Time Piece: Iconic sculpture by Donald Lipski frames the entrance to the new El Monte Station, which opens to the public this Sunday. Photo by Luis Inzunza.
The new El Monte Station opens for business this Sunday, at 2:24 a.m. to be exact. From then on, it’s a 24/7 operation.
The world’s most beautiful bus station, some say, is twice the size of the old facility and has cool stuff including variable message signs, intercoms, closed circuit television, solar panels, wayfinding equipment and information displays, new elevators and escalators, a transit store, bike stations and lockers, and the iconic sculpture by Donald Lipski entitled “Time Piece.”
Starting opening day, all categories of Foothill Transit 31-Day passes and Metro 30-Day, 7-Day or Day passes will be accepted on either Metro Silver Line buses or Foothill Silver Streak buses, and riders paying cash will pay the same fare ($2.45, one way) no matter which bus they take.
New El Monte Station adds 13 new bus bays, increasing the total number of bus bays to 29. Check the variable message signs to see what bus is arriving at which bay at what time. Photo by Gary Leonard
Patrons wanting to travel on the El Monte Busway can just board the first bus to arrive — Metro Silver Line or Silver Streak — show their fare media from either Metro or Foothill Transit and be on their way.
Ready to roll: Silver Line bus pulls into the El Monte Bus Station. Photo by Gary Leonard.
Metro Silver Line buses operate every 5-10 minutes during morning and afternoon peak periods, every 15 minutes midday and every 60 minutes late at night. The Metro Silver Line travels from El Monte Station to the Artesia Transit Center, with several stops in downtown Los Angeles.
The Foothill Transit Silver Streak operates approximately every 10 to 20 minutes during morning and afternoon peak periods, every 20 minutes midday and every 60 minutes late at night. The Silver Streak travels from Montclair Transit Center to downtown Los Angeles.
For more information on this new easy and convenient fare arrangement, including cash and pass fares, visit foothilltransit.org/silverstreak or metro.net/silverline.
Categories: Transportation News
Hopefully this becomes longer than a 1 year demonstration.
This is great!
I hope the next major redevelopment and beautification (with expansion) will be for the currently-disgusting West LA Transit Center. It’s located underneath the 10 Fwy (near Fairfax) and presents quite an unpleasant experience to visit!
Nice! Will the fare arrangement apply to the entire length of both lines, or just the stops between El Monte and Union Station? E.g., will you be able to board the Silver Streak with a Metro day pass somewhere east of El Monte, or the Silver Line with a Foothill day pass somewhere south of Downtown LA?
Thanks for the good question, Niall. The “combined service” fare is only good between El Monte and downtown Los Angeles. The fare arrangement is a one-year demonstration program between Foothill Transit and Metro that allows customers wanting to travel on the El Monte Busway to board the first bus to arrive — Metro Silver Line or Silver Streak — show their fare media from either Metro or Foothill Transit, and be on their way. There is an additional fee if your trip includes more than one zone. Updated fare charts will be posted on the websites on Monday. Check it out at foothilltransit.org/silverstreak or metro.net/silverline.