A Saturday update on rail service changes and other responses to the COVID-19 virus. Because of the rapidly evolving situation, check with local service providers or Amtrak.com for the latest information:
— LA Metro began reducing light rail service on Friday, with last trips departing terminal stations at midnight. This weekend’s operations are as scheduled, but as of Monday, weekday operations will follow a weekend hybrid schedule with reduced frequencies. Bus service will be reduced 15% to 20%. Details are available here. Metro cautions that it will follow ridership and may make “quick-strike adjustments” as needed.
— Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner announced significant schedule reductions, with trains no longer operating to or from San Luis Obispo. Monday, six northbound and seven southbound trains will be cancelled; On Tuesday, eight northbound and seven southbound trains will be cancelled. Limited bus connections will be available to and from San Luis Obispo; which can also be reached by rail via the Coast Starlight. Full Surfliners details are available here, Other adjustments are possible; watch the Surfliner travel advisory page for details.
— North Carolina will cut two of the three round trips of Amtrak’s Charlotte-Raleigh Piedmont as of Monday, the Raleigh News & Observer reports. Still operating will be southbound train No. 75, which departs Raleigh at 10 a.m. and arrives in Charlotte at 1:10 p.m., and northbound train No. 76, which departs Charlotte at 3:15 p.m. and arrives in Raleigh at 6:26 p.m. The two cities will also still be served by the New York-Charlotte Carolinian.
— NJ Transit, which shifted to a weekend schedule on most commuter rail lines as of Friday, has announced revisions to its weekday operating plan. The transit agency will operate on a Presidents Day schedule with some enhancements; the Atlantic City Line will continue to operate on a normal schedule. The agency says revised schedules should be available on its website no later than Sunday.
— Montreal’s Exo will reduce commuter train service on all but one line as of Monday, cancelling some departures to limit operations to 75% of normal frequency. The lone exception is the Mascouche line, which will operate normally. New schedules are available on the Exo website (information is primarily in French).
— The Denton County, Texas, Transportation Authority will reduce service on its A-Train commuter line and Connect bus service as of Monday, March 23. Weekday A-Train service will be provided hourly between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday service will remain unchanged.
— While New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is maintaining normal weekend service today and Sunday on all rail and subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North are not accepting cash on board trains or at ticket windows. Ticket machines still accept cash. West of Hudson service, operated by NJ Transit, is now operating on a weekend schedule until further notice.
— Seattle area Sound Transit, which had already announced service reductions, will suspend fare collection on all trains and buses to help employees and passengers maintain social distancing. Bus riders are being asked to use rear doors only to maintain separation from drivers.
— Updated at 11:30 a.m. CDT on March 21 to add cuts to Piedmont service; updated at 12:05 p.m. CDT to add Denton County cuts.
