SBCAG Approves Expanded Peak-Hour Rail Service to Goleta and San Luis Obispo

The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) has approved a 12-month pilot program to expand peak-hour Pacific Surfliner rail service across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties.

The expanded service fulfills a long-standing regional commitment to provide both highway improvements and increased rail options as a way to ease congestion along Highway 101 during peak commute hours.

The expansion will be delivered through additional Pacific Surfliner service operated by the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, with the goal of restoring pre-pandemic service levels and providing a more affordable commuting option.

Under the new plan, which was approved in a meeting on January 15, 2026, the schedule adds a sixth daily round trip to Goleta and a third daily round trip to San Luis Obispo, including a northbound train arriving in Goleta during the morning peak commute.

After reaching Goleta, the train will continue north to San Luis Obispo before returning south along the same corridor to San Diego.

During the meeting, officials said the southbound return trip is scheduled to depart San Luis Obispo shortly after noon, stop in Goleta at approximately 2:33 p.m., and arrive at Los Angeles Union Station around 5:50 p.m.

The expanded schedule will cover all regional stations, including Lompoc-Surf and Guadalupe, improving rail access for Central Coast communities.

The 12-month pilot program will be funded through contributions from SBCAG, the Ventura County Transportation Commission, LOSSAN, state grant funds, and a $27 million federal grant awarded to restore baseline service.

The pilot is designed to serve northbound and southbound travelers during morning, afternoon, and evening travel periods.

The decision follows the cancellation of a previously planned subcontract with Metrolink, which would have operated a morning peak-hour train using LOSSAN’s track access before eventually transferring operations back to LOSSAN.

The Metrolink plan was ultimately abandoned after Union Pacific Railroad, which owns the tracks north of Moorpark, required a new operating agreement to designate Metrolink as the operator — a process officials said could take until early 2026.

Officials said the Metrolink proposal carried higher costs, required local agencies to fully fund operations, and would have returned equipment without passengers, limiting fare revenue potential.

Meanwhile, LOSSAN secured a $27 million federal grant to restore baseline service and redeploy rail equipment. Because LOSSAN already operates under an existing Union Pacific agreement, the board was able to proceed without further delays.

Officials estimate the LOSSAN-operated service will cost 30% to 50% less, avoid major expenses, generate fare revenue on the return trip, and provide a simpler experience for riders through a single operator and ticketing system.

The final operating agreement is expected to return to the SBCAG board in February 2026 for approval, clearing the way for the expanded rail service across Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

Data collected during the pilot program will be used to pursue long-term state and federal funding, with the goal of creating a more reliable and sustainable regional rail network.