Amtrak migrates service to temporary terminal in San Francisco

Amtrak service has moved to the Transbay Temporary Terminal in San Francisco, establishing the first rail connection at the future Transbay Transit Center.

The addition of Amtrak Thruway connector bus service foreshadows the center’s eventual status as the northern terminus for the California's high-speed rail system and Caltrain service, Transbay Joint Powers Authority officials said in a press release. The temporary terminal currently serves passengers connecting to and from Amtrak’s San Joaquin, Capitol Corridor, Coast Starlight and California Zephyr lines.

Amtrak Thruway’s transition to the temporary terminal brings riders into the heart of downtown San Francisco near a wide range of regional transit services, including the Muni Railway, AC Transit, SamTrans, Golden Gate Transit, WestCAT Lynx, Greyhound and San Francisco Paratransit, authority officials said.

"The Transbay Transit Center project creates a safe, seamless and sustainable transportation network for Bay Area residents and travelers statewide," said Transbay Joint Powers Authority Executive Director Maria Ayerdi-Kaplan.

Amtrak Thruway will operate at the temporary terminal until the Transbay Transit Center opens in late 2017, at which point Amtrak service is expected to migrate to the new facility. The center will serve as the hub for 11 transit agencies and include a train platform for high-speed and Caltrain trains.