The wait is over. North Bay commuters celebrated the grand opening of the Sonoma-Marin area Rail Transit District’s full passenger SMART train service on Friday.
A big crowd came together during the opening day celebration to enjoy a free ride and get to know the new route.
The 43-mile rail line includes 10 stations between San Rafael and Santa Rosa. The rail offers 34 weekday trips and 10 weekday runs on weekends. SMART is already planning expansions to Larkspur and Cloverdale.
“This is really setting the example for what we’re trying to do all around the state of California,” said California Secretary of Transportation, Brian Kelly. “You have tough commute corridors like the 101 here and you can’t just continue to build a lane and add more cars.”
The one-way adult fare price through all five zones is $11.50 and $5.75 for seniors, youth and passengers with disabilities. SMART will also be offering adults a $200, 31-day pass with unlimited rides and a $100 pass for seniors, youth and disabled riders.
SMART rail services will be priced at half-off through Labor Day and will return to their full price on Sept. 5.
