Via Princessa (Metrolink station)

Via Princessa is a Metrolink rail station located in the city of Santa Clarita, California. It is served by Metrolink's Antelope Valley Line from Los Angeles Union Station to Lancaster.

Prior to the Northridge earthquake in 1994 the Metrolink line terminated at the Santa Clarita station with plans to eventually extend the line north to the Antelope Valley. Immediately following the earthquake, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority made the decision to extend the line in order to help relieve the traffic bottleneck caused by the collapse of the south-bound connector of State Route 14 to the south-bound interstate 5 in the Newhall Pass. The passenger platform and automobile parking lot for the station were constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in a matter of days following the earthquake. In October 2008 a permanent building containing public restrooms and an office for station security officers was also constructed. This building replaced temporary facilities that had served the station since it was first established.

22 Metrolink trains now serve the station each weekday along with 12 more on Saturdays and 6 on Sunday. Sunday service began in September 2007. Weekday Metrolink service runs primarily at peak hours in the peak direction of travel while weekend departures and arrivals are fairly evenly spaced throughout the day.

City of Santa Clarita Transit provides very limited direct local bus service to the station. The trips are timed to meet the trains, in the morning hours 5 trips from Canyon Country drop off passengers at the station and in the afternoon 4 trips to Canyon Country pick up passengers at the station. All passengers on the midday trains or going to the communities of Newhall and Friendly Valley must use the bus stops on Sierra Highway at Via Princessa, approximately 0.3 miles away.

Connections

City of Santa Clarita Transit:

• Local: 1, 2

Bikeway:

• Santa Clara River Trail- There is an entrance on Whites Canyon Road, approximately a 0.7 mile ride north of the station.

External links

• Metrolink – Via Princessa