through existing Amtrak and bus services.
Affordable Fares and the "Lane and a Train" Goal
To make the service accessible for daily commuters, SBCAG plans to offer 10-ride ticket packages for 50 dollars. This would bring the cost down to just 5 dollars per trip, which is significantly cheaper than the standard 17 dollar Amtrak fare. Additionally, riders will be able to use their train tickets on the Coastal Express bus, providing more flexibility for those who might miss their preferred train time.
This initiative is part of a long term "lane and a train" strategy funded by Measure A, a sales tax increase passed by Santa Barbara County voters. The goal is to provide a viable alternative to the congestion on Highway 101, where over 10,000 people drive between the two counties every weekday. With the freeway widening project nearing completion, officials hope the new rail service will finally offer the reliable, high-speed commute that residents have been promised for nearly two decades.