NCTD Thanksgiving Service Schedule & Amtrak Rail-2-Rail Program Blackout

  Thanksgiving Travelers Reminded of Enhanced Cleaning and Travel Protocols​

Oceanside, CA – In an effort to allow travelers to plan accordingly for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, the public is advised of the following North County Transit District (NCTD) holiday service schedule changes:

• Thanksgiving Service: On Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving), all NCTD buses and trains will operate on a Sunday service schedule. Currently, weekend COASTER service is suspended due to COVID-19 service reductions. Therefore, COASTER trains will not run on this holiday.
• Day After Thanksgiving Service: On Friday, November 27, all NCTD buses and all trains will operate on a normal weekday service schedule.
• Amtrak Rail-2-Rail (R2R) Blackout: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains will not accept COASTER fare from Monday, November 23 through Monday, November 30. During this time, COASTER passengers that utilize the R2R program will need to have a reservation and purchase Amtrak fare for Amtrak trains.

All NCTD buses and trains will return to a regular weekend service schedule on the Saturday and Sunday following Thanksgiving.

NCTD would like to remind travelers of the agency’s commitment to public health during COVID-19. Enhanced safety measures on all bus and train services continue to help the public travel safely this Thanksgiving. Enhanced safety measures include:

• Enhanced cleaning and sanitization protocols, including daily disinfecting and cleaning of all NCTD buses, trains, paratransit vehicles, and transit facilities.
• Required face coverings when riding transit and on transit property. Complimentary masks are available on all NCTD vehicles and at Customer Service offices.
• Required physical distancing on all services, and rear door boarding on bus services, for the safety of all staff, contractors, and customers.
• Daily temperature checks of all employees and contractors. Employees and contractors are required to stay home if they exhibit any symptoms of COVID-19.
• Increased contactless payment options to reduce surface touch points on transit. The Compass Cloud mobile app can be downloaded to purchase one-way, round trip, and monthly fares.

Riders are encouraged to check the NCTD website or Rider’s Guide for accurate scheduling information during the holiday weekend. For trip planning assistance, customers can contact NCTD’s Customer Service Department at 760-966-6500 or visit GoNCTD.com. To find out more about NCTD’s commitment to keep the public safe during COVID-19, visit GoNCTD.com/Coronavirus.

About NCTD: The North County Transit District is a public transportation agency providing over 10 million passenger trips in Fiscal Year 2019 throughout North San Diego County and into downtown San Diego. NCTD’s system includes BREEZE buses (with FLEX service), COASTER commuter trains, SPRINTER hybrid rail trains, and LIFT paratransit service. NCTD’s mission is to deliver safe, convenient, reliable, and user-friendly public transportation services. For more information visit: GoNCTD.com.