Fans planning to cheer on any of the four L.A.-area college and pro football teams can avoid traffic and get straight to the gridiron action by going Metro! It should be an exciting year: both the Rams and Chargers are considered as Super Bowl contenders and USC is in the top 20 in the pre-season college rankings.

The USC Trojans play the Las Vegas Rebels in their season opener this Saturday at the Expo Line-adjacent Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Rams host the Arizona Cardinals at the Coliseum on Sunday, Sept. 16.

The Expo Line will run every six to eight minutes before and after the games with three-car trains. Use Expo/Vermont, Expo Park/USC or Jefferson/USC stations — all are just a short walk to/from the Coliseum.

Another option is the Silver Line, which runs between El Monte Bus Station, DTLA, Harbor Gateway Transit Center and San Pedro. The 37th St/USC Station is about a 10-minute walk to the Coliseum. 

Metrolink is also offering special service to Union Station on Rams game days. Roundtrip tickets are $10 and include free transfers to Metro Bus and Rail. From Union Station, take the Red or Purple Line subway to 7th/Metro Station, where you can transfer to the Expo Line.

For park-and-riders, Union Station offers $8 dollar parking in the underground garage at Patsaouras Transit Plaza.

UCLA opens their football season against Cincinnati this Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Bruins fans: exit the Gold Line at Memorial Park Station, then walk two blocks east down Holly Street to the Parsons parking lot to catch the free Rose Bowl shuttle.

If you’re planning to park and ride to the Rose Bowl, here are the Gold Line stations that have parking, both free and paid.

Please note the clear bag policy at the Coliseum has been implemented at the Rose Bowl as well. To minimize wait times at the stadiums, we encourage reviewing their security policies before heading to your event.

Be sure to load your TAP card with $3.50 in stored value for a round trip to avoid waiting in line on the way back. A Metro Day Pass costs $7 dollars. If you need a TAP card, they cost $2 and are available from TAP vending machines at all Metro Rail and Orange Line stations.

Finally, if you’re planning to see the Chargers at the StubHub Center in Carson, consider the free game-day shuttle service to the stadium operated by Long Beach Transit.

The Chargers Express shuttles connect with Metro Rail at the Blue Line Del Amo Station and the Silver Line at Harbor Gateway Transit Center. Service begins 2.5 hours before the game begins and return trips will be available until 1.5 hours after the end of the game. Shuttles will run every 10 minutes.

For those taking the Silver Line to Harbor Gateway Transit Center, the one-way fare is $2.50. If you’re taking the Blue Line to Del Amo Station, fare is $1.75 for a one-way trip and $3.50 for a round trip.

For more help planning a transit trip, use the Metro Trip Planner or call 323.GOMETRO.

The Metro Rail map. Click to see larger version.