WHY IT RATES: Due to the mudslides in California, Amtrak is adding extra service to meet the increased travel demand.-Donald Wood, Breaking News Senior Writer.
The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner will add railcars to each of its 10 daily trains serving Santa Barbara County starting Sunday, providing more than 2,000 additional seats to help accommodate increased travel demand due to the continued closure of Highway 101 following devastating mudslides near Montecito last week.
Since train tracks reopened on Thursday, January 11, 2018, the Pacific Surfliner has served as the only viable ground transportation option between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, as drive time on alternate routes between the two counties can take nearly four hours.
The Pacific Surfliner travels between Ventura and Santa Barbara in approximately 45 minutes.
Due to the limited transportation options, Pacific Surfliner trains have been extremely busy, with demand exceeding available seating capacity. Extra railcars that had already been added to select Pacific Surfliner trains for the past two days using available equipment are being supplemented by the arrival of eight additional railcars and three locomotives from northern California, which will add up to 270 extra seats per train.
Pacific Surfliner trains are operating between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, including stops at Oxnard, Ventura, Caprinteria, Santa Barbara and Goleta. D
espite the additional capacity, demand for train transportation is anticipated to be high, so passengers should expect busy trains and plan accordingly. Please expect delays as trains travel through the affected areas due to emergency personnel working on or near the railroad and continued cleanup efforts.
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