With the return of San Diego Comic-Con, fans are gearing up to don their capes and converge on the city in record numbers. Anticipating a crowd larger than 135,000, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit District (NCTD) have ramped up their services to ensure that attendees can swiftly navigate through the hustle and bustle of the event. MTS Board Chair Stephen Whitburn heralded public transit as the quick, easy, and affordable way to attend Comic-Con, according to the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System.
To further simplify travel, MTS and NCTD have launched a limited-edition Comic-Con PRONTO card with a series of discounted passes that will allow convention-goers to tap and go easily. Last year's Comic-Con prompted approximately 250,000 additional trips on the MTS Trolley alone, while NCTD experienced a 3.5 percent increase in ridership, highlighting the enormous demand for efficient transit solutions. The special transit cards are available for pre-order exclusively on the PRONTO website and over the phone from July 8 through July 15, reported Hoodline. Those missing the preorder can still snag a card between July 23 and July 28 at various locations.
To further entice riders, MTS offers two-, three-, four-, and five-day transit passes at a starting price of just $10 through the PRONTO mobile app. There's also a pocket-friendly COASTER 5-pack deal allowing five days of travel for three days—a month from the date of purchase. NCTD Board Chair Jewel Edson said that "traveling by train provides not only a beautiful, hassle free, affordable ride — you can also start your adventure by showing off your costume and posing for fun photos with other Comic-Com fans on the trip down!" as stated by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System.
In keeping with the spirit of Comic-Con, safety is a heightened priority. MTS encourages attendees to check out their Comic-Con webpage for important transit safety tips. Additionally, to ease the congestion on the roads and parking lots, MTS offers free Park & Ride lots across the Trolley system with added spaces this year at Snapdragon Stadium—though parking will be restricted on July 26 due to another event. For families, two children aged 12 and under can ride for free with every paying adult on weekends, and youth 18 and under can take advantage of the Youth Opportunity Pass for free rides, as per the program's conditions.
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