Officials promote free rides on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve

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Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined Sheriff Leroy Baca, Metro CEO Art Leahy, Santa Claus and others this morning at Union Station to promote free rides on Metro buses and trains on both Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

The free rides will be offered from 9 p.m to 2 a.m. and are a good way to get around safely. Amplifying the holiday safety message, the Mayor and Sheriff Baca reminded transit riders if they “See Something, Say Something” regarding suspicious packages and activity in the transit system.

photos by Luis Inunza/Metro

Categories: Safety

16 replies ›

  1. omg… nevermind…i found out all lines are 24 hours…just hard to find! I’m so happy now!

  2. I really enjoyed this service last year when I went to Hollywood, it was so easy and I was excited to use it this year to DTLA. I was actually really appreciative of the free service from 9pm to 2am! But then I realized I’ve got to catch the Red Line just after 12am or I’m stuck in DTLA until 4am…any chance I missed the extended hours memo for all of the Metro systems?
    If it’s free until 2am…are the rails extending their service hours?
    I really hope I’m just missing the memo…otherwise, I’ve got to fight for expensive parking in DTLA and drive with other crazy drunks on the road.
    24 hour service on NYE would be greatly appreciated by all, even if it wasn’t free! 🙂

  3. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE extend the red line hours for New Years!! Thank you 🙂

  4. This is almost pointless, as the trains stop running around 12:45am. They should run for just a couple more hours — even if only on holidays such as Christmas and New Year — to get the club-going crowds.

    I was hoping to take the train into Hollywood on New Year’s Eve, but I would have to leave before midnight in order to catch the train back to Universal — or wait until nearly 4:45am when the next bus is available. Not gonna happen.

    It is such a shame that the MTA transit planners are not a little more practically minded.

  5. Just to clarify, for New Year’s Eve all rails will be running 24 hours. They will be free to ride between the hours of 9 p.m. and 2 a.m., but after that you can still catch a train to get home, you’ll just need to buy a ticket.

    Anna Chen
    Contributer, The Source

  6. I think that is really great maybe not for all bu it really depends on what you want to do, we have to take into consideration that those who give the rides have a life too! So thanks for offering the free rides 🙂

  8. Dear MTA,
    Please, please, please, please, PLEASE extend service hours on, at a minimum, New Year’s Eve. I don’t care if I had to pay my fare, being stuck out on the town past 1am with only taxis or driving as an alternative is ridiculous. Come into the 21st century, Metro! Please!!!

  9. I read the article TITLE stating rides were free Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. I am P-O-O-R so I was excited to be able to go out and get a little something for my family since I cannot afford a bus pass. Though I am disabled Metro has so many stipulations on getting a disabled pass I haven’t been able to get one. I was very sad to get on the bus only to find the offer is for 9 p.m to 2 a.m. in other words useless to me. Should I have clicked on the entire article … of course. Am I dissapointed? More than you know.

  10. It would be nice to just have free service, from 12:am start of Christmas Eve 24th to Christmas Day the 25th at 12:am. That way not only Party goers and Hoilday Drinkers are the lucky ones? What about People trying to see Family and visit there loved ones? Come on L.A. dont be a Tax hungry Mr, Scrooge for the Holidays share the gift of Pedestrian Appreciation!

  12. i am a stay at home grandma, and even i know this is useless, last bar calls 2am, the most dangerous time to be on the road is between 2 and 3 am when most everybody is either drunk or asleep at the wheel. and catching the bus takes a minute. Have these people ever actually, really, taken public transit? oh well, Merry Christmas, keep safe

  13. Fun thing about Santa’s poster is that if I did stand and look down the tunnel to where that bag is sitiing, I would:

    A) Probably not see it because it is too dark.

    and

    B) Probably be considered suspicious myself just for standing where those LASD personnel are.

    But now I have an excuse! Santa told me to!

  14. Running Free Service is cheaper than dispatching fire and police to Drunk Driving accidents more than a small number of times.

  15. Stop with this “free service” announcements.

    All it is an euphemism for “paid for with more of your taxpayer dollars, courtesy of your ever shrinking paychecks.”

    Seriously, LA’s public service announcements are sounding more like Soviet propaganda these days.

  16. Free service is pointless when I have to catch the 12:24 red line to connect to Long Beach. Last call is 2 am! Thanks for ruining my Hollywood birthday plans (and I’m sure many others’ New Years plans)