Commuters in Pasadena have reason to celebrate this upcoming holiday season with a significant expansion of the city’s transit system. Starting December 15, the Pasadena Transit will introduce two additional bus routes, improving connectivity and reducing wait times across the city. More specifically, Metro Lines 177 and 256 will be rebranded as Pasadena Transit Routes 53 and 33, a move aligned with Metro’s NextGen Bus Plan.
The reconfigured Route 53 will link Caltech with Northwest Pasadena and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, maintaining its course via Fair Oaks Ave, Mountain St, and along the 210 freeway. Route 33 will connect Highland Park A (Gold) Line Station with the Sierra Madre Villa A (Gold) Line Station via Washington Blvd. The modifications in service mark a long-awaited development, “The last time Pasadena added a bus route to its system was in 2003, so this is an exciting moment for us,” Joaquin Siques, Director of Transportation for the City of Pasadena, told City of Pasadena News.
Along with the expansion, passengers can expect a more frequent service on Route 33, which will now run every 35 minutes instead of the previous 50-minute interval. To forge a seamless transit experience, Route 33's schedule has been coordinated with Routes 31/32 to provide a bus every 18 minutes between Fair Oaks Ave. and Altadena Blvd. In an effort to transition with clarity, the route and stop locations will stay as they are currently, only now adorned with Pasadena Transit branding.
Perhaps one of the most welcomed changes comes with the fare adjustments. Metro’s base fare of $1.75 will take a significant dip to Pasadena Transit’s more wallet-friendly fare of $0.75. TAP Cards will remain an accepted form of payment across the network. Transferring between Pasadena Transit routes will not cost an extra dime for 2.5 hours. However, transfers from other services including LA Metro bus and rail are reduced to $0.25, and transfers to Metro services will be a mere $0.50. Furthermore, Pasadena Transit continues its tradition of discounted fares for seniors, customers with disabilities, and youth.
Officials are also revising the schedules of Routes 31/32, 40, and 51/52 in tandem with the expanded services. For additional information on updates and real-time arrival, travelers are directed to visit Pasadena Transit’s website or contact their customer service. Details are also available through Metro's platforms for those looking to coordinate across broader networks.
