It will be an extra-busy New Year’s holiday in San Diego and the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) wants the public to be safe. As police ramp up DUI checkpoints and parking costs hit premium rates, MTS along with the North County Transit District (NCTD) will help party revelers travel safely at an affordable cost by offering free rides after 6 p.m. on NYE.
“The most important thing on New Year’s Eve is for people to be safe,” said Nathan Fletcher, MTS board chair and San Diego County supervisor. “To help, MTS is making public transit as easy and convenient as possible. Free service after 6 p.m., extra early morning service and a partnership with Lyft allows people a great option to driving.”
MTS is also partnering up with rideshare company Lyft for ride discounts to help people get home safely. Trips that either begin or end at an MTS transit center will receive a 20% discount. 
Additionally, MTS will be operating on a modified service schedule:
New Year’s Eve (Tuesday, Dec. 31):
All Trolley lines and most MTS bus routes will operate on a normal weekday service schedule, with free rides starting at 6 p.m.
NYE Extra Late-Night Trolley Service: There won’t be a need to cut the celebration short to ring in 2020. MTS will be offering late-night Trolley service on New Year’s Eve, thanks to our friends at Coca-Cola who will be sponsoring the extra service, as well as the free rides on NYE. Trolley service is extended on all three lines until after 2 a.m. View the extra service schedule. Late-night train departures include: • Sycuan Green Line (from 12th & Imperial Transit Center to SDSU): 12:21 a.m., 12:51 a.m., 1:21 a.m., 1:51 a.m., and 2:21 a.m. • UC San Diego Blue Line (from America Plaza to San Ysidro): 12:18 a.m., 1:03 a.m., and 2:03 a.m. • Orange Line (from Courthouse Station to El Cajon): 12:15 a.m., 1:15 a.m., and 2:15 a.m.
Catch a Lyft, Get a Discount: To help those NYE revelers get to and from MTS Rapid and Trolley stations, Lyft is offering MTS passengers a discount of 20% off two rides that start or end at transit stations. Riders can use the code MTSNYE19 from 6 p.m. on Dec. 31, until 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 1. The promotion is designed to allow people to leave their cars at home on NYE, get a ride to transit and then reverse the trip to get back home safely.
New Year’s Day (Wednesday, Jan. 1): All Trolley lines (except Silver Line) and most MTS bus routes will operate on Sunday service schedules. • Trolley lines will operate every 15-30 minutes throughout the day • There will be Sunday service on Rapid 201/202, 215, 225, and 235, urban local bus routes and Express Routes 20 and 950. • No service will be provided on Rapid Express 280 and 290, nor on Rapid 204, and 237, Sorrento Valley COASTER Connection, rural and other Express bus routes or the Vintage Trolley (Silver Line).
Support Services: MTS Information & Trip Planning will be open from 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31 and closed on Wednesday, Jan. 1. The Transit Store, Compass Service Center, and Customer Service offices will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 and be closed Jan 1. Customers who need MTS information on New Year’s Eve, on Jan. 1 can visit the MTS website or download the GO MTS mobile app for real-time trip planning information, schedules, and security.  The automated InfoExpress phone line will also remain available by calling 619-685-4900. All offices will reopen on Thursday, Jan. 2 with regular business hours.
MTS operates 95 bus routes and three Trolley lines on 53 miles of double-tracked railway. Every weekday, 300,000 passenger trips are taken on MTS bus and Trolley services in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of the county. In FY 2019, MTS served more than 85 million riders.  For more information on how you can use public transportation and save money, go to www.sdmts.com.