Metrolink is a commuter rail system in Southern California that covers six counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and North San Diego. UCI students can travel for free by using the Student Adventure Pass until June 30, 2025.
Erika Hennon is the Sustainable Programs Manager at UCI Transportation. She oversees programs that promote sustainable commuting, such as transit, biking, carpooling and vanpooling. Her role enables her to collaborate with various transportation organizations to incentivize and provide resources to help students commute more sustainably.
In addition, UCI Transportation provides a 20% rebate on select Metrolink and Amtrak tickets for commuters without long-term parking passes, along with emergency ride-home services for commuters.
“OCTA Route 473 provides a direct weekday connection from the Tustin Metrolink Station to UCI and is free with a valid Metrolink pass,” Hennon told New University. “Route 59 is an option that serves the Santa Ana station. We work with Metrolink and OCTA to align service schedules and support multimodal travel.”
The railway service has stops close to popular tourist attractions, such as Old Towne Orange, Mission San Juan Capistrano and Little Tokyo. Hennon utilizes Metrolink for both commuting and leisure activities.
However, Hennon also advises future travelers to “be proactive.”
“Plan your schedule around the train, sign up for service alerts, and take full advantage of free fares and available discounts,” Hennon said. “With the right preparation, the train can be one of the most rewarding ways to get to campus.”
Kevin Wong, a UCI computer science alumnus, used the Metrolink as a more affordable leisure travel option during his time at UCI.
“I get to relax instead of having to like either have to get a Zipcar and deal with traffic or be in a more cramped Uber,” Wong told New University. “With the Metrolink it’s a lot roomier so you get space to stretch out, you get time to like play on your phone, listen to music and just relax on your trip and not have to worry about anything else.”
Although Metrolink has many benefits to offer, it is still a work in progress to make the commute easier and more accessible. Wong faced a communication problem when his train to Tustin Station had to stop at Santa Ana Station due to a collision. He had to look up Metrolink’s Twitter account to find out.
“Eventually they sent out an Uber voucher so that passengers could get to where their final destination is. So I just ended up utilizing that to get from Santa Ana to Tustin,” Wong said.
He also had trouble finding transportation to Tustin Station from UCI during the weekend. He used to take the 79 bus route from UTC to Culver and Irvine Center, but then he had to walk for 20 minutes to the Tustin Station.
“Now there is another bus, the 90 [bus route], that operates on Irvine Center,” Wong said. “But the frequency is really bad and the connection between the 79 and 90 is not really well optimized.”
Dorothy Morgan is a first-year psychology major and has previously used Metrolink. She has also utilized BART, a transit system in the Bay Area.
“Metrolink actually has tables and stuff and outlet chargers and everything else and BART doesn’t,” Morgan told New University. “It was just a pretty interesting difference.”
When reflecting on her past experiences with Metrolink, Morgan talks about how future journeys could be enhanced.
“Maybe by keeping the Student Adventure Pass because currently it expires this summer,” Morgan said. “I think it would be nice if students could keep going on Metrolink.”
Although some UCI students are worried about the expiration of the free student pass, new efforts are being made to improve transit around the campus and city. Metrolink will be introducing a 50% discount for students.
The city of Irvine introduced a complimentary shuttle service called Irvine CONNECT to facilitate more accessible city travel. UCI’s Sustainable Transportation department is attempting to better align with student needs by upgrading and adding bike parking, installing new bike repair stations and replacing outdated racks across campus.
“We’re working closely with OCTA and the City of Irvine to expand transit access,” Hennon said. “Our department is also a key partner in UCI’s upcoming Long-Range Development Plan, which will explore future opportunities to enhance bike and pedestrian access, expand EV infrastructure, and strengthen transit advocacy throughout campus.”
Hennon hopes that students will expand their use of Metrolink in the future, especially if the Student Adventure Pass returns and station transportation becomes more efficient. The transportation department at UCI is working towards this very future.
“UCI is proud that over 80% of our commuters already use sustainable transportation,” Hennon said. “We’re committed to continuing that progress by making sustainable commuting a cost-effective choice for our students, faculty, and staff. Our team is here to help every step of the way.”
Neelanjana Anne is a Features Intern for the spring 2025 quarter. She can be reached at nsanne@uci.edu.
Edited by Sofia Feeney.