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52-579: The Los Angeles Metro Rail is an urban rail transit system serving Los Angeles County, California , United States, consisting of six lines: four light rail lines (the A , C , E and K lines) and two rapid transit lines (the B and D lines), serving a total of 102 stations . The system connects with the Metro Busway bus rapid transit system (the G and J lines), the Metrolink commuter rail system, as well as several Amtrak lines. Metro Rail

104-485: A mezzanine level for fare sales and collection above a platform level where passengers board trains. Underground stations and tunnels are designed to resist ground shaking that could occur at a specific location. There is no general magnitude of an earthquake that the entire system is expected to withstand. However, the Metro Rail system has not suffered any damage from earthquakes since its opening in 1990. Metro Rail uses

156-543: A proof-of-payment fare system, with Metro's fare inspectors randomly inspecting trains and stations to ensure passengers have a valid fare product on their Transit Access Pass (TAP) electronic fare card. When passengers enter a station, they encounter TAP card validators which collect fares when a customer places their card on top. Additionally, fare gates ( turnstiles ) connected to TAP card validators are at all underground stations, all elevated stations, and some surface stations. Once passengers pass these validators or board

208-403: A 2006 article, the political scientist Ted Balaker and the urban planner Cecilia Juong Kim stated that public rail transit provides certain benefits for a community but also that the goals of policymakers are not often met. They also note some American economists claim that contrary to popular belief, rail transit has failed to improve the environment, serve the poor, or reduce highway congestion in

260-413: A constant speed. Individual cars stop and start by releasing and gripping the cable as required. Cable cars are distinct from funiculars (whose cars are permanently attached to the cable) and cable railways (which are similar to funiculars but have rail vehicles that are attached and detached manually). Transit agencies' names for lines do not necessarily reflect their technical categorization. For example,

312-560: A daily or weekly unlimited pass, automatically ensuring that all passengers pay the lowest fare possible. Due to this, passengers will never pay more than $ 5 (3 rides) in a day or $ 18 (11 rides) within seven days; rides are free once the cap is reached. Discounted or free fares are available for seniors, disabled individuals, Medicare recipients, low-income individuals, and students. The following table shows Metro fares, effective July 1, 2023 (in US dollars): College Vocational Metro has implemented

364-574: A letter-based scheme, similar to those in New York City. Metro recommended the opening of the refurbished A Line in 2019 as a starting point to rename the lines, and then continuing with the opening of the K line, finishing in time for the opening of the Regional Connector in 2023. The following rail projects have been given high priority by Metro. They all appear in the 2009 LRTP constrained plan, and all have funding earmarked from Measure R. With

416-738: A mix of environments, including at-grade in an exclusive corridor , street running , elevated , and underground . The two rapid transit (subway) lines (B and D) share tracks between Union Station and Wilshire/​Vermont , while two of the light rail lines (A and E) share tracks between Pico and Little Tokyo/Arts District . The Los Angeles Metro Rail system consists of 102 stations. The light rail stations are either at ground level or elevated, with some trenched or fully underground. All rapid transit stations are fully underground. Stations include at least two ticket vending machines , wayfinding maps, electronic message displays, and bench seating. Call boxes are available at stations to allow employees at

468-426: A more open feel for passengers. On buses, proof-of-payment saves drivers the time needed to collect fares, and makes it possible for all doors to be used for boarding. Validated tickets can double as transfers between lines. Collecting fares outside a bus "offers the greatest potential for reducing dwell time ." Disadvantages include higher rates of fare evasion, reduced security on station platforms when no barrier

520-546: A physical rail corridor, as it does in New York City Subway nomenclature .) Metro also uses the same line letter naming system for its Metro Busway services (which are bus rapid transit routes operating in transitways). Six Metro Rail lines operate in Los Angeles County: The B and D lines follow a fully underground route, and the C Line follows a fully grade-separated route. The A, E, and K lines run in

572-447: A police force, to man entrances to stations on a discretionary basis when a high volume of passengers is expected. For example, transit users leaving a stadium after a major concert or sporting event will likely have to buy a ticket from an attendant (or show proof of payment) to gain access to the station serving the stadium. Direct fare collection methods may also be used at major hubs in systems that otherwise use POP. An example of this

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624-441: A relatively-low capacity and frequent stops; however, modern trams have a greater passenger capacity than traditional trams. Passengers usually board at the street or curb level, but low-floor trams may allow level boarding. Longer-distance lines are called interurbans or radial railways . Modern trams also operate as self-propelled trains coupled through a multiple unit instead of individual trams and are often included within

676-461: A reloadable TAP Card. In addition, in 2008 Metro began installing fare gates at all underground stations, all elevated stations, and some surface stations. Implementation of both programs (the TAP Card and the fare gate program) has turned out to be expensive ($ 154 million in total, so far) and its initial rollout was problematic. In 2023, the Metro Rail system had a ridership of 61,981,300. As of

728-455: A switched network. A funicular is a cable-driven inclined railway that uses the weight of descending cars to help pull the ascending cars up the slope. The term funicular derives from the Latin word funiculus , the diminutive of funis , meaning 'rope'. A cable car, in the context of mass transit, is a system using rail cars that are hauled by a continuously moving cable that runs at

780-479: A system of electronic fare collection using a stored-value smartcard called the Transit Access Pass (TAP Card). This card was intended to simplify fare collection and reduce costs. In 2012, paper monthly passes were phased out and replaced with the TAP Card. As of September 2013, first-time Metro riders must deposit an additional $ 2 (or $ 1 at TAP vending machines) on top of their first fare payment to obtain

832-611: A train, they have entered the "fare paid zone", where fare inspectors may check their TAP card to ensure they have a valid fare. Passengers who fail to comply may be penalized and removed from the system. Metro Rail maintains two distinct systems of rail: a light rail system and a rapid transit (subway) system, which use incompatible technologies, even though they both use 4 ft  8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge and use 750 V power. Metro's rapid transit lines are powered by third rail , whereas its light rail lines are powered by overhead catenary . Also,

884-454: A wide term for various types of local rail systems providing passenger service within and around urban or suburban areas. The set of urban rail systems can be roughly subdivided into the following categories, which sometimes overlap because some systems or lines have aspects of multiple types. A tram , streetcar , or trolley system is a rail-based transit system that runs mainly or completely along streets (with street running ), with

936-601: Is a rail-based transit system that has higher capacity and speed than a tram, usually by operating in an exclusive right-of-way separated from automobile traffic, but it is not, unlike rapid transit, fully grade-separated from other traffic. Light rail also generally operates with multiple-unit trains , rather than single tramcars. It emerged as an evolution of trams/streetcars. Light rail systems vary significantly in terms of speed and capacity and range from slightly improved tram systems to systems that are essentially rapid transit but with some level crossings. The term "light rail"

988-1145: Is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail, as opposed to the traditional track with two parallel rails . The term possibly comes from 1897, from German engineer Eugen Langen , who called an elevated railway system with wagons suspended the Eugen Langen One-railed Suspension Tramway (Einschieniges Hängebahnsystem Eugen Langen). A commuter rail, regional rail or suburban rail system operates on mainline trackage, which may be shared with intercity rail and freight trains . Systems tend to operate at lower frequencies than rapid transit or light rail systems but tend to travel at higher speeds, have more widely spaced stations and cover longer overall distances. They have high passenger capacities per single train. Though many European and East Asian commuter rail systems operate with frequencies and rolling stock similar to that of rapid transit, they do not qualify as such because they share tracks with intercity/freight trains, or they have at grade crossings. For example, S-trains are hybrid systems combining

1040-490: Is monitored by security personnel through closed-circuit television cameras. Metro Ambassadors are an in-house outreach team to provide a better user experience. They help riders navigate and provide information about the system. In June 2024, the Metro Executive Board voted 10-0 to create their own transit police force. A cited reason included frustration with a lack of control over the existing contracts. This force

1092-852: Is named the "Underground" and is commonly nicknamed the "tube". Systems in Germany are called "U-Bahn", which stands for Untergrundbahn ("underground rail"). Many systems in East, Southeast and South Asia like Taipei , Chennai and Singapore , are called "MRT", which stands for "mass rapid transit". Systems that are predominantly elevated may be referred to as "L", as in Chicago , or "Skytrain", as in Bangkok and Vancouver . Other less common names include "T-bane", which stands for "tunnelbana" (in Scandinavia, literally tunnel track ) and "MTR" (mass transit railway). A monorail

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1144-526: Is owned and operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). Los Angeles Metro Rail has been extended significantly since it started service in 1990, and several further extensions are either in the works or being considered. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 61,981,300 or about 208,300 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. Los Angeles had two previous rail transit systems,

1196-443: Is planned to consist of officers, crisis workers , and homelessness outreach teams. In the early 20th century, Southern California had an extensive privately owned rail transit network with over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of track, operated by Pacific Electric (Red Cars) and Los Angeles Railway (Yellow Cars). However, from 1927 revenue shortfall caused Pacific Electric to begin replacing lightly used rail lines with buses. In 1958

1248-755: Is popular in Germany, where it was widely introduced during the labor shortages resulting from the Economic Miracle of the 1960s. It has also been adopted in Eastern Europe and Canada and has made some inroads in newer systems in the United States. The first use of the term "POP" or "Proof of Payment" on a rail line in North America is believed to have been in Edmonton in 1980. Since then, many new light rail , streetcar , and bus rapid transit systems have adopted

1300-597: Is sometimes known as "heavy rail" to distinguish it from light rail. Both heavy and light often refer to the capacity and sometimes to investment costs. In most parts of the world, such systems are known as a "metro", short for "metropolitan", which is itself short for " Metropolitan Railway ", the first such system in the world. The term "subway" is used in many American systems, as well as in Glasgow and in Toronto . The system in London

1352-492: Is the Tower City station on Cleveland 's RTA Rapid Transit Red Line , which uses faregates . Travel without a valid ticket is not usually a criminal offense, but a penalty fare or a fine can be charged. Advantages of proof-of-payment include lower labor costs for fare collection, simpler station design, easier access for mobility-impaired passengers, easier access for those carrying packages or in case of an emergency, and

1404-570: Is the second-busiest in the United States with 141,000 average weekday boardings as of the third quarter of 2024. In terms of route length, Metro's light rail system is the largest in the United States . Half of the Metro Rail's trains and stations are patrolled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department under a law enforcement contract. The Los Angeles Police Department and Long Beach Police Department patrol stations within their respective cities, also under contract. The system

1456-542: Is the most common term especially in Americas, but German systems are called Stadtbahn , which translates to "city railway". Additionally " tram-train " systems are called Regionalstadtbahn and " semi-metro " systems are called U-Stadtbahn or U-Strab . A rapid transit system is a railway , usually in an urban area , with high passenger capacities and frequency of service and (usually) full grade separation from other traffic, including other rail traffic. It

1508-473: Is used to refer to various methods of providing faster bus services and the systems that use it have similar characteristics to light rail . Guided buses are buses capable of being steered by external means, usually on a dedicated track or roll way that excludes other traffic. Some cities experimenting with guided bus technologies, such as Nancy , have chosen to refer to them as 'trams on tires' ( rubber-tired trams ) and given them tram-like appearances. In

1560-435: Is used, increased potential of racial profiling and other unequal enforcement as "likely fare evaders" are targeted, and regularly exposing passengers to unpleasant confrontational situations when a rider without the proper proof is detained and removed from the vehicle. Visitors unfamiliar with a system's validation requirements who innocently misunderstand the rules are especially likely to get into trouble. Proof-of-payment

1612-621: The COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, service operated until approximately 2:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays but was removed to accommodate train cleaning. Trains operate more frequently during weekday peak hours and less at other times. During peak hours, the light rail A and E lines run every 8 minutes and the light rail C and K lines run every 10 minutes. The light rail lines operate on 10-minute headways during off-peak periods and weekends. The B and D rapid transit lines operate every 12 minutes throughout

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1664-853: The Green Line in Boston is referred to as a subway although it is mostly made up of above-ground portions. Conversely, the Docklands Light Railway in London , C Line in Los Angeles , and some metro lines in China are referred to as "Light Rail" but qualify as rapid transit because they are fully grade-separated and provide a high frequency of service. Many cities use names such as subway and elevated railway to describe their entire systems, even if they combine both methods of operation. Slightly less than half of

1716-657: The London Underground 's tracks, for example, are actually underground. The New York City Subway also combines elevated and subterranean stations, and the Chicago "L" and the Vancouver SkyTrain use tunnels to run through central areas. A bus shares many characteristics with light rail and trams but does not run on rails. Trolleybuses are buses that are powered from overhead wires . Vehicles that can travel both on rails and on roads have been tried experimentally but are not in common use. The term bus rapid transit

1768-520: The Pacific Electric Red Car and Los Angeles Railway Yellow Car lines, which operated between the late 19th century and the 1960s. The Metro Rail system uses many of their former rights of way , and thus can be considered their indirect successor. In Los Angeles Metro terminology, common with most other metro systems, a line is a named service, defined by a route and set of stations served by trains on that route. (The word does not refer to

1820-462: The LRTP. On November 6, 2012, Metro attempted to pass Measure J, but failed as it did not reach the two-thirds majority needed to pass. In November 2016 election, Metro decided to place another sales tax on the ballot. The voters then approved Measure M , a half-cent permanent sales tax increase to fund many local projects, including Metro Rail expansion. In 2018, Metro approved renaming its rail lines using

1872-613: The Metro Rail Operations Control Center to assist passengers with concerns. Unique artwork is integrated into every station, showcasing local culture and improving the aesthetic of the system. Street-level stations are typically simpler with platforms designed with shade canopies, separated from nearby roads and sidewalks, where passengers can purchase fares and board a train. Free or paid park and ride lots are available at 44 stations and most have bike storage available. Underground stations are typically larger with

1924-436: The United States. They also claim economists are somewhat more optimistic about rail transit's impact on economic development. Proof-of-payment This method is implemented when the transit authority believes it will lose less money to the resultant fare evasion than it would cost to install and maintain a more direct collection method. It may be used in systems whose passenger volume and density are not very high most of

1976-436: The broader term light rail ; however, they differ in that trams frequently share the platform with vehicular traffic and do not have signal priority. The term "tram" is used in most parts of the world. In North America, such systems are referred to as "streetcar" or "trolley" systems. In Germany, such systems are called Straßenbahn , which literally translates as "street train" or "street railway". A light rail system

2028-565: The characteristics of both rapid transit and commuter rail systems. Generally, S-trains share tracks with mainline passenger and freight trains, but the distances between stations and the service headway resemble metro systems. Automated guideway transit systems tend to operate with medium passenger capacities. Larger systems span a variety of conceptual designs, from subway-like advanced rapid transit (ART) systems to smaller (typically two to six passengers) vehicles known as personal rapid transit (PRT) which offer direct point-to-point travel along

2080-467: The day. During early morning and late night hours, train frequency on all Metro Rail lines is reduced to every 20 minutes. Metro plans to increase train frequencies, proposing to further reduce headways on the B, C, D, and K lines by 2025. The standard Metro base fare applies for all trips. Fare collection is based on a partial proof-of-payment system. At least two fare machines are at each station. Fare inspectors, local police, and deputy sheriffs police

2132-429: The increase in rents, and a shortage of housing . Ridership declines also coincide with passage of AB 60, signed into law by Governor Brown in 2013, which provides for issuance of a vehicle operators license regardless of immigration status. The fiscal changes are the passage of Measure R , a countywide incremental sales tax increase passed by voters in 2008, providing funding for many of the highest priority projects in

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2184-464: The last Long Range Transportation Plan, indicating some possibility they could be constructed should additional funding materialize. Others have been the subject of Metro Board discussion, with the possibility of future feasibility studies. (More information on each project can be found in the references.) Other transit in the United States: Urban rail transit Urban rail transit is

2236-450: The opening of the Metro Rail, Proposition U passed, which halved the allowable residential density throughout much of Los Angeles. This reduced the viability of the Metro Rail by limiting dense residential housing near transit stations. Before 2000, none of the land near the stations was converted to residential use. Metro has worked to plan and prioritize project funding and implementation. Metro's 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)

2288-539: The passage of Measure M in 2016, Metro released an updated Long Range Transportation plan in February 2017, and released a full report in 2020, along with its Twenty-eight by '28 initiative. Metro's Long Range Transportation Plan was published in 2009, and was updated in 2020. The following proposed line/system expansions do not have funding or high priority in Metro's long-range plans. Some are listed as "strategic unfunded" in

2340-492: The price of gasoline led to calls for mass transit other than buses. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA, now branded as Metro) began construction of the initial lines throughout the 1980s using revenues from a voter-approved increase in sales tax. The Blue (A) Line opened on July 14, 1990, 27 years after the final streetcar line closed. The system has been progressively expanded since. The following table shows this expansion's timeline: Just before

2392-474: The procedure, mainly to speed up boarding by avoiding the hassles of crowding at doors to pay fares at a farebox beside the driver as is common practice on traditional buses . TriMet in Portland, Oregon was the first large transit agency to adopt proof of payment on its bus system, from September 1982 to April 1984. It was discontinued after finding that fare evasion and vandalism increased and little productivity

2444-562: The remnants of the privately owned rail and bus systems were consolidated into a government agency known as the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority or MTA. By 1963, the remaining rail lines were completely removed and replaced with bus service. In the following decades, growing traffic congestion led to increased public support for rail transit's return. Beginning in the 1970s, a variety of factors, including environmental concerns, an increasing population, and

2496-457: The system and cite individuals without proof of payment. Passengers are required to purchase a TAP card to ride Metro Rail. Passengers using a TAP card can transfer between Metro routes for free within 2 hours from the first tap. Metro introduced daily and weekly fare caps in July 2023, replacing daily, weekly, and monthly passes. With fare capping, the cost of each trip is credited towards the cost of

2548-401: The third quarter of 2024, the combined Metro B and D lines averaged a weekday ridership of 67,300, making it the ninth busiest rapid transit system in the United States. Taking overall track length into consideration, Metro Rail's rapid transit lines transport 7,960 passengers per route mile, making this the fifth busiest U.S. rapid transit system on a per mile basis. Metro's light rail system

2600-509: The time—as passenger volumes increase, more-direct collection methods become more profitable. However, in some countries it is common even on systems with very high passenger volume. Proof-of-payment is usually applied on one-person operated rail and road vehicles as well as on automatically operated rail lines. The honor system can be complemented with a more direct collection approach where this would be feasible—a transit authority using POP will usually post fare inspectors, sometimes armed as

2652-416: The two separate systems have different loading gauge , and platforms are designed to match the separate car widths. The Los Angeles Metro Rail system runs for about 19 hours each day between 5:00 am and 11:45 pm. Limited service on particular segments is provided after midnight and before 5:00 am. There is no rail service between 2:00 am and 3:30 am, except on special occasions such as New Year's Eve. Before

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2704-471: Was developed to provide a long-term vision of transportation system development for the next 30 years. Metro worked to update the 2009 LRTP citing new housing trends and fiscal changes. Metro released the updated LRTP in 2020. Beginning in 2014, Metro saw its ridership numbers begin to decline. Many explanations exist for the decline, including safety concerns, an increase in ride-hailing service usage, low-income housing opportunities drying up in L.A. because of

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