Tens of thousands of fans, proudly clad in Dodger blue, navigated LA Union Station on their way to and from the championship festivities on Nov. 3; photo credit: Terrence Martin.
When the Los Angeles Dodgers brought home their second consecutive World Series title earlier this month, fans from across Southern California chose Metrolink to get them to the victory celebration in Downtown LA. As a result, Monday, Nov. 3, proved historic for Metrolink, establishing a new post-pandemic ridership record of 43,920 boardings, surpassing the previous record of 42,562, set last year on the World Series Championship celebration parade day, and marking the highest single-day ridership outside of free-fare days since May 2016.
To accommodate the increased demand, we added extra trains on the Antelope Valley, Orange County and San Bernardino lines, making it easier for fans from outlying counties to join the festivities without worrying about parking or traffic. With six lines in total serving LA Union Station, Metrolink trains dropped attendees off just steps from the parade route, right in the heart of the action. Fans were also able to board LA Metro rail and bus services for free, including the Dodger Stadium Express, which ferried them to a ticketed event at the team’s home venue.
Fans safely queued on the platform while conductors facilitated boarding procedures; photo credit: Terrence Martin.
Behind the scenes, Metrolink employees from across the agency stepped up in an “all hands on deck” effort, joining members of the customer experience and safety, security and compliance teams at stations throughout the network, as well as at LA Union Station. City of Montclair Mayor and Metrolink Board Member John Dutrey was also in the field supporting customers at the Montclair Station. In addition to assisting riders with wayfinding and ticket purchases, they kept information flowing to our dispatch and operations teams and helped manage crowds, ensuring a safe and smooth experience for event attendees, including many first-time riders.
High-profile events like the Dodgers championship parade help us connect with new customers while easing the stress of travel for everyone by reducing cars on the road. Our SoCal Day Pass and seamless connections with LA Metro made the day straightforward and affordable for our passengers, underscoring the convenience and interoperability of our region’s public transit network. Looking ahead, operational lessons learned will inform how we scale service, staff stations and coordinate with partners when future events like the FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games come to town.
To every Dodgers fan who took Metrolink to the celebration, thank you for trusting us when it mattered. We can’t wait to welcome you back for the next big Southern California moment—we’ll be here to help you get there.