VENTURA, Calif. — Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner Service will offer fare discounts and add an additional late-night train during the three-day run of the X Games action sports event in Ventura, July 21-23.
The Surfliners’ Ventura stop is in the parking lot for the Ventura County Fairgrounds, site of the X Games. Ventura is normally served by 10 Surfliner trains a day; during the X Games, a train will be added to provide a late-night option to return from Ventura to Los Angeles.
Valerie Ryan, X Games vice president, fan experience and hospitality, said in a press release that the event wanted to provide “a more sustainable” way for spectators to attend.
“We worked with the Pacific Surfliner team to provide added route times during X Games event days, that make it more convenient for fans,” Ryan said. “Fans can explore X Games and walk a few blocks to downtown to check out everything Ventura has to offer.”
Jason Jewell, managing director of the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency, which oversees the Surfliner operation, said the service will offer a 15% fare discount for spectators, and that the service would feature a train wrapped in partnership with the X Games and Visit Ventura. The wrap, featuring seven X Games athletes, debuted June 22 and is expected to remain in service the rest of the year.
“This is an exciting new venture for us,” Jewell said, “and we hope to partner with other brands and events similarly in the future.”
More information on the Surfliner is available at its website.
Any time rail transit can cooperate with event operators it’s a win for all. The rail service gains new riders and the added train service helps reduce car traffic to and from events.