Coaster is a commuter rail service in the central and northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States, operated by the North County Transit District (NCTD). The 41-mile (66 km) commuter rail line features eight stops, with a travel time of about an hour and five minutes end-to-end. The service operates primarily during weekday peak periods, with limited midday, weekend and holiday service. The Coaster first entered service on February 27, 1995, and has since grown in ridership and capacity. In 2023, the line had a ridership of 831,800, or about 2,200 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
A Coaster train near Encinitas, March 2021.
A Coaster train passes over a new concrete bridge (as part of a bridge replacement project) near the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.
Coaster 2101, an F40PHM-2C, at Sorrento Valley Station shortly before it was retired.
The top deck of an original Coaster Bombardier Bi-Level coach. The seat materials will be refurbished, with electrical outlets also to be added.
North County Transit District
The North County Transit District is the agency responsible for public transportation in Northern San Diego County, California. The agency manages the COASTER commuter rail service between Oceanside and San Diego, the SPRINTER hybrid rail service between Escondido and Oceanside, the BREEZE transit bus service, LIFT paratransit service, and FLEX on-demand and point-deviation service.
A BREEZE bus on Route 101 seen on Carlsbad Boulevard
A SPRINTER DMU at the Vista Transit Center
Left: A COASTER Bombardier BiLevel cab car at San Diego's Santa Fe Depot. Right: COASTER Siemens SC-44 Charger diesel-electric locomotive in Oceanside Transit Center.
Image: NCTD Coaster Phase II Santa Fe
