Anyone who takes the subway regularly is used to waiting for a train, but not just waiting for a train. 3 years.

That’s extra time it took Metro to complete a 1.9-mile regional connector that opens Friday along with three new stations to downtown Los Angeles. However, the main significance of the new line is not the addition of stations. It’s his two big holes in the metro system that the regional connector tracks block.

Think of this connector as the glue between five sets of tracks that lead to downtown Los Angeles. Travelers departing from downtown north and northeast will take directly south to Long Beach, and west to Santa Monica will take them to the distant train station.East as East LA

So if you’re used to taking three trains to get from Pasadena to Compton, now you’ll only have to take one. The newly extended A (formerly Blue) Line takes over part of the L (formerly Gold) Line. Head north from Union Station. Similarly, if he took three trains to get from USC to Mariachi Square, he would only take one. The E (former Expo) line takes over part of his L line heading east from Little Tokyo.

Here’s a quick guide to how traveling from various points A to various points B has changed.

A more direct trip to downtown

One of the drawbacks of the Expo, Blue, and Gold routes was that they didn’t always get you where you wanted to go in downtown Los Angeles without taking another route. The Expo and Blue Lines ended at the 7th Street/Metro Center station after arriving from the West and South respectively, while the Gold Line headed north and east from Little Tokyo.

Today, the reconfigured and extended A and E lines run through downtown, from 7th Avenue/Metro Center to 2nd Avenue and South Hope Street (referred to as Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill) and 2nd Avenue and South Continue to a new station near Broadway (called Historic). Broadway) before arriving at a relocated stop in Little Tokyo near 1st Avenue and South Central Avenue (Little Toyo/Arts District).

Meanwhile, the existing downtown stations at 1st and South Hill Streets (Civic Center/Grand Park) and 5th and South Hill Streets (Pershing Square) will continue to serve the B (red) and D (purple) lines. increase.

Travel more without transfers

Metro highlighted how the regional connector will transform the E and A lines into a long, seamless track. Line E now stretches nearly 80 miles from Azusa to Long Beach, making it the longest light rail line in the country, according to Metro.

The entire journey from Santa Monica to East LA will take 1 hour and 9 minutes, and from Azusa to Long Beach will take 1 hour and 58 minutes, according to Metro.

This is great for people who have previously had to travel on the Gold, Red/Purple and Blue lines. However, with the new direct link between the old Gold Line North station and the original Blue Line and the new connection between the old Gold Line East station and the original Expo Line, far more people can travel over a considerably shorter distance. You will see faster rides.

The newly added free transfer rides are:

• From Culver City to Little Tokyo
• East LA to USC
• From Pasadena to Crypto.com Arena
• From Highland Park to LA Trade Technical College
• From Mariachi Square to Disney Hall
• From Chinatown to Watts Tower

Less Friction Means Less Waiting

Metro rail lines serve many different parts of the county, so you may have to change from one line to another to get to your destination. Also, with only six rail lines in all of Los Angeles County, you may have to switch from train to bus to reach your final destination.

However, the function of regional connectors is to reduce the number of times you have to get off one train and wait for another. For example, it used to take three transfers to travel by train from Chinatown or Pasadena to The Times headquarters in El Segundo. You will need one from now on. Similarly, it used to take two transfers to ride from East LA to LA Live. Now there will be only one.

New fare limits for subways

From 1st July, the Metro will cap the amount a passenger must pay A specific day or over a week. We will also reduce basic fares for students and abolish surcharges for J (silver) line buses and highway bus services.

With the introduction of the fare cap, Metro will discontinue unlimited daily, weekly and monthly passes. Compared to the regular price of the pass, even frequent riders save money with the cap. However, the new fare structure will be slightly more expensive than the half-price pass Metro has been offering since early 2022.

To take advantage of the fare cap, you’ll need to get a Metro TAP card and prepay for some rides. To view a list of TAP card vendors, check the following items: taptogo website.

If you already have a TAP card, you’re ready for the new fare limits. Limits apply per card, so remember to use the same card for a day or a week. To take advantage of discounted fares Metro offers for seniors and students, you must submit proof of age or enrollment and obtain his TAP card enrolled in the discount program.you can Apply online or by mail or directly At Metro Customer Center.

Here are the new caps:

• $5 per day, $18 per 7 days for passengers not covered by Metro’s discounted fare program. The base fare remains $1.75.
• Seniors and persons with disabilities are $2.50 per day, $5 per 7 days. The base rate remains 75 cents during peak hours and 35 cents during off-peak hours.
• $2.50 per day for students, $6 per 7 days. The base fare for K-12 students will be reduced from $1 to 75 cents, and the base fare for college and vocational students will be reduced from $1.75 to 75 cents.

All passengers will continue to have free transfers to other buses or trains heading in the same direction for 2 hours.