A New Era for Los Angeles Metro: Regional Connector Unveils, And The L (Gold) Line Is No More

Friday marks a historic moment in the landscape of Los Angeles public transportation as the Metro Regional Connector opens to the public. It connects the A, E and L lines for the first time.

With the opening, there will no longer be an L (Gold) Line in the Metro system. That line’s stretch from Union Station to Pasadena and beyond will simply be part of the A (Blue) Line, while the portion from Union Station to East Los Angeles will be added to the E (Expo) Line.

The Regional Connector will allow riders to travel between Pasadena and Long Beach and between East L.A. and Santa Monica without transferring.

The long-awaited upgrade will eliminate the train-hopping previously required of riders who had to disembark inbound E (Expo) and A (Blue) line trains at the Seventh Street/Metro Center Station then board a subway train to reach Union Station, where they could then board an L (Gold) Line train to travel on to East Los Angeles or Pasadena.

As part of Metro’s celebration, the transportation agency will offer free rides from 3 a.m. Friday through 3 a.m. Monday on all Metro buses, trains, Metro Bike and Metro Micro.

The roughly $1.8 billion Regional Connector project was almost a decade in the making.

Today’s opening of the Regional Connector and the transformation of the Gold Line to the Blue Line is more than just a change in color, Metro said.

Metro said the Regional Connector is expected to significantly reduce travel times for riders, particularly those traveling between downtown Los Angeles and the Eastside.

The Regional Connector is the first new rail line to open in Los Angeles in more than 20 years. It is part of a larger effort to expand the city’s public transportation system.

For more information, visit metro.net.