Irvine Transportation Center

The Irvine Transportation Center^[4] (shortened to Irvine Transit Center and also known as Irvine station^[5]) is a transit center in the Irvine Spectrum district of southeastern Irvine, California, United States. Located on the southwest end of the decommissioned Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, it is served by Amtrak California's Pacific Surfliner route, two Metrolink commuter rail lines, and multiple Orange County Transportation Authority (OC Bus) bus routes.

Irvine, CA
A Metrolink train pulls in to Irvine, April 2008
General information
Other names	Irvine Transit Center Irvine
Location	15215 Barranca Parkway Irvine, California United States
Coordinates	33°39′24″N 117°44′01″W
Owned by	City of Irvine
Line(s)	SCRRA Orange Subdivision[1]
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Bus stands	8
Bus operators	OC Bus iShuttle
Construction
Parking	1,650 spaces[2]
Bicycle facilities	Racks and lockers[2]
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Status	Staffed, station building with waiting room
Station code	Amtrak: IRV
History
Opened	June 1, 1990 (1990-06-01)
Passengers
FY 2023	353,971[3] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Santa Ana toward San Luis Obispo Pacific Surfliner San Juan Capistrano toward San Diego Preceding station Metrolink Following station Tustin toward San Bernardino–Downtown Inland Empire–Orange County Line Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo toward Oceanside Tustin toward L.A. Union Station Orange County Line
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Santa Ana toward Los Angeles Orange County Commuter San Juan Capistrano Terminus San Diegan San Juan Capistrano toward San Diego At previous Irvine station (pre-1947) Preceding station Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Following station Santa Ana toward Los Angeles Surf Line El Toro toward San Diego
Location

The $13 million Irvine Transportation Center opened on June 1, 1990, when Irvine was officially added to the Amtrak timetable as a stop on the route of the San Diegan (later renamed the Pacific Surfliner).^[6][7] On August 25, 2008, a new four-story parking structure was opened to expand available parking at the station by 1,500 spots.^[8]

History

Rail history in the vicinity of modern-day Irvine predates the city's incorporation. In 1889, James Irvine II permitted the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway to build tracks through Irvine Ranch towards San Diego and establish a station at Myford to serve the local farms. Myford was later renamed Irvine in 1914, and it remained an unincorporated community.

When Santa Fe introduced the San Diegan passenger service in 1938, Irvine was included as a stop on the route. The passenger depot closed in 1947, leaving the town without rail service.^[9]

In 1988, the city of Irvine announced plans for a new Amtrak station in the Irvine Spectrum neighborhood, accompanying rapid commercial development in the area at the time.^[10] The facility cost US$13 million to build, $4 million of which Caltrans provided. Following an official dedication on May 16, 1990, the Irvine Transportation Center opened on June 1, bringing passenger rail to the area for the first time in 43 years and for the first time since the city's incorporation in 1971.^[9]

Amtrak began serving the station on June 6, 1990, five days after its opening. Its inaugural services were the San Diegan, a continuation of the original Santa Fe line that originally served Irvine, and the Orange County Commuter, a once-daily roundtrip from San Juan Capistrano station to Los Angeles Union Station.^[9]

In 1994, Amtrak turned over control of the Orange County Commuter service to Los Angeles-based commuter rail Metrolink, and it became the Orange County Line. The Irvine Transportation Center effectively became an inaugural station of the new line, and service was increased from the original once-a-day Commuter schedule.^[11]

Rail ridership

In FY2009, Irvine served about 3,000 total passengers daily for Metrolink and Amtrak.^[12]

Irvine served a total of 353,971 Amtrak passengers in Fiscal Year 2023.^[3]

Service

Rail

Irvine Transportation Center is served by 20 Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains (ten in each direction) evenly spaced throughout the day.^[13]

Irvine Transportation Center is served by 26 Metrolink Orange County Line trains (13 in each direction) each weekday, evenly spaced throughout the day. Weekend service consists of 4 trains (2 in each direction) on both Saturday and Sunday, running in each direction in the morning and evening. ^[14]

Additionally, the station is served by 18 Metrolink Inland Empire–Orange County Line trains (9 in each direction) each weekday, running primarily at peak hours in the peak direction of travel. Weekend service consists of 4 trains (2 in each direction) on both Saturday and Sunday, heading towards Orange County in the morning and towards the Inland Empire in the evening.^[14]

Buses

Dock[15]	Operator	Route	Destination
1	OC Bus	480	AM to Lake Forest PM to Irvine Station
2	iShuttle	402C	AM to Capitol Group PM to Irvine Station
3		403D	To Sand Canyon & Waterworks
4	not in service
5	OC Bus	86	East to Mission Viejo West to Costa Mesa
6	not in service
7
8

Former bus services

FlyAway (bus) coach service to Los Angeles International Airport was formerly provided from the station, but was discontinued due to low ridership.^[16]

See also

• Orange County Great Park